With ethanol fuel, no gas line antifreeze needed

This past winter I added gas line antifreeze and water remover when I refueled my car. Is this really necessary since gasoline is 10 percent ethanol?

No, adding a gas line antifreeze is not necessary when using ethanol-blended fuel. The ethanol — ethyl or grain alcohol — is an effective antifreeze/moisture remover so no additional additive is necessary. In fact, adding a gas line antifreeze on a regular basis can be too much of a good thing — excess alcohol in the tank can cause driveability issues.

Several years ago, the state of Oregon mandated the addition of ethanol in our fuel. Since that time we have had engine trouble with our 1994 Ford van with 150,000 miles on it running rough or hesitating when accelerating. Fuel additives helped in the past but not anymore. I found a gas station that sells ethanol-free fuel, and the van appears to run normally after my first tank of ethanol-free. Are older engines just not designed to handle ethanol, or does the fuel system need a periodic cleaning from now on? When traveling, finding ethanol-free fuel could be challenging.

Challenging? That's an understatement. Welcome to the world of alcohol-blended motor fuels. You are not the first, nor will you be the last, motorist to experience fuel system and drivability issues when switching from pure gasoline.

In Minnesota, we experienced these problems back in the '90s when ethanol was mandated in our fuel. In Florida, the same issues cropped up a couple of years ago when ethanol was added to its 
fuels. In these two states, non-alcohol fuels are available only from limited sources and are for use in recreational vehicles, small engines and collector vehicles, which helps those of us with older equipment and vehicles.

Alcohols are solvents. Thus the buildup over the years of moisture, varnish and other gunk in your vehicle's fuel tank is cleaned and carried through the fuel system. In addition, the lower energy content and higher volatility of alcohol may account for some of your drivability issues with your pre-OBDII engine management system. Modern vehicles are much more accommodating to these fuels.

I have a four-cylinder 2005 Hyundai Tucson I purchased new. It runs fine, but the mechanic suggested changing the timing belt at the recommended mileage interval or spend three or four thousand dollars in engine repair costs if it fails. What are the symptoms of impending timing belt failure?

There's the rub — there are no symptoms to impending timing belt failure. And since the 2-liter engine in your Hyundai is an interference engine — meaning the pistons can physically contact the valves if the timing belt fails — significant engine damage can occur.

Hyundai recommends timing belt replacement at 60,000-mile intervals under "normal" driving circumstances. Under "severe" service conditions, the replacement interval is 40,000 miles.

I bought a 2013 Nissan 370Z last November. The windshield and rear window have colors like glitter in the glass. The colors are brilliant like rainbow or diamond. It is very distracting on a sunny day. I've taken the car to the dealer twice and they said they cleaned the glass with glass cleaner but the colors remain. Any suggestions?

Nissan recommends the use of 0000-superfine steel wool to remove foreign material from windshield glass. They suggest fresh steel wool from an unopened bag to avoid contamination that could scratch the glass.

The fundamental issue is whether the "sparklies" are in, or on, the glass. While foreign matter on the glass is not a warranty item, defective glass may well be. Have the dealer try the Nissan-recommended cleaning procedure. If this doesn't "clear" the problem, ask them about warranty coverage for replacement.

Paul Brand, author of "How to Repair Your Car," is an automotive troubleshooter, driving instructor and former race-car driver. Readers may write to him at: Star Tribune, 425 Portland Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn., 55488 or via email at paul brand@startribune.com.

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