[W126 Coupe] New Engine

[kirk erichsen]

Cal,

I'm not sure I understand the reference to Ethanol in in connection with higher octane gasoline. Granted, Ethanol has become the de facto choice for both oxygenate and octane improver at most refiners, partly due to cost (farmer subsides, tax re-allocation at it's finest) and party due to the decline in MTBF use since the discovery of certain unpleasant/unanticipated side effects with groundwater leaching from underground tanks and supposedly hose and tank permeation which EPA has been very interested in of late.

If Ethanol is properly distilled and anhydrous, it shouldn't matter what the source is from the standpoint of the end product. Energy inputs and overall caloric efficiency to "refine" (ferment, distill and separate water from) are another mater (sugar cane is hard to beat, it's the sugars that are converted after all).

Out of curiosity, what is your pump gas MON/RON over there and just how much Ethanol is in the Winter and Summer blends in VA? Was this really a consideration during your engine rebuild?

-K

-------------------------
Kirk R. Erichsen
-------------------------




> From: calvinyoung at cox.net

> To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com

> Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:48:14 -0500

> Subject: [W126 Coupe] New Engine

> 

> Yes Kirk, he did lower the compression ratio.  I did ask not ask how, but 

> probably by changing out the pistons.  The car has more than enough power 

> for the northern Virginia area with all the horrendous traffic as I changed 

> out the rear end on advice from Satish.  Really cannot get much past 80 

> without getting yourself into trouble.

> 

> Dan, regarding the difficulty of getting good high octane fuel, I did not 

> discuss this with him as I was satisfied already with the acceleration I was 

> getting with the higher ratio rear.  He may have been referring to the "corn 

> starch" they are using.  The fuel they produce from sugar cane in Brazil s 

> much better than the ethanol we are forced to use here in the US.

> 

> Cal

> 

> Message: 3

> Date: Tue, 9 Nov 2010 17:23:26 -0800

> From: kirk erichsen <krerichsen at hotmail.com>

> Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] New Engine

> To: <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>, <dan at landiss.com>

> Message-ID: <SNT126-W393C2A75C05B29FC380687DB310 at phx.gbl>

> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> 

> 

> I would suspect it's use of commonly available US/Japan/Oz spec camshafts 

> (less aggressive) and lower compression pistons. 8.0:1 up to about 8:8:1 are 

> your C/Rs outside of the lands of the Autobahn. You can further retard 

> ignition with those switchable EZLs, the combo of the two (if you can get 

> one) would given fairly wide latitude on acceptable fuel octane ratings 

> without pinging. Not sure which route the chap referenced took, but I'll bet 

> limited to cams/piston selection.

> 

> -K

> 

> 

> 

> -------------------------

> Kirk R. Erichsen

> -------------------------

> 

> 

> 

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