Thoughts on E-85?
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,506
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From: Sioux Falls Area
I run a tank of e-85 through every month or so as it works well to clean injectors, valves, etc. I have heard stories of engines torn down after running e-85 for years looking like they have been chemically cleaned. On the down side, yeah, you take a pretty good hit in the MPGs- 2-3 gallons in my experience, but I have a 2010 w/ 5.4. I am sure the 5.0 is different. Also, you do get a hefty torque and modest HP increase. I like to use it if I am towing through the mountains.
I figure, if everyone used e-85 more often, it might become more mainstream, and eventually prices would come down further. Then we could become energy dependent and all the world's problems would be solved, right? (sarcasm implied).
I figure, if everyone used e-85 more often, it might become more mainstream, and eventually prices would come down further. Then we could become energy dependent and all the world's problems would be solved, right? (sarcasm implied).
surprised to hear you using it for towing. I'd be afraid of the low MPG limiting range.
what kind of mpg's are you getting while towing?
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 373
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From: Texarkana, TX
I can't say much. 'Bout the only thing we have around here MAY contain up to 10% ethanol. So that's all I run. I would have to drive 90 miles to an E-85 station - not worth my effort. Then again, I've got a 5/4 Triton and it will pass most anything on the highway but a gas station.
I can tell you that fuel with any amount of ethanol will, run over time screw a 2 stroke outboard over unless you use additives. I already run double oil in my Mercury 260 outboard along with premium fuel - aka a C-note virtually every time I go to the lake. At 7200 RPM, my outboard will go through 25 gallons in an hours time. Have I tested that? Nawp. I find that if I keep it down under 3500 RPM I can run all day and go part of the next day in a tourny. If some wiz-bang whizzes by me on the water, I have a real hard time letting him make me look like I'm dragging an anchor while running 50-55. My foot gets heavy and my passengers generally start looking for something to hang on to when the GPS speedo starts to climb above 90 MPH. I pay for it at the end of the day when I'm at the marina filling the beast up for the next day's fishing. My bad, nobody to blame but me on that one. I have a serious need for speed on the water. Fortunately, most marinas still have fuel that isn't polluted with ethanol. My main marina isn't too prone to gouge because of their customer base - people like me and the cabin cruiser folks. But I have known of a number of boaters, with two-cycle outboards that have had to spend coin getting the injectors cleaned or replaced as a result of using gas mixed in any shape, fashion or form with ethanol.
Just my .02.
I can tell you that fuel with any amount of ethanol will, run over time screw a 2 stroke outboard over unless you use additives. I already run double oil in my Mercury 260 outboard along with premium fuel - aka a C-note virtually every time I go to the lake. At 7200 RPM, my outboard will go through 25 gallons in an hours time. Have I tested that? Nawp. I find that if I keep it down under 3500 RPM I can run all day and go part of the next day in a tourny. If some wiz-bang whizzes by me on the water, I have a real hard time letting him make me look like I'm dragging an anchor while running 50-55. My foot gets heavy and my passengers generally start looking for something to hang on to when the GPS speedo starts to climb above 90 MPH. I pay for it at the end of the day when I'm at the marina filling the beast up for the next day's fishing. My bad, nobody to blame but me on that one. I have a serious need for speed on the water. Fortunately, most marinas still have fuel that isn't polluted with ethanol. My main marina isn't too prone to gouge because of their customer base - people like me and the cabin cruiser folks. But I have known of a number of boaters, with two-cycle outboards that have had to spend coin getting the injectors cleaned or replaced as a result of using gas mixed in any shape, fashion or form with ethanol.
Just my .02.
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,506
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From: Sioux Falls Area
For those of you who live in smog states, e85 could come in very handy at the sniffer.
you could virtually guantee a "pass" on the sniffer with E85.
obviously, a newer vehicle is much more likely to pass anyway, but as the vehicle gets older the e85 could make a difference.
not that i'm advocating such things, but there was a guy on a different forum who was having problems passing the sniffer due to a known mechanical problem with his truck. He filled up with a few gallons of e85, which equated to about an e30 blend in his tank, and with that alone he was able to pass the sniffer. (it wasn't a flex fuel truck, either)
as i've said before, if you got 100k on the clock and have never used it, some of the problems you hear about are likely to surface, e.g. clogged injectors, filters, ect.
run it once and a while and you will always be able to run it if you were to choose to do so.
just another thought
you could virtually guantee a "pass" on the sniffer with E85.
obviously, a newer vehicle is much more likely to pass anyway, but as the vehicle gets older the e85 could make a difference.
not that i'm advocating such things, but there was a guy on a different forum who was having problems passing the sniffer due to a known mechanical problem with his truck. He filled up with a few gallons of e85, which equated to about an e30 blend in his tank, and with that alone he was able to pass the sniffer. (it wasn't a flex fuel truck, either)
as i've said before, if you got 100k on the clock and have never used it, some of the problems you hear about are likely to surface, e.g. clogged injectors, filters, ect.
run it once and a while and you will always be able to run it if you were to choose to do so.
just another thought
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