E85Forum.com

Newk · Joined: 20 Apr 2008 Posts: 14

Where can you find 98 to buy? THE only place in CA closed last year and now I am looking for a supplier to get a drum or two from.... Any ideas?

440Jim · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 169 Location: Maryland

That can be a tough one. I wish I could find a reasonably priced supplier of E98 near me (Maryland). But buying 55-110 gallons at a time is too small for many ethanol distributors.
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'69 Dodge Dart 511 CID 3230 lb Ron's Injection http://www.ronsfuel.com
E85:1.228, 5.76@117, 9.158@143 mineshaft air
E85:1.26, 5.88@115, 9.33@141 summer air
Methanol:1.25, 5.76@118, 9.12@145, -650' DA

Alcohol · Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 567 Location: Central Wisconsin

Have you tried Pearson Fuels corporate office?

http://www.pearsonfuels.com/e85/

The group above are some of the folks bringing E85 stations to CA. Even if they do not currently have druming capabilities, they know who has rail, truck, and ethanol plant E98. Explain your situation and why you run E98 rather than E85, perhaps sharing how many others in your state might be interested. Perhaps they have interest or at least ideas on who to contact.

I went thru this myself- I run several E85 stations, work for an ethanol plant, wanted to support racers, but had no way to can/drum E98 efficiently since I did not have the equipment in place. What was needed was a jobber who had this in place already plus storage, handling, and billing. It took a while-- but to be competitive it needs to be local since cross country hazmat shipping makes high priced stuff- just like race gas.
The other thing I struggled with on E98 is that it is not subject to the blender credit (45 cents) like E85's ethanol portion yet it is still taxable unless proof is on file annually (exemption form) that this E98 will be only used off-road. While the E98 purchaser may be able to file for both the state and fed with their income tax (provided they can prove use and depending on state) the credit of 45 cents is never avalable. To summarize- this makes E98 45 cents higher than E85 pump if you do not file for your road taxes back for at track use.

I have considered taking one station, signing the pump with warnings this is "for off-road racing only--not for any street car use" and turning the blender pump to a straight E98 on one hose. I did not because I am not sure that the state would allow it, nor would they possibly allow it be tax exempt.

440Jim · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 169 Location: Maryland