Will ethanol blended gasoline ruin your classic car? Hagerty Insurance, the world’s leading insurer of collector cars, decided to find out by funding a recent study conducted by Kettering University regarding the effects of ethanol on collector vehicle fuel systems. E10 (gasoline blended with 10 percent ethanol) is the type of gasoline that most people use to fill their vehicles at their local gas station.

Hagerty conducted the study as a result of numerous inquiries from their clients about ethanol blended fuels. Many clients voiced their concern that this type of fuel may cause various issues with their collector cars. Since E10 was not commonly used when many collector cars were produced, there has been growing concern whether those older vehicles could safely use this fuel. Common concerns with the use of E10 include fuel pump and carburetor issues as well as degraded fuel lines.

Most current studies on the effects of ethanol blended fuel have been conducted exclusively on modern day vehicles. With the growing concern about the potential effects of E10 on collector vehicles, Hagerty began a search for universities well known for their expertise in automotive research. Hagerty chose Kettering University due to their extensive ties to the auto industry and overall reputation in the field of automotive research.

“Determining the effects of a substance we put into our cars every day is vital to vehicle preservation,” says McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty Insurance. “We were eager to find a comprehensive study that could truly answer the question of the effects of E10 on collector cars. We thank the team at Kettering University for their focused efforts on the program and hope that this study will prove to be valuable to our clients and the hobby.”

The research was conducted using E10 and E0 (straight gasoline). Six different fuel systems were assembled representing a range of eras and fuel system configurations. One ... Continue reading »