E10 Fuel to Replace Petrol - what does it mean for you and your vehicles?
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This month sees the introduction of E10 fuel to replace the old E5 standard. The new fuel contains a higher percentage of renewable bioethanol (10%, up from 5%) in a drive to reduce CO2 emissions but it is not without consequence.
All UK vehicles made after 2011 should be compatible with E10, together with most vehicles made since the late 1990’s. Check to see if any given vehicle is compatible by entering its details on the government’s E10 Service Page. That said, the accuracy of such a check is not guaranteed and may be affected by certain aftermarket modifications.
It is estimated as many as 600,000 vehicles on UK roads will not be compatible with the new fuel and, for them, they will need to use the much more expensive super grade E5 unleaded petrol or risk running issues and damage to seals, plastics, and metals over the long-term, given the corrosive properties of bioethanol. Indeed, classic cars are particularly vulnerable to the long-term corrosive effects of E10.
Precision Engine Services stock Millers VSPe Power Plus One Shot Fuel Treatment. This is an ‘all in one’, multi shot, petrol fuel treatment providing ethanol protection, lead replacement and an octane improver dependent on selected fuel quality. It is recommended for all classic engines previously requiring leaded fuel and now running on unleaded fuel.
Unlike with petrol/diesel misfuelling, a one-off mistake at the pumps is not likely to cause any lasting damage, providing the correct fuel is used as soon as possible.
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