E-85 gas
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Junior User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 77
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From: Lake Mills Iowa
E-85 gas
We have a gas station with e-85 gas in north iowa .. The gas is 85% ethanol and 15% unleaded it is about 10 cents a gallon cheaper . There is a list on cars and trucks that can run this gas mostly small engines ( chevys , fords , dodge ect. ) I was wondering what would happen or what would need to be changed to run or try this new gas in a V10 .. Just asking FRED
Cross-Country
Joined: Jun 1999
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I think you've got the ratio backwards. This is a blend of 85% gasoline and 15% ethanol. The owners manual on my 99 lists the acceptable blends near the back. I don't recall what the limit on ethanol is but it might be different in the newer units anyway so you should look in an owners manual for the correct year.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Nebraska
ratio is right.
You probably aren't going to see it much outside iowa and nebraska for awhile but it is 85% ethanol/15% gas. We are pretty saturated with ethanol plants out here so there is a program called e85. I know state vehicles in Nebraska have run it for several years. Ford Taurus was one of the first. The are designated FFV (flexible fuel vehicle). I don't remember the exact changes to the vehicles. I run super-unleaded in every gas engine I own. You gain 2 points octane and it absorbs any moisture you may encounter. I also raise corn for a living so why not support my own industry.
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From: Broussard USA
Look in your owners manual, if you have a FFV flex fuel vehicle it will list what you can run.
Most systems can not take more than 15% alcoholbecause the seals in the system will deteriorate quickly and the injectors can not be adjusted to send enough fuel.
You will see loss in MPG and power as ethanol burns cooler and has less stored energy than gasoline and you can not increase your compression to take advantage of it's resistance to detonation in your application.
The Taurus was one of fords firts FFV so no surprise there.
Most systems can not take more than 15% alcoholbecause the seals in the system will deteriorate quickly and the injectors can not be adjusted to send enough fuel.
You will see loss in MPG and power as ethanol burns cooler and has less stored energy than gasoline and you can not increase your compression to take advantage of it's resistance to detonation in your application.
The Taurus was one of fords firts FFV so no surprise there.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Nebraska
If detonation is less likely could you benefit from a chip or programmer with out the premium fuel?
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New User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 11
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From: DFW, TX
I wouldn't use it unless your manual specifically states that you can use it. I think the FFV's have special fuel tank coatings and other fuel system mods to accomodate this fuel, the only ones I know of that can use it are the GMC/Chevrolet 5.3L engines in the Tahoe/Yukon/Suburban. Also your mileage will go WAY down so if you do the math figuring in your MPG you will probably find it more expensive. You can go to the fueleconomy.gov website and it will show you the MPG ratings on the same vehicle using regular gas or E85.
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Originally posted by fjord
Cool fuel! I wouldn't have thought the 85%ethanol blend would work without serious modifications.
Cool fuel! I wouldn't have thought the 85%ethanol blend would work without serious modifications.
Cross-Country
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 61
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By serious I mean much higer compression ratios and different combusion chamber shapes to increase the quench area. (e.g. methanol fueled engines often run at 18:1 and are prone to pre-ignition/detonation).
The modifications in these OEM vehicles are really minor, mainly in the materials used for the fuel wetted surfaces and different computer parameters for fuel ratio and injection timing. I was aware that the big 3 had achieved fuel tolerance for blends containing up to ~15% methanol but the 85% was news to me. It wouldn't be possible to make an engine behave well using widely varying fuel blends without computer controlled fuel injection and ignition timing.
The modifications in these OEM vehicles are really minor, mainly in the materials used for the fuel wetted surfaces and different computer parameters for fuel ratio and injection timing. I was aware that the big 3 had achieved fuel tolerance for blends containing up to ~15% methanol but the 85% was news to me. It wouldn't be possible to make an engine behave well using widely varying fuel blends without computer controlled fuel injection and ignition timing.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Rural Minnesota
I had a 99 Ranger 4x4 3.0 that was flex fuel. I got 20 to 21 mpg with 87 octane gas and it dropped to 14 with ethonal. There was a big ethonal plant in town, so I tried to support it by using the product, but could not justify 1.45 for ethonal verses 1.50 for gas. I have heard that some of the newer vehicles are supposed to get better mileage, but it sure turned me off. By the way, it is 85% ethonal, 15% gas. The plant smelled like stale beer when the wind blew into town.
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Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Northern Va
Originally posted by fjord
By serious I mean much higer compression ratios and different combusion chamber shapes to increase the quench area. (e.g. methanol fueled engines often run at 18:1 and are prone to pre-ignition/detonation).
The modifications in these OEM vehicles are really minor, mainly in the materials used for the fuel wetted surfaces and different computer parameters for fuel ratio and injection timing. I was aware that the big 3 had achieved fuel tolerance for blends containing up to ~15% methanol but the 85% was news to me. It wouldn't be possible to make an engine behave well using widely varying fuel blends without computer controlled fuel injection and ignition timing.
By serious I mean much higer compression ratios and different combusion chamber shapes to increase the quench area. (e.g. methanol fueled engines often run at 18:1 and are prone to pre-ignition/detonation).
The modifications in these OEM vehicles are really minor, mainly in the materials used for the fuel wetted surfaces and different computer parameters for fuel ratio and injection timing. I was aware that the big 3 had achieved fuel tolerance for blends containing up to ~15% methanol but the 85% was news to me. It wouldn't be possible to make an engine behave well using widely varying fuel blends without computer controlled fuel injection and ignition timing.
Methanol is not recommended according to my '04 manual. There is no mention of ethanol.