I just need a little reassurance on this. Only the FFV 3.0L Rangers can run on the E85 and the 2.3L and 4.0L don't accept this fuel. Am I right? Local gas station is about to get new pumps with E85. Aren't all 4.0L explorers capable of running E85? Why can't the rangers if the explorers can?

 

Not all 4.0L Explorers are FFVs, in fact most are not. I think Ford initially intended to produce a lot of them but then backed off on that (before gas prices skyrocketed).

A vehicle capable of running E85 is equipped with some different fuel system components, including larger fuel injectors, and the engine mangement system also incorporates a flex fuel sensor which emits a frequency that the PCM usues to determine the % of alcohol in the fuel. Adjustments to fuel injection pulse times, as well as timing, are made accordingly.

IMO opinion, a few gallons of E85 mixed in with a tank of regular gas will work out just fine in a non-FFV, albeit you may lose a mpg or two. But on the other hand, I would not run tank fulls of E85 unless my truck were a FFV.

 

in addition to what rockledge said...

E85 is very corrosive so you simply cant just fill any tank. the fuel system is made of special materials. at the gas station, the pumps and underground tanks are lined with special materials.

 

most gas is already 10% alcohol so adding a couple of gallons of E85 to a tank full will increase the mixture to around 20% alcohol. This may actually cause problems with the system because of the corrosive nature of alcohol as "el conquistador" stated. 15% I believe is still ok but anything past that and ya take your changes on a non-FFV engine

 

Around here, you have a choice between 87 octane 100% unleaded or you can step up to 89 octane 10% ethanol or 92 octane unleaded. We have a brand new ethanol plant less than 30 miles away. I don't think I would want to put E85 in my Ranger at all but I was just curious. If E85 is less combustive and makes less power, then why is it that the HP figures of 210 for the 4.0L explorer is only if it is run on E85 and HP of 205 on regular unleaded? I don't know if you are Mustang fans or not, but several years ago ford made a one of a kind mustang named the Super Stallion. It was powered by a supercharged V8 that made more power on E85 than it did on regular unleaded. Strange. I guess I just don't know enough about it to figure it out.

 

Initially I should point out that ethanol is much less prone to inducing corrosion than is methanol. It was the use of methanol that sparked a majority of the concerns regarding corrosiveness, and rightfully so.

Regarding your question, the answer most likely is 'octane'. E85 has a higher octane rating than does regular unleaded gasoline. Accordingly, I would have to assume that the knock sensor on the 4.0L has a role to play in things. Higher octane = less succeptibility to detonation/pinging, which means the 4.0L's knock sensor will not need to retard timing as often and/or as much. It could also be related to the fact that a FFV's computer is programmed to make adjustments to timing and air/fuel mixtures when higher concentrations of alcohol are noted in the fuel (by virtue of the flex fuel sensor). The proper tweaking here and there and maybe a few more ponies pop out.

By the same token, my '94 SHO has a 3.0L 220 HP DOHC Yamaha engine with higher compression than that of the 155 HP 3.0L OHV "vulcan" engine, and it has more agressive timing maps built into the factory PCM calibration, as well. The knock sensor on my SHO allows the PCM to push the timing to more advanced levels, provided that I use premium gasoline with 91 or greater octane rating (it even says "Premium Recommended" on the instrument panel fuel gauge). In short, my SHO's engine is designed to take advantage of higher octane fuel, and so I would suspect that the same can be be said for the Super Stallion's V8.

 

not by much because warnings were issued with older vehicles stating its not wise to use ethanol blends in older vehicles because the ethanol alcohol peels the rust out of the gas tank and cloggs the old carbs. with fuel injection it is less of a problem because the fuel filters used are of better quality