Actual E85 Mileage?
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Junior User
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 86
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Wow, that is over a 19% reduction in MPG - even the cheapest E85 I have seen is only ~15-18% cheaper than regular. I'll be really interested in seeing your next tank or 2 to see how it compares. Thanks for posting the results - I really appreciate it.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,600
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From: Iowa
We've tried it in my dad's new 2006 F150, XLT, Super Crew, 4x4, 3.55 gears, with the 5.4L flex fuel engine. It gets the same mileage on E85 as it does on gasoline. 15.5MPG. It runs and drives exactly the same. We were lucky we could get that data; we had to make a couple repeat trips to Des Moines where they have E85 stations. Regular 10% ethanol gas was $2.75 per gallon, and E85 was $2.45 per gallon. Since it gets the same mileage, it's kind of a no-brainer.
From what I read on here, it seems kind of hit or miss. I think how you drive it has a lot to do with it. You have to go real easy on it to get that mileage.
From what I read on here, it seems kind of hit or miss. I think how you drive it has a lot to do with it. You have to go real easy on it to get that mileage.
New User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 7
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2nd tank - 10.7 MPG with E85.
I bumped the Edge up to level 3 so I'll see what that does to the MPG. It ran fine on level 3 on the way home.
I'd like to note that I don't baby the truck to try to get better MPG. On the freeway I drive low to mid 70's. I'm sure if I'd slow down the MPG would improve. It will be interesting to see what happens when I tow a trailer.
I bumped the Edge up to level 3 so I'll see what that does to the MPG. It ran fine on level 3 on the way home.
I'd like to note that I don't baby the truck to try to get better MPG. On the freeway I drive low to mid 70's. I'm sure if I'd slow down the MPG would improve. It will be interesting to see what happens when I tow a trailer.
New User
Joined: Mar 2006
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Well, if I remember right e85 has an octane rating of 100 or so, i may be wrong. But if im right, u guys with tuners should be able to advance the timing a couple notches and regain some lost milage (if any) and might even get a little more hp.
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Junior User
Joined: Apr 2006
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jr - my only issue with the numbers on the gov website is that this is the same calcualtions used to get the MPH that are on the trucks when we buy them... which said 14-18 on my F150, 5.4L, SCrew, 3.73. I have not broken 13 on any of my first 5 tanks of gas (although those were highley skewed to city driving, and people tell me it will get better when the rig gets more miles on it)... i love this site for the real world, real application data from users - it rocks.
More Turbo
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 591
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From: Groton, MA
I agree that the real world experiences are interesting and very helpful and that the mpg figures on the sticker aren't real world. However, when you try to compare different people's data there are so many variables (driving style, mods or different options, weather, etc.) that getting a real comparison is difficult. At least with the govt mpg numbers they are done under uniform conditions on identical vehicles, so even if they aren't real world they are a better source for comparison in this case because you aren't comparing apples and oranges.
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Junior User
Joined: Apr 2006
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good point... i imagine looking at both pieces of data, each with their own unique flaws is going to give a general idea.... thanks for the thoughts...
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New User
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10.2 MPG with E85 and Edge on level 3 with stock settings. This is mainly city driving with short trips and lots of idling. I changed the timing to +2 on this tank.
The stations I've seen in MN have E85 30-40 cents cheaper per gallon. For the the way I drive it figures out to 1-2 cents more per mile to run E85. So in a year it would be about $150-300 more to run E85. If E85 came down 10 more cents it would be a wash.
I grew up on a farm and have many friends who are still farming. For the small cost increase per year I'm going to continue to use E85 and support the farmers.
The stations I've seen in MN have E85 30-40 cents cheaper per gallon. For the the way I drive it figures out to 1-2 cents more per mile to run E85. So in a year it would be about $150-300 more to run E85. If E85 came down 10 more cents it would be a wash.
I grew up on a farm and have many friends who are still farming. For the small cost increase per year I'm going to continue to use E85 and support the farmers.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 231
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From: Arkansas
.... and here i though CORN was gonna save us all!!!! sounds like a wash if you ask me....... wonder what GM and Ford will say when the lower E85 cost versus lower MPG = the same efficiency as normal gas.....
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ArcadeDoctor
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Oct 24, 2005 07:36 PM