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Are Audi Aluminium engines prone to corrosion from alcohol added fuel?

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Old Jan 20, 2007 | 04:56 PM
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Default Are Audi Aluminium engines prone to corrosion from alcohol added fuel?

A question to Audi engineers and Audi fans alike. The government in the US passed a bill to increase the amount of ethanol added to fuel, to the tune of 7 billion barrels/annum by 2012.

According to an in depth study on the use of ethanol, one of the by products of combustion is acetic acid which is extremely corrosive to Aluminium and Lead surfaces causing it to leech and become porous.

Audi is using all ALU engines. Any comments on this?
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Old Jan 20, 2007 | 07:34 PM
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Default I'd have to say that it's not a worry until you get into the 70- 85% range

10% isn't going to hurt it.
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Old Jan 20, 2007 | 08:14 PM
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Default

All Audi engines may have Aluminum heads, but at least on the 2.0T the block is iron.
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Old Jan 21, 2007 | 01:39 AM
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Default Depends on the aluminum...

Not all aluminum is created equally.

It vary's greatly. In the aircraft industry, theres 2024, 6061, 7075, to mention a few.

Much depends on Audi's smelting methods when the produce the heads, and blocks.

I'd be willing to bet, Audi Engineers have already considered the effects of ethanol on the engines and have already taken care of the problem ;O)
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Old Jan 21, 2007 | 08:07 AM
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Default FWIW even with an Aluminum block no fuel would touch the aluminum part of the block.

Since they use iron sleeves in the cylinder bores.

"High integrity aluminum cylinder block with cast-in thin wall gray iron liners"

You could argue some washdown would make it past the rings into the crankcase, but as you said I'm sure the Audi Engineers have investigated and tested that.
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