Flex Fuel Modification

[ajay]

I went up to Lowes yesterday and parked my 08 Denali next to a 2010 Denali and noticed that it had Flex Fuel badging. With all the talk about increasing mandates for E85 fuel I am wondering how difficult and expensive it would be to convert my vehicle to a Flex Fuel equivelent?

Anyone have any thoughts on this issue?

 

[07-fivethree]

I would think that it would be a relatively expensive conversion for "us" to do. You would have to reprogram the computer to run on the fuel, buy and replace sensors, maybe a different or extra filtering system? Heck, I dont know. I dont recall the flex fuel versions being more expensive per say. Good thought though, interested in seeing what comes out of this.

 

[Conor]

I thought these trucks already were flex fuel? I could have sworn my LTZ had a flex fuel badge before I pulled all the emblems

 

[tx07tahoe]

Yes some LTZ's have flex fuel. But I dont think any of the Denail's had it until now.

---------- Post added at 04:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:01 PM ----------

Ajay if ur looking for better fuel eff. then you might want to just try converting your truck to use grease. I know a couple of people that have it in there cars and trucks.

 

[Zed 71]

Ajay, to do it properly it would be expensive. E85 is more corrosive compared to gasoline (stainless steel lines, etc.).

In reality, it is more expensive to run E85 in most cases. The drop in mpg vs $E85/gallon does not make economical sense at this point in time. Just to give you an idea, I was getting around 11 mpg on E85 vs 16 mpg city.

 

[ajay]

Ajay, to do it properly it would be expensive. E85 is more corrosive compared to gasoline (stainless steel lines, etc.).

In reality, it is more expensive to run E85 in most cases. The drop in mpg vs $E85/gallon does not make economical sense at this point in time. Just to give you an idea, I was getting around 11 mpg on E85 vs 16 mpg city.

Don't get me wrong. I don't want to run the stuff. I would just like to have a vehicle that CAN run it if the day rolls around when I have no choice.

 

[tx07tahoe]

Only use mine when gas is expensive. The thing is you end up spending more $ on e85 than regular. Because e85 doesnt last as long.

 

[Modded]

Only use mine when gas is expensive. The thing is you end up spending more $ on e85 than regular. Because e85 doesnt last as long.

That is true but its so much cheaper than gas here. Gas is $2.44 for regular and E85 is still under $2!

 

[badtothe bone]

Gasoline will always be here in one form or another.

My brother in law - who loves to hunt, bought a fairly new vehicle a couple of years ago and went to Colorado to hunt and noticed that when he got out towards Iowa that all the gas stations sold the E85.

Now E85 by it's self is not a bad thing. You can run a tank or two of it in your vehicle with no problems. But as other forum members has said before, in the long run there is no reason to run it.

You only get about 50% of the energy out of alcohol as you do out of gasoline.
The research octane number might be higher, but there is no advantage to saving ten cents a gallon on fuel and getting 7 miles to the gallon less gas mileage.

Most new GM trucks already has a plastic gas tank, so the gas tank is not the issue. But the fuel lines needs to be stainless and the fuel filter needs to be for alcohol and the injectors also needs to be for the E85. The fuel filter should be a direct replacement for the one you presently have. Take the one out and put the other one in line and you should be good to go.

As I posted one other time today, you can use kerosene as a lubricant for the fuel injectors. 2 gallons per a tank full, about once every 6 months is all it takes to lubricate the fuel injectors. Alcohol, because it is hygroscopic, causes erosion on the fuel injector nozzle, as does most fuel injector cleaners.

Most fuel injection cleaners that are dumped in the tank also attacks the fuel pump and picks up any dirt that is in the tank and in the fuel lines and in the fuel filter and tries to push it though the fuel injectors. You are better off to do nothing then to use 99% of those products.

The computer in your vehicle will adjust fuel consumption to match the weaker fuel that the E85 is and it won't hurt the engine if you run a tank every now and again.

Back in the late 70's - early 80's, gasohol - which is basically E85 came out and the local gas stations sold it cheap. My dad bought lot's of it and within 3 years his steel gas tank rusted out on his 1971 Chevy Blazer and he had to rebuild the carb twice.. The owner of the gas station was rode out of town on a rail and the site where his gas station once stood is now a bank.

 

[rigo_jones]

all u need is to convert all your fuel lines that are rubber to metal or plastic that can handle the e85. pretty much anything that is rubber and touches e85 must be replaced. you will need to tune or use a flex ecu because the engine burns more e85 than gas. some people think is the same as e85 is cheaper but it burns more u get a bit less mpg. e85 is prefect if you are boosting it will keep your exhaust temp low and you will be able to turn up the boost a bit more. but most GMs support flex check your vin # info sometimes they add it and never put the sticker on.