Ethanol Fuel?

[lennai]

Hi all .... My 1990 Tarago GLi EFI has been off the road for 6 months, not broken, just not used. Yesterday I checked oil, water, hooked up the battery and started it up. I let it run for about 30 mins, then went to servo for fuel and air. The servo (Freedom Fuels) only had ethanol fuel and said that elite 95 would be ok to use.

Today the car runs really roughly and stalls when idling for more than than 20 seconds.

The Toyota website does not mention my car and says

All Toyota Commercial vehicles imported by Toyota Australia will operated on petrol fuel blended with 10% ethanol (E10), except models fitted with a carburettor as listed:

* Coaster Bus: pre Jan 1993 (carburettor engine)

* Dyna: pre May 1995 (carburettor engine)

* Tarago: pre Oct 1996 (carburettor engine)

* Hilux: pre Aug 1997 (carburettor engine)

* Hiace: pre Aug 1997 (carburettor engine)

* 4 Runner: pre Aug 1997 (carburettor engine)

* Townace: pre Dec 1998 (carburettor engine)

* LandCruiser: pre Aug 1992 (carburettor & EFI engine)

(Note: E10 not recommended due to incompatibility of material) Enthanol blend greater than 10 % is not approved.

Could the fuel causing the problem? If not, any suggestions?

[Rolla Boy]

I'd say it's a definate possibility...

Maybe throw in a bottle of octane booster and see what happens...

[lennai]

Twas the ethanol fuel!

Filled up with normal unleaded today and it runs sweet. Shame the nearest servo to me that has normal fuel is a 15 minute country drive.

[taragodad]

Ethanol should actually boost the octane level of your fuel. The octane boost that has been referred to usually has ethanol in its makeup.

The most likely reason for poor engine running when switching to ethanol fuels is that your car is not set up for the higher octane level.

Not sure how these EFI motors work, but with my carbie style motor in the Torana, I have to adjust the timing if I switch to higher octane fuel, or it pings or runs poorly. I would guess that the Tarago's timing is controlled by the computer, which will mean a trip to the mechanic to have your timing redone.

HTH