Not unusual to have bad rubber these days. Ethanol in fuel makes it "dryer". I use FI injector cleaner in my car(s) and think some of the carb cleaner stuff will do the same for carb cars in making the fuel less "dry". This may or may not be effective. In this local some gas uses some ethanol some don't and you can get an idea what doesn't on the internet etc. For example Shell hi test doesn't have it, Co-op all grades don't have it and so on. It will vary depending on where you get your gas from. On the West Coast most of our gas comes from Washington state Cherry Point refinery (from across the border). Makes more sense than shipping it across the Rockies from Alberta.
It is said it takes two gallons of fuel (in energy expended) to make one gallon of ethanol so it doesn't makes sense to use it. It's a concession to the farmers who grow corn (areas that use sugar cane like Brasil which is a better, more efficient way to do it). Also a feel good thing and a vote getting mechanism to the environmental crowd that ignore science in favour of said feel good moment.
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