I performed an "unofficial" test over the last few weeks. Fairly simple and generic. I have an 08 Silverado Z-71, 4wd, with the 5.3 Flex Fuel engine. I ran it down until the fuel light came on. I fueled it up with good ol E-85. Wow! To my surprise, I averaged 12.2 MPG, running it until the fuel light came on. I then gassed er up with straight 87 octane, NO ALCOHOL, gas. I'm darned near down to a quarter tank, and am averaging 18.0 MPG. E-85 - What a JOKE!!!!
E-85 is Horrible! What a joke!
- Thread starter Chevys_n_Hawgs
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JHZR2
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Simple calculation - what is the energy content difference between E85 and straight gas?
That is the difference that youll see. More than that is on you, or due to an on the fly change in the computer. No "test" is statisticaly valid until five or more tanks have been run... And if you are having a set of 100+ heat waves like us, other factors may also be in play...
Im generally not a fan of subsidies, but I hate seeing scenic and fertile farmland converted into ugly, poorly made mcmansions, so Id personally really rather see corn or some other crop. But so long as it is cheaper, though by whatever means it is, all that matters is per mile cost.
Have you run that calculation???
That is the difference that youll see. More than that is on you, or due to an on the fly change in the computer. No "test" is statisticaly valid until five or more tanks have been run... And if you are having a set of 100+ heat waves like us, other factors may also be in play...
Im generally not a fan of subsidies, but I hate seeing scenic and fertile farmland converted into ugly, poorly made mcmansions, so Id personally really rather see corn or some other crop. But so long as it is cheaper, though by whatever means it is, all that matters is per mile cost.
Have you run that calculation???
E-85 is 20 cents per gallon cheaper. NOT worth it. I could give a carp less about energy content, chief.
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JHZR2
Staff member
You do realize that energy content has everything to do with it, right?
You cant gripe about stuff if you have no clue how the physical world around you works.
Ill help you out:
Gasoline is 114000 BTU per gallon
E85 is 81800 BTU per gallon
So E85 has 72% of the energy content of gasoline.
0.72 x 18 MPG = 12.96 MPG
WOW, earth shattering!
You cant gripe about stuff if you have no clue how the physical world around you works.
Ill help you out:
Gasoline is 114000 BTU per gallon
E85 is 81800 BTU per gallon
So E85 has 72% of the energy content of gasoline.
0.72 x 18 MPG = 12.96 MPG
WOW, earth shattering!
Don't need any help there, chief. Don't really care about energy content. I care about stuff that actually matters. Fuel economy, and money in my pocket. Git er done, chief.
JHZR2
Staff member
So despite you not caring about energy content, now you know why you get what you did.
Here's another one for you...
Flying J truckstops in OK City sell RUG at $3.289 currently per their website.
You say $0.20 difference, so let's assume that E85 is $3.089
$3.289/18 miles=$0.183/mile
$3.089/12 miles=$0.257/mile
So it is definitely not worth it from a dollar point of view, and that's all that matters.
Here's another one for you...
Flying J truckstops in OK City sell RUG at $3.289 currently per their website.
You say $0.20 difference, so let's assume that E85 is $3.089
$3.289/18 miles=$0.183/mile
$3.089/12 miles=$0.257/mile
So it is definitely not worth it from a dollar point of view, and that's all that matters.
JHZR2
Staff member
Originally Posted By: Chevys_n_Hawgs
Don't need any help there, chief. Don't really care about energy content. I care about stuff that actually matters. Fuel economy, and money in my pocket. Git er done, chief.
WOW, you must be really dense, chief. Im agreeing with you and trying to state why it is what it is. Fuel economy is dependent upon energy content in this argument. I dont deny the money argument, but if you dont understand WHY the result ends up how it does, then you really should just keep your mouth shut. That result is 100% entirely expected and very, very simple mathematics would have told you the end result long before you spent money on a tank of E85 gasoline.
Don't need any help there, chief. Don't really care about energy content. I care about stuff that actually matters. Fuel economy, and money in my pocket. Git er done, chief.
WOW, you must be really dense, chief. Im agreeing with you and trying to state why it is what it is. Fuel economy is dependent upon energy content in this argument. I dont deny the money argument, but if you dont understand WHY the result ends up how it does, then you really should just keep your mouth shut. That result is 100% entirely expected and very, very simple mathematics would have told you the end result long before you spent money on a tank of E85 gasoline.
E85 has 72% of the energy content of gasoline and the price is 95% is not a good value.
Originally Posted By: boosted
E 85 is junk not to mention the fellow motorists around you have to smell thar [censored] coming out the exhaust, you are better off with good old 87 octane which will keep your truck happier and save you money.
Don't let chief hear you say that! He will put you on his list!
E 85 is junk not to mention the fellow motorists around you have to smell thar [censored] coming out the exhaust, you are better off with good old 87 octane which will keep your truck happier and save you money.
Don't let chief hear you say that! He will put you on his list!
I haven't heard of many flex-fuel vehicles that get better MPG on E85. However, some parts of the country have it cheaper by the gallon enough so that the drop in fuel economy is still a money savings. Just a 'slightly' quicker trip back to the station.
The thing i hate about E85 is the massive amount of ground water it takes to refine it and the large amount of waste water created. Really bad environmentally.
So, who's the chief? Like, an Indian chief? The chief of police? The chief of all that is oil?
JHZR2
Staff member
Originally Posted By: Bandito440
So, who's the chief? Like, an Indian chief? The chief of police? The chief of all that is oil?
He is being rude to me.
So, who's the chief? Like, an Indian chief? The chief of police? The chief of all that is oil?
He is being rude to me.
If I read "chief" one more time, I'm going to ask Helen to have it put in the swear filter.
Originally Posted By: Chevys_n_Hawgs
Your calculations are irrelevant. Your logic also will conclude that if I fill er up with #2 diesel, I'll get 20.5 MPG. Let it go, chief!
Actually, his calculations are what you should have done in the first place...and what does a compression ignition fuel have to do with anything ?
Your calculations are irrelevant. Your logic also will conclude that if I fill er up with #2 diesel, I'll get 20.5 MPG. Let it go, chief!
Actually, his calculations are what you should have done in the first place...and what does a compression ignition fuel have to do with anything ?
E-85 SMELLS LIKE POPCORN
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: Chevys_n_Hawgs
Your calculations are irrelevant. Your logic also will conclude that if I fill er up with #2 diesel, I'll get 20.5 MPG. Let it go, chief!
Actually, his calculations are what you should have done in the first place...and what does a compression ignition fuel have to do with anything ?
So, the outrage on Chevy-n-Hawg's part is that his experience was predicted by the simple physics? Or that someone is able to use simple to physics to show him why this happened?
Everyone with a brain knew that E-85 was a joke before they went out and bought a vehicle that ran on it, so....
Originally Posted By: Chevys_n_Hawgs
Your calculations are irrelevant. Your logic also will conclude that if I fill er up with #2 diesel, I'll get 20.5 MPG. Let it go, chief!
Actually, his calculations are what you should have done in the first place...and what does a compression ignition fuel have to do with anything ?
So, the outrage on Chevy-n-Hawg's part is that his experience was predicted by the simple physics? Or that someone is able to use simple to physics to show him why this happened?
Everyone with a brain knew that E-85 was a joke before they went out and bought a vehicle that ran on it, so....
E-85 has one merit & only one, higher octane! Good for those high compression engines I use to run.
If they sold E-100 it be $50 a gallon due to a booze tax
If they sold E-100 it be $50 a gallon due to a booze tax
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