E-85 study

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Scott Atwater

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I had heard that Ford was thinking about doing a study on vehicles which run exclusively on e-85. Anyone got any info on this? Something like a buy back prog or some type of monitoring system to present to the EPA showing their flex fuel vehicles are running super clean. I have run e-85 exclusively since May and I love it. Trac has more power, no emissions and did I mention it's cheap! Last week I paid $1.79 per gallon. Also anyone got any info on EE-Prom updates for e-85? My trac runs rough for about 10 seconds at cold start or stalls. After initial warm up it is fine.Any suggestions?
 
No emissions? My, that is impressive.:rolleyes:

As for your running rough when you first start, looking into cleaning your IAC. There is a project on how to do that in the projects section of this website, hope that helps you.
 
Ethynol alcohol has a higher octane than regular gasoline and the FlexFuel engine has a device that can sense the octane of the fuel and adjust the ECU to operate most efficiently with that fuel. So you probably do have a slight improvement in performance.



The only real drawback to Ethynol is E85 will reduce your gas mileage by about 18% When you compare that to the price of gasoline, there is usually not that much different.



...Rich
 
I run E85 in my '02 nonFFV every chance I get. It works out I'm putting nearly a 50:50 mix in the tank.



I've seen less than 1 MPG difference when running the blended fuel...I don't see why we don't go from E10 to an E20 or E25 right now and cut some of the fuel demand. At less than 35% E, it should not harm fuel systems. At least that what I've read.
 
Everyone's mileage varies. The E85 costing about 32% less than mid-range, delivers 12% less mileage at altitude (8-10,000 feet). Other mixes? Sure, mix your own at the pump. Try it and let us know.
 
Conrad, this is the only public station in California.

ID #169

RTC Fuels

619-243-0456

4067 El Cajon Boulevard

San Diego CA 92105

Public - call for hours
 
I tried it in a non FFV Taurus fleet car at work (accidentally). It ran very rough and missed badly, the check engine light came on, and the car was very hard to start cold. Luckily, I had the car checked out for a week of lots of highway driving. I left the transmission in "3" and ran it out as fast as I could in a day or so. When I refilled with regular unleaded, it ran fine and the check engine light went out.
 
hey Olaf. I hooked the 5 gas anayalizer to it and it nearly pegged the co2 reading as well as the o2 was pretty high. ZERO hydrocarbons and NO CO. Also I get my E-85 in a town near Oskkosh WI called Omro.
 
I thought using E-85 in a non FFV wouldl lead to problems. Besides the octane/fuel sensor that detects e85, I thought there were many other parts, mostly ones with rubber, that had to be changed out due to the corosive nature of alcohol.
 
A friend of mine is working on a e85 and bio-diesel fuel station here on LI.. He has told me flat out you can run E85 up to a 50:50 mix with no issues at all in a non FFV vehicle. The only draw back is if you have aluminum parts, The Ethe is slightly corrosive... But the computer in the car man not be able to Handel the mix above 50:50 with out a re program..



He is delivering my first Heating oil tank of Bio diesel for 160 a gallon!!!>... I cant Waite!..

Todd Z
 
Wouldn't run it in non Flex-Fuel.



Flex fuel vehicles have wide band O2 sensors and some special gaskets/stainless fuel lines. Alcohol is caustic to the normal aluminum lines and will swell and burst normal O-rings. That aside, non flex fuel vehicles can not compensate for the flow rate of fuel required for E85. You may need up to 50% more flow rate for this fuel. As such, you will run lean and the engine may be harmed.



Alcohol does have a highr octane and will run cleaner... but I wouldn't add more than 10-15% alcohol to aa non FFV.



Take my word for it... I used to work for Ford!
 

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