Anybody running E85

[almightys]

hmmmm..... 25-30% less efficient at 5-10% less than regualr fuel. I see no value in it at all.

 

[blueflamed03]

hmmmm..... 25-30% less efficient at 5-10% less than regualr fuel. I see no value in it at all.

but when you have a racer car and like the 105 octane, at less than half the cost it does serve a huge purpose.

 

[LazyAssLou]

Why do I keep thinking that a truck running E85 will smell like french fries threw the exhaust??... haha!

 

[TogaPC]

It actually smells kinda sweet...so if you're planning on committing suicide via carbon monoxide poisoning...that's the way to go.

 

[Max]

When I turbo this ***** I'll run an e85 tune, runs nice and cool.

 

[Grocery Getter]

hmmmm..... 25-30% less efficient at 5-10% less than regualr fuel. I see no value in it at all.

5-10% less........ 91 is $3.10/gal here in Phx and E85 is $2.49, that's about 20% so you lose about 5%(about $3 tank.....oOH NO!) but A) more power B)the corn is grown right here in the good ol' USA 3)engine is a bot coole rand cleaner on the inside. If you're running low grade fuel anyway.....well, then I wouldn't expect ya' to see the value....it's clearly not your thing.

Just the fact it has the potential to cut down our dependance on foreign oil should be enough.l In the 70's Brazil mandated all cars sold there be flex fuel and they have 100% ethanol available by mandate at every gas station which they produce from sugar cane grown in Brazil and they are 100% fuel independent between their own oil production and the use of ethanol.....

 

[bahollis]

Toga, you might be right. Maybe it did just flush it out. I seafoamed the hoe a month after that and it barely smoked.

I ran E85 coming back from San Antonio to Dallas this summer, and nearly did not make it back due to the mileage decrease. It was all night time driving so no hot rodding due to the sneaky Troopers. I shoulda just used 93 on the night time highway trek.

BH

 

[HoeRoller]

Well fellas, newb here. Took a look at filling up with E85 here in Utah tonight. E85 cost: $2.77. 87 octane cost: $2.85. I don't think I'm going to see the benefit of cost/power/milage at that price.

 

[Grocery Getter]

Toga, you might be right. Maybe it did just flush it out. I seafoamed the hoe a month after that and it barely smoked.

I ran E85 coming back from San Antonio to Dallas this summer, and nearly did not make it back due to the mileage decrease. It was all night time driving so no hot rodding due to the sneaky Troopers. I shoulda just used 93 on the night time highway trek.

BH

Yeah, no E85 for distance....that is for sure. I definitely go 91(no 93 in AZ) for any driving out of the city. I would do E85 for highway if there were places to get it. We only have three gas stations in all of Phx that sell E85 and maybe 10-15 in all of AZ. I drive to Cali a lot and there are no E85 stations on 10-West until you get well into CA. Again, it really doesn't make a difference $$ wise, you just have to fill up more often.

Unless you are running 87 and if that's the case....well...then that's the case. Even my wife knows to run mid-grade fuel in her Volvo.

 

[blueflamed03]

Well fellas, newb here. Took a look at filling up with E85 here in Utah tonight. E85 cost: $2.77. 87 octane cost: $2.85. I don't think I'm going to see the benefit of cost/power/milage at that price.

but if you hget a custom tune, like a Black Bear tune, which wants 91-93, E85 works. You cant run 87 and 105 is better than 87 for power.

 

[gtbigup01]

5-10% less........ 91 is $3.10/gal here in Phx and E85 is $2.49, that's about 20% so you lose about 5%(about $3 tank.....oOH NO!) but A) more power B)the corn is grown right here in the good ol' USA 3)engine is a bot coole rand cleaner on the inside. If you're running low grade fuel anyway.....well, then I wouldn't expect ya' to see the value....it's clearly not your thing.

Well for power!! Any documentation of this power increase? Or is it in your head for personal justification? Oh is this so caller power increase usable? BTW for us that use 97, it's probably because that what the manufacturer calls for. Call me crazy but no-one on this forum knows more about the Tahoe/Yukon than the folks that made it. If there is someone on here that does, maybe they need to seek employment at Gov't Motors so they can build a better product. Jus sayin.

