Has anyone had any experience with it? I was wondering about running E-85. It is about 10 cents a gallon cheaper but i've heard that you cant run it in non flexible fuel vehicles. What makes the Flexible Fuel vehicles different than normal cars. I have had one person tell me i can run it no problem and another tell me it will destroy my fuel system. If it wont effect my fuel system, will i have to make any other changes?

 

Hey man i sent you a personal message check your user cp on the top of the page.

 

First, you will use more of the fuel for an equal amount of output power. You can advance timing a bit to help and probably not experience any preignition.

With a carbureted engine, you may be able to adjust the idle mixture a bit rich to attain a reasonable idle, but on an older ECM controlled injected engine, open loop may operate a bit lean.

Then, unless you have all Viton seals and hoses in the fuel system, you may develop leaks - dangerous ones.

Also, evaporation won't be as great, so in a bit cooler weather, you may experience operating problems.

Your catalytic converter will likely clean out, and may emit odors you haven't smelled before. There should be no harm done to the O² nor cat(s), but be prepared for the differences. You might be able to het by with a 70/30 mix of gasohol and E-85 without adjustment, but little more.

 

I was actually thinking more along the lines of a 50/50 mix. would i still have the chance for leaks. i have no cats or O2 sensors. how do i tell if i have the hoses and seals i need. it is all brand new hoses and an edelbrock performer 750 cfm carb. and i just built my 350 this past winter. but i dont want to ruin my engine or start my car on fire!

 

i sent a reply man in your user cp.Check it out:lala:

 

E-85, 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline, has 72% of the energy content
of gasoline.
Why do you want to do this?

 

i wouldnt be runnin straight E-85 and its 10 cents a gallon cheaper. i can hardly afford gas and i was thinkin i might be able to run this instead. its really a 72% heat content loss? how much power loss would i expect to see?

 

If they could make the ethanol/gas or ethanol much cheaper then gas then I would run it. 10 cents cheaper probably wont save you any money since youll probably use more of it given that you have to run richer to use it. The only good thing to come out of it is that youll be running cleaner and youll ahve fewer emmissions.

 

E-85 is a 100 octane fuel so you can run more compression or more timing or more boost. It also burns cooler so it keeps the under hood temp lower. Lastly the less emissions, so if you have to pass a sniffer test you can build a hotter motor and still have a shot passing the emissions test.

Another drawback the people need to keep in mind is that the ethanol absorbs water and the water can rust the fuel tank form the inside out. That is why plastic tanks are used in the new cars.

 

I wouldnt put any mixture of that stuff in your car. For the 10 cents your gonna save its not worth the risk of the posible damage that could be caused by it.

Plastic tanks hehe thats a good one. The government doesnt allow those any more. The pours in the plastic allow too much vapor to escape to the atmosphere.

 

OK, so it has 72% of the energy content, for 95% of the price.

That means it will cost you somewhere between about the same as what you pay now, and as much as .95 divided by .72, or about 1.32 times, as much per mile to use it, compared to gasoline. Probably in the middle of that range. So it will raise your fuel bill by about 15-20%. When you can find it reliably of course.

Explain to me how this is a good deal.

 

When did manufacturers change away from ABS fuel tanks?

I've been using 10-15% ethanol blend since it was first available around here in 1976. I have only had one problem that I think I could attribute to the alcohol, and that was on a 1967 Rochester 2GV carburetor that still had 1967 seals.

How many of you bother to read the labels on the pump that dispenses your fuel? How much ethanol are you already using?

How many of you also pour ethanol (or methanol) in you tanks in colder weather to prevent moisture problems?

A major advantage of using more ethanol is the fact that all the gasoline that is NOT used because of ethanol can be used as an Oil Exporting Country enema. We keep the money at home, hold down the market price of crude, and make a few arabs sweat more than the middle eastern desert heat.

The tendency for lower emissions is just a side benfit. The need for EGR is drastically reduced when using ethanol, both for controlling NOx and reducing detonation.

As I stated in my first reply, you need to increase the timing to get the full benefit. Not much about ethanol has changed since Thursday, except that the corn that makes it is getting a little taller.

 

The government apparently forgot to notify General Motors. They're still installing blow-molded ABS tanks in almost all their vehicles. The '05 Equinox I just looked under has a metal stone shield under a plastic tank.

 

Hold your horses vader. The metal tanks are coming back to production. It takes time to make the change back.