E 85

[beanie]

anyone use E 85 in anything that was not made for it -- like an older truck , car or tractor -- would like to hear from those that have used it --

 

[novaman]

I haven't used E85 in anything not intended for it. It won't work with a darn if at all. You need a stronger air to fuel ratio and you need a higher compression engine for it to work properly.

 

[manitgotcoldhere2]

yes 1994 ford f 150 with the 302. 149,000 miles worth. Only problem is the check engine light is always on because of the o2 sensor go back to burning e50 or less light goes off.

 

[John SD]

E30 is a good ratio that works in most any engine not designed for E85. Works good in my carbureted 70's-80's vehicles and a TBI '90 model pickup. More E than 30% loses power and economy and cold startability. Experiment gradually to see what works in your particular application.

I will usually top off with E85 with the appropriate amount of fuel when I get to town and do my business. By the end of the day I top off again to make sure I'm back closer to E10 for extreme cold starts. Too much E does not vaporize well when cold. In fact, the E85 pumps have a sticker on them around there to the effect that the fuel is E70 in winter.

 

[Anonymous]

My understanding is that is also harder on the fuel systems rubber components. Closer to a solvent than regular gasoline. You won't see the effects for a while but it degrades the rubber from the inside. Also, ethanol absorbs more moisture from the air, and its horribly bad on marine engines and engines that don't get used on a regular basis. The marine mechanics and small engine repair shops love ethanol

 

[manitgotcoldhere2]

hooknline

How many gallons of E85 do you burn in a year? Or any ethanol blend for that matter. I have not personally witnessed any of these problems.

 

[Anonymous]

I haven't burned any E85 but the wifes truck burns gad so we do burn the E10. All the statements I made are true and very well documented. Just call up any marine mechanic in a humid part of the country, and same for the small engine mechanics. Google hydroscopic ethanol and you'll be reading for years. Also google ethanol and rubber and you'll see what I'm talking about on the degradation of the lines and o rings on injectors. Again, all well documented stuff that for those in a dry climate don't hardly experience. Environment doesn't matter on the rubber issues. Most lines and o rings are synthetic rubber now, but the older stuff used natural rubber lines and those definitely don't play well together

 

[Anonymous]

http://www.energy-consumers-edge.com/pr ... -fuel.html

 

[manitgotcoldhere2]

You would think after 20 years of forced ethanol use, one would have experienced such problems. I wonder how much of what is wrote is propoganda.

 

[Anonymous]

Its not just propaganda, I assure you. I had a 30ft offshore center console 2 years ago. Blew an engine because the ethanol absorbed water, and sank to the bottom. That got sucked up and toasted my injectors, and the last fuel screen in the lines. That screens pieces went thru and tore my cylinder walls up. Like I said, call some shops down here tomorrow and verify it..I can give you some phone numbers if you'd like. Why is it that marinas are offering ethanol free fuel at a premium price?
The link I posted was just from a simple quick google search. Maybe you should look for yourself, since it seems that you don't believe me. Or maybe you just have a dog in the fight. Do you grow ethanol corn? Just a serious question.

 

[manitgotcoldhere2]

No dog,
I'm just not going to believe ethanol is the reason that everything is made from junk and doesn't last. I have noticed most people who complain listen more to the propaganda, and people who are subject to its use, have less problems and less complaints.

Ethanol was forced upon us since way back, when things were made from quality materials and workmanship. We have seen a steady decline in reliability of anything mechanical and it has nothing to do with the ethanol we had been forced to use for years.

 

[Anonymous]

Than how do you explain that since ethanol was mandated here, that there have been thousands of documented cases of engine and fuel system failures that didn't exsist before ethanol mandate? Are you arguing that ethanol isn't a solvent, and that it isn't hygroscopic? I don't see how you can blame the multitude of failures on junk equipment across the board. Sure, there is a lot of junk equip out there, but it was junk before and junk after the ethanol mandate. Suddenly good equip had a problem when it didn't before the mandate. Its not like I'm making this stuff up, but you gotta have a better arguement than that.

 

[manitgotcoldhere2]

It wasn't junk 20 years ago, there weren't any problems like we have now, and ethanol was in use then same as now. It is interesting how some would rather listen to the propaganda of big oil, rather than 20+ years of use. To each his own.

Do you take advice from a pig rancher about cattle, or a cattle rancher?

 

[Anonymous]

So, answer the questions..are you saying its not hygroscopic, not a solvent, and you don't grow ethanol corn?
Btw, I'm not against alternative fuels at all, I burned 100% biodiesel for 2 years in my truck, thousands of gallons. Not veggie oil, but true converted bio...I'm just trying to figure out the basis for your arguements. I've personally been affected, seen the results, and pocketbook been hit by ethanol and its results. I could care less about propoganda.

 

[Anonymous]

And...20 years ago your natural rubber fuel lines woulda been eaten up...but I don't know when ethanol was put into use to begin with.

 

[manitgotcoldhere2]

And...20 years ago your natural rubber fuel lines woulda been eaten up...but I don't know when ethanol was put into use to begin with.

So if ethanol is the cause of the rubber being eaten up why did it not happen 20 years ago and it does now.

Sounds like a poor rubber problem, rather than ethanol. I bet shingles not lasting are because of ethanl right. It has nothing to do with the poor quality asphalt in them. Just more propaganda, and they are sucking people right in.

 

[Anonymous]

Or mayabe, just maybe.....something has changed in the refinement process over the last 20 years, causing the ethanol to produce more energy, but at the same time become more solvent based. Its clear to me that we won't agree on this issue. But I noticed you haven't answered the questions yet, and I doubt you will.

 

[Anonymous]

One last thing..don't forget that Rudolph diesel created the diesel engine to run on peanut oil. A far cry from todays diesel, which owns formula changes every few years. Same principles, different fuels all together. I suspect the same applies to ethanol

 

[dun]

With the fuel mileage I lost using the E10 crap I don;t think I can afford to lose that much mileage by going with E85. I haven;t used it in a long while so I''m not sure but I think it was E10

 

[manitgotcoldhere2]

With the fuel mileage I lost using the E10 crap I don;t think I can afford to lose that much mileage by going with E85. I haven;t used it in a long while so I''m not sure but I think it was E10

Buying that premium gas must get expensive after awhile huh?