Government should increase ethanol in gasoline to 32%; see which cars can feel the effects

Ethanol mixed with gasoline is anhydrous, that is, it goes through a dehydration process at the plant. Even so, it has the ability to absorb water from the environment and can take it into the engine. The presence of water can affect metal engine components that were not designed for this condition. Furthermore, the combination of ethanol and water increases electrical conductivity, favoring electrochemical corrosion. All components that come into direct contact with the fuel need to be prepared for this new concentration of ethanol. The list includes: tank; buoy; fuel pump; metal or plastic fuel lines; injection nozzle; combustion chamber; pistons; seals. Some of these components can withstand the new mixture, but, according to experts, the change requires detailed tests to confirm this resistance. "The main faults that can occur would be corrosion or wear on the components of the injection system, as they can cause malfunctions, increased emissions and consumption and even total damage, mainly to the pump and injectors", explains Rogério Gonçalves, engineer and director of fuels at the Brazilian Association of Automotive Engineering (AEA). Higher concentration of ethanol in gasoline can increase wear on engine components Art / g1 According to Gonçalves, as older cars were not designed for this higher percentage of ethanol, they tend to suffer more from the change, although the reaction varies depending on the engine. The expert states that consumption tends to increase in both flex models and vehicles powered exclusively by gasoline, due to the lower calorific value of ethanol compared to gasoline. ? Calorific power is the amount of energy that a fuel can provide in the form of heat. One kilogram of hydrated ethanol, sold at gas stations, provides around 6,300 kilocalories (kcal). One kilogram of gasoline A, pure fuel produced at the refinery, provides around 10,400 kcal. Precisely estimating the impact on consumption is difficult because several factors influence the vehicle's performance on a daily basis. Although it is possible to estimate this difference based on the energy provided by each fuel, the variation may be imperceptible to the driver in daily use. Gonçalves explains that official consumer tests are carried out in the laboratory, in a controlled environment, with the vehicle installed on a dynamometer, under monitored temperature and following a standardized cycle. Maintenance of some cars can become more expensive with an increase in ethanol in gasoline Disclosure Revisions can become expensive In the maintenance market, professionals say that the components most susceptible to the new mixture are rubber and hoses, which can dry out and present leaks. "In addition, the fuel pump and injection nozzles can oxidize or seize up, because alcohol facilitates the corrosion of these metal and plastic parts", explains Fábio Rhoden, owner of the Flacht Motorsport & Classic Center workshop. The driver may notice that the vehicle is feeling the effects of the new mixture in the early hours of the day, says Rhoden, when the engine takes longer to start in the morning. The risk is greater in vehicles manufactured 20 or 30 years ago, equipped with carburetors or simpler electronic injection systems, which cannot automatically adjust the mixture for this higher proportion of ethanol. This function is performed by the ECU, the "brain" of the engine. The ECU (Electronic Control Unit) is the computer that manages the operation of the engine in real time. It receives information from sensors that monitor parameters such as rotation, temperature, quantity of air admitted, throttle position and exhaust gas composition. The combustion engine's Electronic Control Unit (ECU) is the car's brain Disclosure / Bosch With this data, the ECU compares the engine's operation with the calibration parameters developed by the automaker and calculates, hundreds of times per second, the ideal amount of fuel to be injected, the exact moment of ignition and the operation of systems such as the variable valve timing and the turbocharger. It then sends commands to actuators, such as injection nozzles, coils and throttle bodies, continuously adjusting engine operation to balance performance, consumption, emissions and durability. In vehicles that cannot adjust to the new mixture, the engine works at higher temperatures and may experience frequent failures. Modern imported models without flex technology reach the ECU compensation limit and register a significant increase in consumption. "Old cars (carbureted or with simple injections) cannot adjust themselves to burn so much ethanol", warns Rhoden. In addition, these vehicles may experience idling oscillation, loss of power and minor choking during acceleration. Changing the spark plugs can happen sooner than expected Disclosure / Flacht Motorsport & Classic Center The increase in ethanol content can also accelerate the clogging of the fuel filter. Ethanol loosens dirt accumulated at the bottom of the tank. Furthermore, you can anticipate changing the spark plugs due to the greater heat generated during combustion. This "burning" of the spark plugs can occur when the engine was not designed or calibrated to operate with a higher concentration of ethanol in the gasoline. In these cases, the ECU may not be able to correctly compensate for the change in air-fuel mixture ratio. As ethanol has different combustion characteristics than gasoline and requires a greater volume of fuel to achieve the ideal mixture, the engine may operate with a leaner mixture (more air than fuel in the chamber) or present combustion failures under certain conditions. This increases the load on the ignition system, causing the spark plugs to work under greater electrical and thermal stress, which accelerates wear and can reduce their useful life. In