 

[TogaPC]

for gtbigup01

This is straight from Section 5 Page 5 of the 2003 Chevy Tahoe owners manual

Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of 87 or higher. If the octane is less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when you drive. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible. Otherwise, you might damage your engine. A little pinging noise when you accelerate or drive uphill is considered normal. This does not indicate a problem exists or that a higher-octane fuel is necessary. If you are using 87 octane or higher-octane fuel and hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.

I would like to point out that GM does not recommend 87 octane...it is the bare minimum. Modern engines retard their timing when you run lower octane fuel because the octane rating is a fuel's resistance to knock or pre-detonation. Higher octane fuel will not only guard against knock and ping but will allow your engine to advance the timing which in turn produces more power. for those who have a tune (like me) the base timing, and other factors, are modified so the engine is less tolerant of lower octane fuel. My engine now requires 93 octane fuel and runs spectacular on E85.

I'm no expert and I don't think anyone here is claiming to know more than GM engineers. We are just sharing our personal experiences and thoughts about E85. If it's proof you want I'll try to make it back to San Antonio Raceway soon and make some runs down the strip on E85 and just see if it really makes any difference. It feels pretty significant to the butt dyno but like I always say...the proof is in the puddin'.

BTW, I knocked a full second off my ET at the drag strip with my exhaust, CAI and tune and I have the time slips to prove it...I challenge you to run down the strip on 87 then again on 93 and see if it makes any difference instead of just blindly stating that it doesn't. Anyone want to take bets?

 

[gtbigup01]

^ Well thanks for the info, I'll keep it in mind.

 

[Grocery Getter]

Look, if it is available and you have flex fuel it's worth a try. All of this ignorant uninformed rhetoric is why this fuel has not been widely accepted. Who do you think puts all the negative information about E85 out there.......... the oil companies, why in the hell would they allow consumers to have another option? Who cares about a few bucks a tank, if we has a 100% Ethanol option like Brazil we could greatly decrease our consumption of foreign oil and stop giving money to countries that don't like us very much. I mean come on man, ****, it's really a no brainer for me.........

If you don't like it or don't want to try it fine but please stop spreading the negative propaganda around, especially if you don't have first hand experience with what you are talking about. If you have a flex fuel vehicle E85 is a perfectly viable fuel and most likely will make your vehicle run better. YES, if you are running 87 it will cost more but isn't it worth a few bucks to support American corn farmers and decrease our foreign oil dependency? For gods sake, if you are that worried about MPG's and $$ then buy a 4 banger Toyota or Nissan, you drive one of the biggest rigs on the road.....don't you feel the slightest shred of obligation to do your part to get off foreign oil if you have the option(flex fuel)?

END RANT>>>>>>FINAL THOUGT>>>>>PEACE OUT

 

[warrlac]

E85

If you have a power adder and run a LOT of boost (hence fuel) you will benefit from E85's lower BTU content by being able to push a LOT more engine cooling fuel through the fuel rails. You can run some very low ET's on E85.

Check out the Corn Snake...
http://www.mustang50magazine.com/techarticles/m5lp_0709_e85_terminator/index.html

Mark is my neighbor and did 465/489 on E85. My Terminator does 410/410 on gas.

Look, if it is available and you have flex fuel it's worth a try. All of this ignorant uninformed rhetoric is why this fuel has not been widely accepted. Who do you think puts all the negative information about E85 out there.......... the oil companies, why in the hell would they allow consumers to have another option? Who cares about a few bucks a tank, if we has a 100% Ethanol option like Brazil we could greatly decrease our consumption of foreign oil and stop giving money to countries that don't like us very much. I mean come on man, ****, it's really a no brainer for me.........

If you don't like it or don't want to try it fine but please stop spreading the negative propaganda around, especially if you don't have first hand experience with what you are talking about. If you have a flex fuel vehicle E85 is a perfectly viable fuel and most likely will make your vehicle run better. YES, if you are running 87 it will cost more but isn't it worth a few bucks to support American corn farmers and decrease our foreign oil dependency? For gods sake, if you are that worried about MPG's and $$ then buy a 4 banger Toyota or Nissan, you drive one of the biggest rigs on the road.....don't you feel the slightest shred of obligation to do your part to get off foreign oil if you have the option(flex fuel)?

END RANT>>>>>>FINAL THOUGT>>>>>PEACE OUT

 

[blueflamed03]

some like it, some don't, we all have personal beliefs, but lets please keep it civil fellas, not worth getting worked up over.
it's gas