ethanol fuel

[D Grass]

Does any one know anything about this E-85 ethanol fuel. A gas station in the area has it, with a list of vehicles that are approved for this fuel. What I want to know is what is different about these "ethanol approved engines" compared to other engines.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: ethanol fuel

They're designed to compensate for the different fuel. If you just put it into a vehicle not designed for it the engine will run way too lean.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: ethanol fuel

I know that GM sells engines that are designed for E-85 or gasoline. They are considered to be flex fuel engines. I believe Ford has followed suit and also has flex fuel vehicles.<br /><br />Bob

 

[KM2]

Re: ethanol fuel

check out this site. It will tell you everything you want to know.<br /><br />www.cleanairchoice.org/outdoor/

 

[Realgun]

Re: ethanol fuel

D Grass I used E-85 a lot in my Ranger 3.0L.<br />Matter of fact I used it to get my boat in Minnesota and back to Albuquerque. The only state I could not get E-85 was Kansas of all places!<br /><br />Heres my experiences.<br />Milage was less with E-85.<br />Normally I was getting 19.5 mpg every tank of Gasoline. On E-85 I got 16.7 mpg.<br /><br />The deal is when I got the boat and was towing I had Just filled with E-85 and got 13 mpg. I had to get a tank of gas and was getting 11 mpg.<br />This was consistant too.<br /><br />As to how the truck ran you can tell you were using E-85 cause you had a bit more power.<br />I have heard of cold start problems and hot start problems with E-85 I had no issues and like I said there were not differences ecept a bit more power and a bit less milage.<br /><br />Now heres the kicker the guy that sells E-85 here charges $.10 more a gallon than for regular and hes is usually higher on that as compared to other sellers.<br /><br />I really liked E-85 but the wife got mad cause I was paying so much for it and getting less milage.<br />Unless I was towing the boat.

 

[KM2]

Re: ethanol fuel

E-85 10 cents more???? That hasn't been the case for a while now. E-85 is 30 cents a gallon cheaper right now in MN. Almost makes it economical.

 

[Realgun]

Re: ethanol fuel

Ah but this is not MN it is NM the land of Enchantment and there is only two pumps for E-85 in the entire state. 1 in Albuquerque and 1 in Santa Fe. the guy in Santa Fe charges the same for either E-85 or regular. If I lived in MN I would have used E-85 all the time!

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: ethanol fuel

Funny thing, no E-85 fuel anywhere near here that I know of, but Ford dealer sells plenty of flex-fuel cars. Must be an EPA thang.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: ethanol fuel

Ya'll need to move to Illinois, we have plenty of E-85 pumps, and the prices in Central IL are much less than unleaded. (almost 30 cents)<br />I don;t think Ford followed suit. As it seems to me, i saw the FFV badges on Fords long before I even heard GM offered it on the 5.3 V-8.

 

[DJ]

Re: ethanol fuel

Must be an EPA thang.

You got it.<br /><br />Ford offers more FFV (Flex fuel) vehicles than any other maker.

 

[Realgun]

Re: ethanol fuel

The cost is the same for Ford weather its FFV or not so they do it for a few of the lines Taurus and Ranger are the most done.<br />There are only a few changes needed.<br /><br />1. Stainless steal tank.<br />2. Fuel mixture sensor to determine the Ethanol content of fuel<br />3. Ethanol resistant plastics on all fuel components Lines, injectors, etc...<br /><br />The exhausts systems already SS.