most cases, the spark plug does not "burn out" simply due to the increase in ethanol content, but due to a combination of inadequate calibration, incompatible components and engine operation outside the conditions for which it was developed. Your pocket can feel bad and the consequences for your pocket can be heavy. According to Vinicius Giungi, owner of Benimports and specialized in importing components for cars, the most sought after parts are normally spark plugs, injection nozzles, low and high pressure fuel pumps, fuel system sensors, throttle body, hoses and sealing components. The brands that most seek these components are Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Land Rover and imported Volkswagens, such as the Golf GTI. According to the businessman, several repairers and owners of these vehicles complain about problems associated with the increase in ethanol in gasoline. “This is a recurring theme among owners and repairers of premium imported vehicles, mainly turbo models, direct injection and independently imported vehicles”, he explains. According to Giungi, the most common defects found in components of the fueling and injection system are: Partial or total clogging of the injection nozzles, caused by deposits and impurities that compromise fuel spraying; premature wear of fuel pumps (low and high pressure), resulting in loss of pressure and supply failures; drying out, hardening and loss of elasticity of hoses and seals, which can lead to leaks; oxidation of connectors and electrical terminals of the pump and fuel injectors and floats, aggravated by humidity or contamination; blocking or irregular functioning of injection nozzles, impairing fuel spraying and dosing; low service life of spark plugs. Bosch Injector Nozzle for Bmw 320 (F30) made between 2012 and 2019 Reproduction Replacing some of these components is expensive. Each injection nozzle for BMW 320, manufactured between 2012 and 2019, starts at R$1,256 each, and you still need to add labor. The fuel pump for a Range Rover Evoque, made between 2011 and 2019, costs more than R$1,900. Giungi explains that the prices charged by companies that import parts independently tend to be significantly more competitive than those offered by dealerships. And yet they are scary. “We work with original parts (OEM), produced by the same manufacturers that supply components to automakers on the production line”, he explains. Anfavea urges caution Anfavea stated that it is in favor of biofuels and recognizes the role of ethanol in the decarbonization of the Brazilian fleet of light vehicles. According to Igor Calvet, president of the entity, the automobile industry's concern is restricted to the need for any increase in the mixture to be preceded by a rigorous testing schedule. "What we have discussed, in fact, is that the increase in the mixture must be preceded by tests. This is Anfavea's only point", explains Calvet. Igor Calvet, president of Anfavea Disclosure | Anfavea The executive explains that, in accordance with technical standards and ABNT rules, the adoption of a mixture with 32% ethanol requires engineering tests with a safety margin to ensure that the engines can withstand the abrasiveness of the fuel and that the sensors are calibrated in accordance with the legislation. The statement about the importance of the tests was made in conjunction with the National Union of the Automotive Components Industry (Sindipeças). The entity states that the additional tests are a guarantee for the consumer. “We just wanted to have the peace of mind that there won’t be any problems,” says Calvet. According to the executive, the automotive industry already produces vehicles compatible with biofuels, but defends technical rigor before adopting new fuel policies in the country. Ethanol industry defends measure The Sugarcane and Bioenergy Industry Union (Unica) states that the proposal to increase the mandatory mixture of anhydrous ethanol in gasoline to 32% was created within the scope of the Fuel of the Future program, with the participation of government bodies, research institutions and representatives of the automotive, energy and regulatory sectors. According to the entity, the ethanol production sector contributed information on production capacity, energy security and impacts of the change. The entity says that the proposal is based on studies developed in the Combustível do Futuro program, including tests carried out by the Mauá Institute of Technology, in São Paulo. According to Unica, the tests evaluated performance, consumption, drivability, cold starting and operation of light vehicles and motorcycles powered exclusively by gasoline, representative of the Brazilian fleet. The results, according to the entity, indicated that increasing the mixture to 32% is technically viable. Regarding older vehicles, Unica states that the studies included models powered only by gasoline and that they represent the Brazilian fleet. According to the entity, the tests did not identify any impacts on the performance, drivability, starting or general functioning of these vehicles. The association also says that the tests found no evidence of increased wear or damage to the engines under the conditions evaluated and that the electronic systems of the vehicles analyzed were able to automatically adjust the mixture between air and fuel. The entity also states that the sector has the capacity to meet the increased demand for anhydrous ethanol. According to Unica, the additional need would be around 1 billion liters per year in relation to E30, while production forecast for the harvest could grow by around 4 billion liters, driven by the expansion of corn ethanol and sugarcane plants. According to the association, the expansion of the mixture could also reduce the import of approximately 800 million liters of gasoline per year and increase the share of a renewable fuel produced in Brazil.