E85

[ISU_REV]

How many on here use E85? I have tried it several times on one of our older vehicles (2002 Dodge Caravan) and the millage is terrible. We average 22 mpg with the 10% blend and less around 17 mpg with the E85. Have they made improvements in newer engines, or is this the norm for all flex fuel cars? With the price being about the same now I will probably not be using any E85 in the future.

 

[brianhos]

That is the problem with ethanol. It does not provide any better milage for the dollar.

 

[Clonefan94]

How many on here use E85? I have tried it several times on one of our older vehicles (2002 Dodge Caravan) and the millage is terrible. We average 22 mpg with the 10% blend and less around 17 mpg with the E85. Have they made improvements in newer engines, or is this the norm for all flex fuel cars? With the price being about the same now I will probably not be using any E85 in the future.

I always thought it was proven fact that mileage decreases the more alcohol you burn for fuel. I don't think it's the car, gasoline just packs for energy than alcohol does.

 

[Jonecy]

I've never used E85, but I thought you had to have special fuel lines & injection system in your vehicle to use it. Maybe that was just to prohibit more corrosion over time though?.... I can't remember off the top of my head.

 

[jaretac]

the cost to millage ratio is about the same for E85 and normal ethanol super unleaded and the car seems to run harder with E85.

 

[Stewo]

I've never used E85, but I thought you had to have special fuel lines & injection system in your vehicle to use it. Maybe that was just to prohibit more corrosion over time though?.... I can't remember off the top of my head.

The big thing is the fact that you have to have more fuel, so most of the time you will have to upgrade to bigger injectors. Also, you need to have someone tune your car to run the stuff. Otherwise, you are pretty much wasting your time.

A lot of people are upgrading to E-85 for the performance benifits. Most of the time, people will see ~30hp gain. Sometimes more.

 

[keepngoal]

E85 costs more per mile than E10 or 100% gasoline. Besides that, Ethanol is dead. Some compare it to the Gold Rush of 1849 ... only those that sold pick axes and buckets got rich.

switch grass and other cellulose based fuel from Biogrowth is the thing and will replace E-Anything. I really feel bad for those that invested in Ethanol plants..as I was this close to jumping on.

 

[The_Architect]

Ethanol is dead.

If not now than hopefully soon. People around here are unfortunately biased in favor of ethanol for obvious reasons. Ethanol is not in anyway legitimate replacement for fossil fuels.

 

[Jonecy]

The big thing is the fact that you have to have more fuel, so most of the time you will have to upgrade to bigger injectors. Also, you need to have someone tune your car to run the stuff. Otherwise, you are pretty much wasting your time.

A lot of people are upgrading to E-85 for the performance benifits. Most of the time, people will see ~30hp gain. Sometimes more.

Ahh....okay, thanks for clearing that up for me.

 

[rbrook]

At least E85 is a renewable source. If gas gets to $4 or $5 a gallon, then ethanol will make economic sense again. Who believes gas will stay at under $2 per gallon for an extended period of time? I don't.

 

[keepngoal]

At least E85 is a renewable source. If gas gets to $4 or $5 a gallon, then ethanol will make economic sense again. Who believes gas will stay at under $2 per gallon for an extended period of time? I don't.

Tin Hat time.

I personally think the oil companies propped e85 for a major fall. Lets let lots and LOTS of ppl invest in the processing plants (in our backyard no less) with expensive gas (anything > $2.75 /gallon) giving the earnings statements credibility ... then bring the gas price WAY down to bankrupt the Ethanol plants... costing many the money they invested... making them dislike Ethanol for a long, long time. Or at least investing in its growth.

-keep.

 

[ISU_REV]

At least E85 is a renewable source. If gas gets to $4 or $5 a gallon, then ethanol will make economic sense again. Who believes gas will stay at under $2 per gallon for an extended period of time? I don't.

The thing is if gas gets that high E85 will be almost as high just so the ethanol plants can make a profit. I heard they are losing big time with the current prices.

 

[brianhos]

Tin Hat time.

I personally think the oil companies propped e85 for a major fall. Lets let lots and LOTS of ppl invest in the processing plants (in our backyard no less) with expensive gas (anything > $2.75 /gallon) giving the earnings statements credibility ... then bring the gas price WAY down to bankrupt the Ethanol plants... costing many the money they invested... making them dislike Ethanol for a long, long time. Or at least investing in its growth.

-keep.

Is that tinfoil leaking into your brain? I heard it causes seizures.

j/k

 

[jaretac]

Ethanol is dead

Good!

Now we can actually use that corn for food.

 

[fccy]

IIRC, even GM admits that E85 mileage in Flex vehicles is about 20% lower, so it makes no sense financially to use E85 unless the price difference is more than 20%.

I have a 1998 Dodge van that has a flex fuel engire in it. When I bought it, I asked what would need to be done if I wanted to run E85. I was told that, for that engire, about the only change that needed to be made was different oil (E85 burned hotter), all I needed to do was let the garage know when I changed my oil, and they would take care of getting the engine ready to handle it.

 

[keepngoal]

IIRC, even GM admits that E85 mileage in Flex vehicles is about 20% lower, so it makes no sense financially to use E85 unless the price difference is more than 20%.

I have a 1998 Dodge van that has a flex fuel engire in it. When I bought it, I asked what would need to be done if I wanted to run E85. I was told that, for that engire, about the only change that needed to be made was different oil (E85 burned hotter), all I needed to do was let the garage know when I changed my oil, and they would take care of getting the engine ready to handle it.

IIRC, it is about the air to fuel mixture used for combustion inside the cylinder. And that change needs to happen inside the cars computer.

 

[isufan]

Good!

Now we can actually use that corn for food.

Sorry but very little of Iowa corn goes directly to food. Much of it is fed to livestock for meat. I don't remember the exact statistic but in a $4 box of wheaties, there is something like $0.02 worth of corn in it. That's why it is so ridiculous that grocery stores were blaming corn for high food prices. That was complete bs.

 

[Stewo]

IIRC, it is about the air to fuel mixture used for combustion inside the cylinder. And that change needs to happen inside the cars computer.

This. I can understand the oil thing, but there are other bigger, more essential components that would need to be addressed first.

 

[Clonehomer]

The main advantage to ethanol was always national security. I don't think that ethanol will ever be able to compete with gasoline as long as the prices stay low. What it will do is provide a substitute preventing OPEC from raising prices and controlling our economic system (what's left of it anyway). I don't know if switchgrass or any other option will be better but we need to find something that will keep us from having $4 - $5 gas every time there is turmoil in the middle east.

 

[butlercy]

I use it in my truck as much as I can. I find the more tanks in a row that I can run on E85 the better mileage I get. When I switch back and forth I get around 15mpg when I run at least 3 tanks in a row I can get upwards of 17 and even 18 once. The most I ever got with E10 was 20 and that was all interstate miles.