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Running E-85

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  #1  
Old 09-24-2006 | 09:33 AM
WaterDR's Avatar
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Default Running E-85

My 2002 Suburban is a flex-fuel vehicle. It is equipped to run E-85. I just put my first tank of the stuff in last week, so I have no data. The stuff is hard to pass up at $1.80 a gallon, so I could not resist.

Thing is, am i saving money? The product is about $0.40 - $0.50 less a gallon then regular fuel, but you supposedly get 10 - 15% less mileage.

Apparently, E-85 is about 100 - 105 octane, but it takes more fuel to run. The BTU content is lower and it causes the O2 sensors to work differently.

The stuff is clean for the environment, but with 85k miles on my truck, I need it to last for another 85k and I don't wish to increase wear and tear.

According to one expert I spoke with, the E-85 is more corrosive then regular fuel and cars equipped to run on it must have different fuel lines, tanks, and gaskets.

Speak up.....I don't see E-85 as the answer to the worlds problems, but it is an interesting idea.

Anyone else running it?
 
  #2  
Old 09-24-2006 | 09:34 AM
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That stuff isn't even around where I live
 
  #3  
Old 09-24-2006 | 09:56 AM
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...could you tune your truck for the higher octane? that would be a nice bonus too =D
 
  #4  
Old 09-24-2006 | 10:11 AM
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Fill it up half way each time and youll get better mpg because the car will weigh less. Only down side is youll have to fill up more.
 
  #5  
Old 09-24-2006 | 10:30 AM
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e85 is 105 octane. the perks are that its cheap, and renewable and we can depend less on importing oil from other countrys. You also see a bit less miles per gallon with each tank and your horsepower is decresed as well. e85 is supposed to be a little more corrosive internally on your lines and stuff but it also is a lubricant so I dont know how those two work out. However, the newer vehicles designed to run e85 are less prone to corroding than the older ones that arent. its the high concentration of ethenol thats the result of that. The new flexfuel engines are nitride coated internally to resist formic acid which is water contamination of e85.

Did you know henry fords model A and model T were also flex fuel vehicles? it was designed so that farmers may mix their own fuel...
 
  #6  
Old 09-24-2006 | 10:54 AM
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apparently alot of bikes are flex fuel... one would assume cruisers and stuff not sport bikes
 
  #7  
Old 09-24-2006 | 11:46 AM
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turbo engines benefit more than na angines from e85 for the obvious reasons..
 
  #8  
Old 09-24-2006 | 04:31 PM
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Ahh so my nitrous will benefit...lol..jk
 
  #9  
Old 09-24-2006 | 05:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Icefreezen
Ahh so my nitrous will benefit...lol..jk
will my turbonator and 'the tornado' filter upgrade benefit from this "E85"?
 
  #10  
Old 09-24-2006 | 09:09 PM
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Funny how 100 years ago Henry Ford saw the sense in allowing farmers to mix their own fuel. They also had fuel injection and super chargers long ago too.
 
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