Alcohol is simply partially burned gasoline. Ethyl gasoline (without the lead) partially burned becomes ethanol. Since it is partially burned gasoline, it has less power. Things you can do about it as a backyard mechanic are: 1) Get a copy of "Brown's Alcohol Motor Fuel Cookbook"; 2) Advance the timing of your engine fractionally, if you are using ethanol-ized gasoline; 3) shave the heads of the engine slightly, to create slightly higher compression, and retard the timing slightly when you go back to gasoline without ethanol. Adjusting today's computerized engines is difficult. Consider replacing your engine with a pre-1970s engine.