E85
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,931
Likes: 12
From: SW Michigan
ethanol/E85
blue, you could look at a Flextek if you have injectors, you could also look at increasing fuel pressure. If you have a carb, you'll have to change jets. Now, neverminding Torque1st's comment, yes, you may very well get the same or close to it fuel economy. But that depends upon how your engine is setup. The question is if you want to be able to use gasoline again in the future or not. A truck that is intended to be swapped back and forth between gasoline and E85 cannot be optimized to do the best ethanol has to offer. DF, @ his Dad's house
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,557
Likes: 44
From: Concord, NC
Wikipedia is a very reliable source 
This argument has already been played out in every other thread about E85 and alternative fuels. There are far too many variables to say without a doubt what the difference will be in fuel mileage.
Oh, and Eric, what do you have against this Dino guy?
This argument has already been played out in every other thread about E85 and alternative fuels. There are far too many variables to say without a doubt what the difference will be in fuel mileage.
Oh, and Eric, what do you have against this Dino guy?
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,557
Likes: 44
From: Concord, NC
There are a lot of misconceptions about ethanol and E85 on the internet, both in favor of and against it. Only time and further research will tell the full potential of ethanol as a motor fuel.
Last edited by EPNCSU2006; Jul 25, 2006 at 10:31 AM.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Alcohol is good stuff in a properly designed vehicle that can take advantage of it's properties. We really don't have that in the US yet. Maybe we will get some good supercharger designs that can take advantage of both fuels. Personally I think bio-diesel is a better "alternative fuel" but again that takes a vehicle designed to use it. I follow hybrid vehicle design fairly closely and I am looking forward to some innovative and viable designs in that area.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,283
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From: Racine county, WI
Originally Posted by Torque1st
You won't get close to the same fuel economy.
I was recently looking at new vehicles on GM's web site (sorry) and they list the expected MPG for gas and E85. The E85 was way WORSE then I thought it could be in MPG. This was for the 5.3
Vortec FlexFuel E85 5.3L V8 (gasoline) 14/18
Vortec FlexFuel E85 5.3L V8 (E85) 10/13
That's a HUGE difference! E85 would have to be dirt cheap for me to think about using it.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,557
Likes: 44
From: Concord, NC
The current flex fuel vehicles are gasoline vehicles able to run E85. If that were reversed so that E85 vehicles were built that could also run gasoline, the fuel mileage story wouldn't be nearly as dismal for E85.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,283
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From: Racine county, WI
Originally Posted by EPNCSU2006
The current flex fuel vehicles are gasoline vehicles able to run E85. If that were reversed so that E85 vehicles were built that could also run gasoline, the fuel mileage story wouldn't be nearly as dismal for E85.
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,043
Likes: 4
Originally Posted by EPNCSU2006
The current flex fuel vehicles are gasoline vehicles able to run E85. If that were reversed so that E85 vehicles were built that could also run gasoline, the fuel mileage story wouldn't be nearly as dismal for E85.
Kinda like "If a frog had wings, he wouldn't bump his butt when he jumped." Might be true, but doesn't change the reality of the current situation.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,600
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From: Iowa
Yes, there aren't currently produced engines able to take advantage of E85. To do that would require taking away the capability of running gasoline. But it does give the enthusiast some very interesting possibilities. Now, we can build a 12:1 or more motor, for street usage, and actually be able to buy fuel for it! All while being responsible and not hurting the environment. Before E85, this was impossible, unless you like paying $5 per gallon for race gas, which is technically illegal to run on the street anyway due to lead content.
Also, E85 gives the guy that bought the "premium fuel" high compression motor back in the '60's a chance to take it out and run it without fear of pinging!
Also, E85 gives the guy that bought the "premium fuel" high compression motor back in the '60's a chance to take it out and run it without fear of pinging!
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 463
Likes: 2
From: Woodburn, OR
http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/05/...opower-engine/
Saab has one.
Saab has one.
Originally Posted by rusty70f100
Yes, there aren't currently produced engines able to take advantage of E85. To do that would require taking away the capability of running gasoline. But it does give the enthusiast some very interesting possibilities. Now, we can build a 12:1 or more motor, for street usage, and actually be able to buy fuel for it! All while being responsible and not hurting the environment. Before E85, this was impossible, unless you like paying $5 per gallon for race gas, which is technically illegal to run on the street anyway due to lead content.
Also, E85 gives the guy that bought the "premium fuel" high compression motor back in the '60's a chance to take it out and run it without fear of pinging!
Also, E85 gives the guy that bought the "premium fuel" high compression motor back in the '60's a chance to take it out and run it without fear of pinging!
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,600
Likes: 4
From: Iowa
Nope. That car will still run on gasoline. The base compression ratio is too low to take advantage of E85's octane rating, and will still get poor mileage on E85 compared to gasoline. It's flex fuel and they're using a turbo. That's it.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,557
Likes: 44
From: Concord, NC
You guys completely missed my point. I didn't say that anything you have said is wrong. I was just hoping to put a positive spin on the FUTURE of ethanol. The PRESENT looks just like you've said. Currently, vehicles are optimized for gasoline and E85 performance and efficiency suffers, just like was said before. Sometime down the road, maybe there will be a vehicle optimized for E85 where the gasoline performance and efficiency suffers, opposite of the current trend.
I am working on a vehicle that will be optimized for ethanol with NC State University and Lotus Engineering. It's a long ways from completion, but I will certainly keep everyone informed of how it works out.
I am working on a vehicle that will be optimized for ethanol with NC State University and Lotus Engineering. It's a long ways from completion, but I will certainly keep everyone informed of how it works out.
Last edited by EPNCSU2006; Sep 13, 2006 at 05:59 PM.