Mixing Ethanol with my fuel?? Thoughts?
 

Here is what we know:
-E85 (85% Ethanol 15%Petrolium) is an alternative fuel that is capable of running in quite a few models of vehicles right out of the box with no modifications.

-Its made here in America by our farmers because its a corn based fuel

-Its a clean burning 105 OCTANE fuel

*best of all, its cheaper then gas we buy now

NOW FOR MY QUESTION:

I would like to see if maybe on a long road trip (so the fuel is only in the tank for a few hours), if I were to run a few gallons of the E85 in my truckm, what would it do? I have a 25 gallon tank in my 01 F-150, lets say I run about 6-9 gallons.

Am I looking at a completely throwing the computer off, burining my engine up, not buring at all instead making horrible knocking noise, not having it fire through the injectors like they should???

OR, am I looking at something that could give me a little more power, clean fuel system, give me better mileage, and BE CHEAPER TO RUN???
(any MAYBE getting a check engine light, that I have to begine with)

Do a goolge search on Toluene, Gas is about 50% of this already. It's cheap stuff and I don't see it ruining anything.

If you have a check engine light on, you should get your truck fixed.

How about a third option? The truck will run ok -- no noticable difference, except your fuel mileage dropps a little.

Everything I've heard about ethanol indicates that the energy content in ethanol is lower than gasoline. If this is true it will take more of it to do the same amount of work a unit of gasoline will do.

I understand that the ethanol blend does not get as many miles per gallon and since mixing will only save a few cents, why bother?
Dono

The last study on ethanol shows it's a looser. Of course, there was a flaming raging thread about this not long ago.

When gas gets this high, all the ideas and theories come out. If it works for you, fine.

Everyone should know that the only thing that really works is a pair of air shocks in the back, jack up the rear and that way you are always going down hill. Try it.

you cant run e-85 (ffv)in the f-150...only up to 10%..and yes it does cost less but u actually get less mpg in return...so it's probably a wash....

This is definately not fact, but I've been told this by many people. In the colder climates (ie. Canada and the Northern States), ethanol is added to the winter gas to decrease the "freeze factor", and to make it "more fluid" in the winter.

These are the facts that I do know; ethanol burns faster than pump gas (ethanol is a two carbon alcohol). By burning faster, it creates more heat (it may or may not increase engine wear). Also I can run my truck in 95 F weather with the A/C on max for 1/2 hr and burn 1/16 of a tank. I can idle my truck in 10 F weather with the auto climate control at 70 F for 15 minutes and use 1/4 tank.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byfuel/FFV2001.shtml

gives milage/price comparison of e85 and gasoline.

I think it's ironic, discussing the use of ethanol in Fords, combined with the fact that you actually CAN'T use it in non- flex fuel vehicles.
Anybody care to guess what fuel Henry Ford recommended for his first cars?

Moved to proper forum.

The first Fords were flex-fuel vehicles.

If fuel system components were updated to be compatible with E85, it would be possible to run E85 in non-flex fuel vehicles. Henry Ford said that stills were more plentiful than gas stations. I think he had the right idea so long ago.

Welp, that idea was shot down. Sorry Moderators for posting that in the wrong forum, I wasnt aware of this one.

It seems that the idea of E85 is not a favorite for many people in here. I on the other hand do believe its has lot of potential. For starters its a VERY high octane fuel (105). Its also a product that our struggling American farmers can grow. I dont know about any other part of the country, but in my part (AZ) we are watching all of the farming communitys being bought out by housing developers.

Best of all ITS CHEAP!! Average price right now is about $1.99, but that is only because of the way the market is. It can EASILY be produced at about $.85 a gallon.

I agree with the potential of ethanol, and I too think use of it should be extended. It is renewable and cleaner burning, but engines and fuel systems would have to be built to handle it. It also likes to absorb water, which will cause some problems, but I figure a lot of the issues can be worked out if people want it.

Don't hang it up, not everyone is against it. Do a search on this forum to get more opinions and ideas. Ufortunately, this has been hashed out so much that it gets tiring starting over so often in a new thread when there are many others that are identical.
Do your research and see what all has to be done. I think you will find that it isn't a lot that has to be done. So far what I have found is the seal problem which is elimnated by neoprene seal, and many vehicles are more ethanol capable than most will admit due to liability. I have run E85 on occasion through many vehicles, but have not been able to access it regular to see just what the effects are. From what I have read and researched, the main issue comes down to fuel pumps, injectors, and ignition curve mapping. Ethanol will over time break down the plastic, and then attack the copper windings, same for the injectors. The E85 vehicles have a different plastic and silver windings. They also have the sensor to tell the computer what fuel is there so it can adjust accordingly.

if your truck is a flex fuel it wont hurt it any, your supposed to be able to tell by certain number in the vin.

my dad has an 02 e150 w/5.4, he ran e85 and it sucked it really fast and clogged the converter, he says it sure did run though! i have run some of the 10% stuff before w/ no effects, but it would be so diluted anyways...

im currently putting a 68 4v 302 (10:1 compression) into an 84 capri, since eth' likes higher compression and more timing due to octane, im gonna try running some of the e85, there is only 1 place here in town that sells it, i dont know how much for but if its any under 2.50, i can deal w/ a bit less mpg (i have been paying 3.10 lately at 11.5mpg in my highboy)

story time: i was gonna start a 307 in auto tech to do a check on charging voltage, when the chevy wouldn't start i saw it wasn't getting gas, when i reached the fuel filter i grapped the hose going into and got one hell of a suprise, the hose going from the small gas tank(its a mockup engine on its own stand) to the filter was super soft, it was like a mix between laffy taffy and a rubber band, i replaced it and took the hose to my teacher, and he said that it was from sitting all summer with the gas (that had some alcohol in it) in the line.