The E85 madness has to stop!!!

[Popinski]

Today... Fuel was $2.80 for Regular and $2.30 for E85. Each time I go and pump gas and/or visit the gas station for some lotto tickets and/or drinks, I see a person pumping E85 in a car that is incompatible with E85!!! I've warned so many people so far and majority of them said "One tank won't hurt".

Get the word out!!!

 

[Bluestream]

Around here they won't turn the pump on unless your car is able to use E85

 

[Steve S]

The lobby is too strong. Probably ADM.

 

[jcwit]

We have a mechanic here in No. Indiana who claimes he's been using it for over 6 monthe in an older car with no problems.

I wouldn't recommend it and have never tried it myself, but who knows, for absolutually,positivally for sure? I've also never heard of an engine being destroyed by E85.

 

[racer12306]

There is a guy on a Neon forum I moderate that used* E85 on his stock fuel system. The key thing is that the injectors are big enough.

The only issue he has was that the fuel gauge died, but Neon fuel gauges are suspect to begin with.

*I say used because he has since upgrade the car to be a >500hp monster, so nothing from it applies to your normal car lol

 

[shpankey]

I use 3 gallons per tank. Since I have a Shell right by my house that has E85 and 91 V-Power (with 10% more Ethanol) I can do it all at the same pump right there. Just swipe my card, pump in 3 gallons of E85 and do it again and fill the rest of the way up with the unleaded 91. I also add a few oz's of MMO to a tank. Car runs fabulous with this arrangement.

There are a couple Mazdaspeed guys on those forums running straight E85 without issue.

 

[gathermewool]

Is it a ECU thing or a materials thing. I know I've read of high HP, FI guys being tuned for E85, which is much less prone to det than E10, IIRC

 

[WishIhadatruck]

It probably won't cause any harm in the short term unless your fuel tank is really nasty and it softens up some of the junk and clogs up your fuel pickup or fuel filter. It does a good job of cleaning things up. Eventually it might damage incompatible fuel lines or injectors. I wouldn't do it however, why take a chance?

 

[bepperb]

I'm not saying E85 is a step forward, that's another discussion.

But I don't like the idea of people not wanting E85 available because the stupidest 5% of society can't figure out that it's not for their car. Normal people are held up enough by the small number of stupid people, we don't need to come up with more instances. Fill your car with E85 when it's not supposed to, and it ruins it... that's your stupid person tax, IMO.

 

[GMBoy]

I think its a bad move (read dumb) to run E85 in a vehicle not designed for it just for a few cents cost savings. Think about it, you may save a few cents but when you factor in that you get LESS miles per gallon with it - where is the savings??

If I had my way, there would be no E85 and E10 fuels - just straight gasoline.

 

[racer12306]

Don't knock E85. See as I see it: street legal race fuel. Most people don't need it, but those that do love it.

gathermewool: It's kind of, sort of both. If the injectors aren't big enough to provide the demand then it will run lean. You also have the the materials that weren't made to handle the corrosiveness of alcohol. In 2003+ Neons, all you need is a set of 24lb/hr injectors and the computer will trim the fuel well enough for it to be safe. I can't remember if the 1995-2002 Neons can do that (different computer setup).

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: Popinski
Today... Fuel was $2.80 for Regular and $2.30 for E85. Each time I go and pump gas and/or visit the gas station for some lotto tickets and/or drinks, I see a person pumping E85 in a car that is incompatible with E85!!! I've warned so many people so far and majority of them said "One tank won't hurt".

Get the word out!!!


It's none of my business what someone else puts in their tank, and I'd suspect it's not yours either.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Is it a ECU thing or a materials thing. I know I've read of high HP, FI guys being tuned for E85, which is much less prone to det than E10, IIRC


Both. Fuel lines must be upgraded because E85 can damage them. Also, the vehicle must be able to adjust for very different octane levels. This is done in different ways, but I don't know enough on the technical ways to really explain them. From what I have gathered, essentially the whole fuel system is upgraded. Every parts store lists the flex fuel model Ranger as a completely different engine when you select your vehicle in the computer system, so I would say there are some significant differences.

That said, I remember reading a web page with pics about a '98-'99 Tahoe, non-FFV, that was run on E85 for something like 100,000 miles. IIRC, it had some occasional drivability issues, but no major problems.

 

[beechcraftted]

I have "splash blended" E 85 (results in E 44 or so)in my non flex Silverado and wifes Olds Aurora for thousnds and thousnds of miles. No destoyed engine, o-rings, corrosion or anything else. Runs perfect w/ no issues.

Burns very clean. Yes, I lose about 2 MPG, but think "dollars per mile" not miles per gallon". Currently priced at $2.04 at Renew here in WI.

Lots of "gearhead" car guys on this site as I am. You turbo and supercharger guys should be all over this. E 85 has a octane rating of 104-105 and thrives on high compression and/or boosted engines. Poor mans racing fuel. As long as the fuel trim can enrichen enough, E 85 is fine. Look at all the dyno shootout guys...they all use E 85.

Don't want to get into politics here, but I would rather my petro dollars go to US farmers than to Mid East tyrants that don't like us very much. Souds like the old days when pundits said not to use unleaded fuel or sythetic oil. Petro mindsets die hard I guess.

 

[opus1]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: Popinski
Today... Fuel was $2.80 for Regular and $2.30 for E85. Each time I go and pump gas and/or visit the gas station for some lotto tickets and/or drinks, I see a person pumping E85 in a car that is incompatible with E85!!! I've warned so many people so far and majority of them said "One tank won't hurt".

Get the word out!!!


It's none of my business what someone else puts in their tank, and I'd suspect it's not yours either.
Provided the aforementioned "someone else" doesn't then turn around and sue the station if/when their vehicle is damaged from the E85, thus driving up costs for the rest of us.....

 

[Shannow]

People are dumb.

When I worked in a service station, a woman filled her car (datsun 1600) up with kerosene because it was the cheapest bowser on the place. Took some manoeuvering to get her car to the point that it could be filled, but she did it.

 

[sciphi]

You can't cure stupid. If somebody is stupid enough to run their hoopty on E85 without serious planning, research, and willingness to take the blame for any and all effects it can/will cause, it's their own darn fault.

Now if you've planned, plotted and prepared your car and yourself for running E85, have at it!

I'll try for straight gas when/wherever possible, myself.

 

[lewdwig]

I might have to see if the '96 Satty likes E-21! The only E-85 station in my county is only a couple miles away. The 2001 Saturn ran okay on it, but now it's off to college with my son.

 

[eljefino]

I'm surpised they didn't come up with, oh, a square filler neck for the E-85.

Regrettably, I've never rented a flex fuel car in a region with the stuff. Seems like a great way to turn the car back in with a full tank.

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: racer12306
*I say used because he has since upgrade the car to be a >500hp monster, so nothing from it applies to your normal car lol


OT, I know, but I have to ask, HOW MANY pounds of boost (and obvious supporting mods) did it take to reach that power level??
(And YES, of course I know that many have gone waaayyy past that on crazy setups/full race engines!

)