Is there a downside to Flexfuel E85?

[Tristahn]

E85 on the 5th gens has some positive power advantages and I really like the Flex-fuel concept. However, before I pull the trigger on a system, I'd like to know if there are any downsides? For example, my car might sit in the garage for 2 weeks this summer in 100+ degree weather with that stuff in the tank and the lines. Is this type of thing okay? I may drive the car 200 miles out of town in a day, will it go that far on a tank of E85?

[69L48Z27]

Your fuel system is captive, it keeps all that evaporates. Unless you leave the cap off it should be fine.

E85 gas mileage is about 25% worse than E10 gasoline.

[Tristahn]

Thank you for the response. So I'm picking up a bunch of power and taking a significant drop in fuel economy. A price I'm willing to pay especially at $1.65 a gallon for the corn juice right now. I mostly drive around town with the car and have a 55G storage drum in the garage that I'll fill up. Plus with the flex fuel, there's a separate ECU map for the diminished octane should I end up running 91 (AZ). SOLD!

[Whoomba]

I'm curious about the positive power advantages. Alcohol generates less power than gasoline. It creates moisture in the tank. Have they figured out how to stop it from ruining things like hoses and gas gauge senders? No positives that I know of.

[Mr. Stacy]

You might want to ask cornhole camaro. He seems to know a lot about it. I think he even drinks the stuff.

I think it's some kind of bs. I mean, there is so much dino-gas out there right now, and it's quite cheap, with better mileage and better for your car, so why mess with the corn crap?

But I have been wrong before...

[Ryanbabz71]

I have run e85 100% of the time for over 5 years now on my 2010 Silverado with a 6.2L. I have well over 50k miles. I have run it from -20 below to 100 degrees and haven't had any issues. E85 is roughly 105 octane and there is definitely a difference and feel power wise. For the first year I ran 93 octane (truck has to run e85 or 93) and when I switched I was glad I did so. I have not had any e85 related issues to date


Ryan

[Tenring]

Originally Posted by Ryanbabz71

E85 is roughly 105 octane and there is definitely a difference and feel power wise.


Ryan

I know what I am filling up with on my next tank.

[Mr. Stacy]

Originally Posted by Ryanbabz71

I have run e85 100% of the time for over 5 years now on my 2010 Silverado with a 6.2L. I have well over 50k miles. I have run it from -20 below to 100 degrees and haven't had any issues. E85 is roughly 105 octane and there is definitely a difference and feel power wise. For the first year I ran 93 octane (truck has to run e85 or 93) and when I switched I was glad I did so. I have not had any e85 related issues to date


Ryan

Unfortunately, because of the design of most flex-fuel capable vehicles, they are not able to take full advantage of the potential power of the E85.

I wonder if you can get a tune that would optimize the engine for running E85 exclusively?

Edit: I think you would have to increase compression to fully realize the power of E85.

[Mr. Stacy]

Originally Posted by Tenring

I know what I am filling up with on my next tank.

Check my post above. Most tests show slower times in the 1/4 mile, longer times in 0-60 and less performance overall for flex-fuel vehicles running E85 because they are tuned in such a way to be able to use a variety of fuel types. The ECU can adjust for the fuel, but not enough to take full advantage of the benifits of running the cleaner burning, higher potential power of E85.

[cornfield camaro]

Originally Posted by Mr. Stacy

You might want to ask cornhole camaro. He seems to know a lot about it. I think he even drinks the stuff.

I think it's some kind of bs. I mean, there is so much dino-gas out there right now, and it's quite cheap, with better mileage and better for your car, so why mess with the corn crap?

But I have been wrong before...

I finally noticed you have a 1lt. You buy that for mileage or performance. Why not a Camry? And I have no idea how you get away with the name calling. Heck I got a warning for calling someone a moron.

[cornfield camaro]

Originally Posted by Mr. Stacy

Unfortunately, because of the design of most flex-fuel capable vehicles, they are not able to take full advantage of the potential power of the E85.

I wonder if you can get a tune that would optimize the engine for running E85 exclusively?

Edit: I think you would have to increase compression to fully realize the power of E85.

Why the mr. niceguy all of a sudden on ethanol?

[Mr. Stacy]

Originally Posted by cornfield camaro

Why the mr. niceguy all of a sudden on ethanol?

I'm not against Ethanol, I just don't see the point. You have to burn more of it for the same mileage, so the environmental benefits are actually quite minimal. Possibly negligible!

If vehicles (other than race cars) were produced that could take full advantage of the higher compression ability of the fuel, MPG might actually match that of dino-fuel. It has more power, so potentially it could take you further and faster, gallon for gallon, than dino-gas.

That's the rub. You need a specific engine setup to realize the advantages. A true flex-fuel car would have to have two completely different intake systems for true flexability, one for gas, one for Ethanol. Today's engines are optimized for dino-gas, although flex-fuel vehicles are specifically desiged to combat the more corrosive effects of Ethanol. The ECU can adjust timing and such for any range of octane, but it can't add the things most necessary to fully utilize the fuel, like compression.

So it can be done, but E85 is about 105 octane and your engine has to be able to run 87. A optimized engine design would only be able to run E85. Then it would burn cleaner, and have more power etc...

JMHO

[cornfield camaro]

Originally Posted by Mr. Stacy

I'm not against Ethanol, I just don't see the point. You have to burn more of it for the same mileage, so the environmental benefits are actually quite minimal. Possibly negligible!

If vehicles (other than race cars) were produced that could take full advantage of the higher compression ability of the fuel, MPG might actually match that of dino-fuel. It has more power, so potentially it could take you further and faster, gallon for gallon, than dino-gas.

That's the rub. You need a specific engine setup to realize the advantages. A true flex-fuel car would have to have two completely different intake systems for true flexability, one for gas, one for Ethanol. Today's engines are optimized for dino-gas, although flex-fuel vehicles are specifically desiged to combat the more corrosive effects of Ethanol. The ECU can adjust timing and such for any range of octane, but it can't add the things most necessary to fully utilize the fuel, like compression.

So it can be done, but E85 is about 105 octane and your engine has to be able to run 87. A optimized engine design would only be able to run E85. Then it would burn cleaner, and have more power etc...

JMHO

What did you not read in our previous exchanges that lead you to believe Im for economy? I have a Buick GN and a Camaro with a KB blower that I don't give two shits how many MPG I get. They're toys. And ethanol works.
And if you call me names again, I'll unleash a string of expletives on you that make you crap yourself and I don't I give 2 sh*() if I get banned for ever. Apparently the moderators hate ethanol too.

[8863]

Wow, 12 posts on another E85 thread and I haven't seen the usual "Don't run any ethanol, be it 10% or E85 because it is SO corrosive and will practically melt your entire car away" fear mongering. Living in the corn belt my entire life I have been using 10% ethanol (gasohol) for the last 40 years in my lawnmower, tractors, mororcycle etc without a problem or o-rings and fuel lines rotting away. As for running E85, I think it would be a great fuel to use for engines that have boosted compression via turbo or blower.