Non ethanol 87 is still available but it is becoming more difficult to find. Still have a hard time believing the buy in for ethanol. The environmental benefits are limited. As an example, ethanol plants are using over 25% of the water consumed in Iowa.
E-85 anybody using it?
- Thread starter NWICY
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This is the big issue with ethanol. It is extremely water soluble. Its why you dont use it in boats, and if you are putting it in a small engine I would recommend draining your tank if you are going to shelf it for the season.
I burn regular non-ethanol gasoline in small engines. Maybe 10 to 15 gallons of regular per year. Less than $10 per year to avoid possible valve issues in a small engine. No problem.
Burn E-10 in all other vehicles. Get 32 mpg in my Subaru. Ethanol stretches available gasoline supplies. And mileage is directly related to HOW you drive. High speeds. Rapid acceleration. Not using vehicle coast when approaching stops and turns. City traffic versus cruising a highway at 55. Ethanol works great. Have an older Sunbird Convertible that I burn regular non-ethanol in. Store in Winter. Don’t want ethanol in that.
Burn E-10 in all other vehicles. Get 32 mpg in my Subaru. Ethanol stretches available gasoline supplies. And mileage is directly related to HOW you drive. High speeds. Rapid acceleration. Not using vehicle coast when approaching stops and turns. City traffic versus cruising a highway at 55. Ethanol works great. Have an older Sunbird Convertible that I burn regular non-ethanol in. Store in Winter. Don’t want ethanol in that.
E15 is suppose to be safe for all 2001 and newer vehicles even if they are not FFV. I can run it in my 2010 Prius without issue that I can tell so far. My 2015 Mazda CX-5 on the other hand does not like it one bit, hesitation, sputtering, it took me a min to figure out what was wrong. Put in 5 gallons of no ethanol and it cleared up.
I have to run 91 octane no-ethanol in my Jags. It's expensive right now, but it won't ruin my engine.
Most of the Caseys around me have it. You can't get more availability in Iowa than that!
Urban dictionary definition of Jag...
an irritating individual with no sense of a social filter and no realization of the implication of his actions; socially inept.
"Did you hear the ludicrous things that guy was saying? What a jag!"
Remo, is that what you are talking about?
Right now I am using E85 every day in my 09 Ford Expedition, I normally use the typiucal 10-15% ethanol blend. I have found that the engine idles more smoothly on the E85 (it is old and idles rough all time now). As far as gas mileage goes, I normally average ~14.5 mpg on 10-15% ethanol and on the E85 I have been averaging ~12.5 mpg, so about a 14% drop in mileage for me. However, the E85 has be about $1.50-1.75 per gallon (~$3/gal for E85 ~$4.6/gal regular ethanol), thats ~35% cheaper in Ames.
So even with the the loss in fuel efficiency, I am still saving ~20% on gas by using it RIGHT NOW. The savings aren't always this good.
So even with the the loss in fuel efficiency, I am still saving ~20% on gas by using it RIGHT NOW. The savings aren't always this good.
Used E-85 in my 10-year-old Chevy and the engine had an issue immediately afterward despite being a Flex Fuel vehicle. Avoiding it ever since.
Probably cleaned your tank and lines. Nobody ever drains their tanks in vehicles. Run your tank almost empty and you will have many of the same problems.
If you ever run out of gas you should change filters also.
Saw 220 in Nebraska over the weekend. That's about fair value basis where ethanol worth today. Crazy to see the amount of stations $3+. For longest time our local station would offer it at E10 less 10c, no matter what ethanol was worth.
Struggle to find retailers to price aggressively due to lack of volumes. Several ethanol plants running their own blends/stations, but those are few and far between.
Struggle to find retailers to price aggressively due to lack of volumes. Several ethanol plants running their own blends/stations, but those are few and far between.
Years ago I ran a 2002 Explorer with E85 whenever I could get it and the cost differential made sense. At the time I needed about a 20% discount in order for it to make sense. I wasn't too worried about always being cheaper since I would rather support farmers and US industries than ship money overseas. I didn't have any problems for years but suddenly did and they told me that a notice came out to the dealerships that FFV engines of that age should be always run on E85 or never run on it. This came out about a year after the engines hit the market and despite all of the original literature saying just the opposite. Of course this wasn't ever shared with me even though by date on the memo they had the memo just before I bought my model year old new vehicle. I was having maintenance done at a dealership as well and it was never shared with me. I think that was just with the older engines and they have ironed out the issue in the newer vehicles.
Never run a non FFV on E-85. I have met some people who do and they claim "it runs great". Sure it does until the corrosiveness of ethanol deteriorates your lines, fittings, etc. to the point of failure. It isn't a problem until it is. Higher grade components to fight the corrosiveness are the major difference in a FFV - along with the computer that monitors the fuel mixture and adjusts the engine to run accordingly.
E15 a nickel cheaper than E10 is pretty dumb. A nickel on $5 a gallon gas is nothing and 5% more ethanol does affect mileage. Don't fall for it. Minnesota has been debating for years mandating all fuel be E15 rather than the E10 mandate they currently have. I'm sure when they do we won't see a bump down in prices.
Never run a non FFV on E-85. I have met some people who do and they claim "it runs great". Sure it does until the corrosiveness of ethanol deteriorates your lines, fittings, etc. to the point of failure. It isn't a problem until it is. Higher grade components to fight the corrosiveness are the major difference in a FFV - along with the computer that monitors the fuel mixture and adjusts the engine to run accordingly.
E15 a nickel cheaper than E10 is pretty dumb. A nickel on $5 a gallon gas is nothing and 5% more ethanol does affect mileage. Don't fall for it. Minnesota has been debating for years mandating all fuel be E15 rather than the E10 mandate they currently have. I'm sure when they do we won't see a bump down in prices.
I burn as much ethanol in my vehicles as I can whenever I can. I have done this for decades and never had a fuel related problem. I even use it in small engines. Ethanol will help your engine run cooler and cleaner. Its better for the environment and creates jobs in Iowa.
Iowa State receives huge support from the ethanol industry so, its good for the Cyclones too!
Iowa State receives huge support from the ethanol industry so, its good for the Cyclones too!
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U.S. corn-based ethanol worse for the climate than gasoline, study finds
Corn-based ethanol, which for years has been mixed in huge quantities into gasoline sold at U.S. pumps, is likely a much bigger contributor to global warming than straight gasoline, according to a study published Monday.
Just piggy-backing off this:U.S. corn-based ethanol worse for the climate than gasoline, study finds
Corn-based ethanol, which for years has been mixed in huge quantities into gasoline sold at U.S. pumps, is likely a much bigger contributor to global warming than straight gasoline, according to a study published Monday.www.reuters.com
Here is one of the actual research papers used by those two links if anyone wants to read about the methods:
I'm curious whether this study compared the ethanol to oil pumped and refined right here in North America or to oil shipped half way around the world.U.S. corn-based ethanol worse for the climate than gasoline, study finds
Corn-based ethanol, which for years has been mixed in huge quantities into gasoline sold at U.S. pumps, is likely a much bigger contributor to global warming than straight gasoline, according to a study published Monday.
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Wonder if the REG sponsorships will remain now that they're owned by Chevron.
For my mower, I add some fuel stabilizer to the fuel can in late August and make sure to run a tank of it during my last couple mows. Never had an issue with my Briggs & Stratton starting up, going on 12 years now.
U.S. corn-based ethanol worse for the climate than gasoline, study finds
Corn-based ethanol, which for years has been mixed in huge quantities into gasoline sold at U.S. pumps, is likely a much bigger contributor to global warming than straight gasoline, according to a study published Monday.
