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What do you guys think about E85?
Would you use E85 if it was more avalable and your car could run it?
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Saves $$$$ and makes the ponies, why not. US is the largest supplier of corn ( i use to work at a corn farm) and we actually have a surplus of it. US has to start being independent and doing things that make other countries wanna take our domestic product. The value of our dollar is slowly droppin to the EURO.
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Does anyone know where to find how it compares to gas on emmisions?
Edit:
I found this
"E85 has the highest oxygen content of any fuel currently available. The Argonne National lab has concluded use of corn-derived ethanol can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by 14-19 percent when compared to gasoline. E85 is a higher performance fuel with an octane rating of 105-110. E85 users will notice a mileage and range reduction of 10%-30% because a gallon of ethanol contains only 70% as much energy as a gallon of gasoline. However, since a vehicle will perform better on ethanol than on gasoline, vehicles can be ethanol-optimized (capable of running only on ethanol) to achieve superior gas mileage as compared with gasoline."
I think that if this fuel was more widley availible we could see some cars that are ethanol only. It seems like that would make it so they could build some high HP cars that still meet tougher emissions regulations.
Edit:
I found this
"E85 has the highest oxygen content of any fuel currently available. The Argonne National lab has concluded use of corn-derived ethanol can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by 14-19 percent when compared to gasoline. E85 is a higher performance fuel with an octane rating of 105-110. E85 users will notice a mileage and range reduction of 10%-30% because a gallon of ethanol contains only 70% as much energy as a gallon of gasoline. However, since a vehicle will perform better on ethanol than on gasoline, vehicles can be ethanol-optimized (capable of running only on ethanol) to achieve superior gas mileage as compared with gasoline."
I think that if this fuel was more widley availible we could see some cars that are ethanol only. It seems like that would make it so they could build some high HP cars that still meet tougher emissions regulations.
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There's only one E85 pump in all of Nashville. The infrastructure is just not there.
Plus I dont' think ethanol is economical as a corn-based product. We need a switchgrass based ethanol production system as it requires less energy input for the same output of ethanol.
Would also keep corn prices from skyrocketing. They already literally are having food problems in Mexico because people can't afford corn tortillas anymore.
Plus I dont' think ethanol is economical as a corn-based product. We need a switchgrass based ethanol production system as it requires less energy input for the same output of ethanol.
Would also keep corn prices from skyrocketing. They already literally are having food problems in Mexico because people can't afford corn tortillas anymore.
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I agree with you there but it doesn't seem to me like the eviromental nuts are even wanting anthing to do with E85. The goverment does not seem like they are really wanting it too much. I think consumers are interested in it though. I think we need to push for more movement in E85. They could keep up with demand if they worked on it more but it seems like the progress is moving really slow and the only ones intrested are consumers and automakers not the goverment. But I think automakers are being held back by the fact that the infrastructer is being held back. If the automakers could optimize the cars for E85 I think we could see some impressive HP numbers as well as lower emmisions and on top of that keeping the money in the USA. If the infrastructure was there why could they not make the machinery run on E85 as well?
That's the biggest problem with ethanol is the infrastructure and delivery.
It's just not there, and difficult to make available widely.
There's a new fuel in development at a joint project from BP and DuPont called biobutanol.
Made from natural renewable resources, it not only results in a fuel that's MORE efficient than gasoline (as opposed to E85 which is less efficient), but it's also transportable in the existing infrastructure, and useable by ANY vehicle ever built. So delivery and availability won't be a problem.
They're developing crops for this fuel that will be grown specifically for use as fuel, and are not even edible, so it would have no effect on the price of food and other commodities that we already use.
It's just not there, and difficult to make available widely.
There's a new fuel in development at a joint project from BP and DuPont called biobutanol.
Made from natural renewable resources, it not only results in a fuel that's MORE efficient than gasoline (as opposed to E85 which is less efficient), but it's also transportable in the existing infrastructure, and useable by ANY vehicle ever built. So delivery and availability won't be a problem.
They're developing crops for this fuel that will be grown specifically for use as fuel, and are not even edible, so it would have no effect on the price of food and other commodities that we already use.
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I have never heard of biobutanol. is it an alcohol?
Yup, it's an alcohol.
