If you actually filled up with E85, the truck probably wouldn't run well and would most likely light the CEL. In addition, some older rubber parts (seals, gaskets in the fuel system) may get damaged by the ethanol. Some reading I've done said that newer vehicles already have ethanol tolerant seals. I haven't found an exact year for when that was phased in. Perhaps it was in the 80's. Just my guess from some reading (I haven't run ethanol beyond what they add to gasoline now), you should check out the E85 and ethanol threads in the Alternative Fuels, Hybrids, and Mileage forum.

-Jim

 

OK... a few things I've experienced. I too have a 2000 Mazda B3000 flex fuel and that truck absolutely LOVES E85. It's more peppy, more responsive, runs a lot smoother, and that darn pinging goes away. I would even estimate a slight power improvement... maybe 10 horses... the only drawback is a 15-20% MPG decrease.

I switch from unleaded to E85 regularly.. .and never have to reset the PCM.. never have to let it run empty.. the flex fuel sensor can sense and amount of ethanol between 0% and 100%... so there is no need to run it dry.

A couple reports I've seen on E85...

1> If the truck ran it's whole life (or at least a lot of miles) and then switched to E85... expect to change the fuel filter. The alcohol actually cleans out the tank and lines.. and deposits it all in the fuel filter. If there is a lot built up, the filter can get plugged up pretty quickly.

2> Expect a little abnormal running when making the switch from unleaded to E85... especially if you're going from an empty tank of gas to a full tank of E85.

3> Expect a little bit of a rough idle when very cold outside. E85 isn't as combustible in cold temperatures in gasoline. Usually in the winter they switch to E70 to compensate for this, but not always.

4> Don't plan on a tank of E85 lasting you as long as unleaded. I get 340 miles or so out of a tank of unleaded.... about 290-300 on a tank of E85. Also try to avoid hard acceleration with E85 (to conserve MPG).. sometimes you swear you can watch the needle drop while holding to to the floor!

5> Expect a slightly different exhaust smell with ethanol. Sometimes I swear mine smells like a brewery (probably just coincidence, but who knows).

I didn't even know mine was flex when I bought it used. First time I filled up I saw the sticker on the gas cap stating it was E85 compatible... so i looked underneath and found the flex fuel sensor.

I was quite nervous the first time I filled it up with E85... Just didn't know what to expect... it was just all new to me. But once I got about two blocks from the filling station, I really noticed a difference.

Fill yours up and see what happens! I bet you're impressed.

Good luck!

 

So what happens if one were to pour 195 proof into thier gas tank, say on about a ratio of 1 quart to say 20 gallons. do you think there would be a preformance difference, engine damage, or just wasted wiskey?

sorry, it's been bothering me for quite sometime though. in my truck. i haven't done it... yet.

 

Well Alan considering that 195 proof whiskey is just 97% ethanol, and you want to add it at about 1.25% your going to waste about a quart of whiskey since in most parts of the country you can already buy 10% blended ethanol, or about 8 qts worth in the same tank I don't see the point of putting in good drinkin' whiskey.

 

Darn... that really ruins my day. well, atleast i never wasted any good sipping wiskey.
guess i'll just go to the airport, and let my truck drink away it's sorrow on me. just need to remember, the blue stuff, not the clear stuff.

 

Well the stuff I run is blue but you can't buy it at the airport, and I think it's higher octane too.

 

Back in W,Va they use to run moonshine to be able to out run the G-men. The old timmers say it made a car run like scalded dog, but it did some times burn holes in the tops of the pistons on the old flat head v8 ford's. Don't know if it's true or not, but thats how the old timmers tell it

 

I saw an article in Hot Rod a few monts back about E85. They were saying that it has an octane rating around 100. Which would explain why your ping went away. I also don't think you would lose any power by making the switch, heck you could swap pistons or mill the heads and gain some power if you realy wanted to. That is if you can get E85 every time you fill up.

 

While it's true that 1 gallon of ethanol has less power than 1 gallon of gasoline, you actually get MORE power from ethanol, due to the fact that it pumps about 20% more into the engine.

Octane ratine is considerably higher.. 100-105 on average with E85.

E85 is simply put, 85% grain alcohol, 15% gasoline.

If you run E85 on a non-flex fuel car, it WILL lack power (unless it has high-flow injectors installed), it CAN set lean codes (due to the injectors not being able to spray enough into the engine to compensate), and long term use CAN damage fuel components... however the car should probably still run.

I've heard reports of "mixing".. where people have put as much as 50-60% of E85 (then filled the rest of the way up with gasoline) into their non flex vehicles, with no problems. It's all about how much of a chance you're willing to take.