The definition from BP/DuPont's FAQ:
"Biobutanol is an alcohol with properties that make it a high performance fuel produced from agricultural feedstocks rather than petroleum. The properties of butanol have been known for nearly 100 years but has not been widely adopted because it is costly to produce. DuPont and BP are developing new technologies to bring biobutanol to market economically."
The definition from BP/DuPont's FAQ:
"Biobutanol is an alcohol with properties that make it a high performance fuel produced from agricultural feedstocks rather than petroleum. The properties of butanol have been known for nearly 100 years but has not been widely adopted because it is costly to produce. DuPont and BP are developing new technologies to bring biobutanol to market economically."
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I would run on E85 if it was out there.
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There Are 2 Pumps for E85 in my town and i laugh when i see "flex fuel" cars use pump gas instead of waiting. If i ever buy a Flex Fuel i would definatly use it.
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i have never really looked into E85, but according to post above... it is higher octane so could be used in high compression engines. (i am not supposed to use anything less then 93 octane in the stroker. they say it would actually run better with 110 or 116 octane. i would be interested in studying up on it, because it is a whole lot cheaper then race fuel. and if this is a good way to BUY AMERICAN... and put them creeps over in the sand out of business, then count me in!!!
but i would have to make sure that it is 100% compatible with my vehicles. i dont need anything to cause wear or anything else in the long run...
wonder if converting gasoline vehicles to e85 powered would be very difficult, and how likely is it that shops and dealerships would offer this as a service?
we have e85 pumps at 'most' of our gas stations, and i live in the middle of nowhere, so go figure....
but i would have to make sure that it is 100% compatible with my vehicles. i dont need anything to cause wear or anything else in the long run...
wonder if converting gasoline vehicles to e85 powered would be very difficult, and how likely is it that shops and dealerships would offer this as a service?
we have e85 pumps at 'most' of our gas stations, and i live in the middle of nowhere, so go figure....
It makes a difference as far as the fuel system is concerned.
A car not made for E85 usage would see its fuel lines corroded and they would fail fairly quickly. I'm not sure if that's all it would take is just the different fuel lines.
But it's notable that FlexFuel vehicles are NOT more expensive, that has no effect on the price.
A car not made for E85 usage would see its fuel lines corroded and they would fail fairly quickly. I'm not sure if that's all it would take is just the different fuel lines.
But it's notable that FlexFuel vehicles are NOT more expensive, that has no effect on the price.
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From what I understand most newer vehichles are able to use E85 with just a change in injectors and a tune.
also from what I understand, E85 actually increases the life of the engine and lowers wear on engine parts.
I am changing my 98 Z28 to E85 this fall. I am upping the injectors and doing a plastic fuel cell with new lines and pump that are alcohol compatable. I am just going to use everything that is compatible with methenol. There are many drag cars running methenol. but methenol is much more corosive and I don't want to run methenol.
A downside to converting a gas car would be you could only use E85 on your tune. the flex fuel vehicles have a sensor when you switch back and forth. if you wanted to run gas on a regular car you would have to change your tune back. the flex fuel vehicles have the downside that they are not optimized for gas or E85 they are kinda in the middle and could be better if they were E85 only but thats just not possible with as few pumps as we have.
I have heard of guys just changing the injectors and the tune on 99+ fbodys with no problems. from what I understand. some newer 5.3l silverados have the same injectors and fuel lines. I would not think they would put any different fuel lines on the 4.8L and 6.0L.
also from what I understand, E85 actually increases the life of the engine and lowers wear on engine parts.
I am changing my 98 Z28 to E85 this fall. I am upping the injectors and doing a plastic fuel cell with new lines and pump that are alcohol compatable. I am just going to use everything that is compatible with methenol. There are many drag cars running methenol. but methenol is much more corosive and I don't want to run methenol.
A downside to converting a gas car would be you could only use E85 on your tune. the flex fuel vehicles have a sensor when you switch back and forth. if you wanted to run gas on a regular car you would have to change your tune back. the flex fuel vehicles have the downside that they are not optimized for gas or E85 they are kinda in the middle and could be better if they were E85 only but thats just not possible with as few pumps as we have.
I have heard of guys just changing the injectors and the tune on 99+ fbodys with no problems. from what I understand. some newer 5.3l silverados have the same injectors and fuel lines. I would not think they would put any different fuel lines on the 4.8L and 6.0L.
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again since it was brought up I hope the new Camaro is E85 compatible
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