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General Forums => The Mess Hall => Topic started by: chrisfranklin on October 09, 2011, 11:49:49 AM

Title: E85
Post by: chrisfranklin on October 09, 2011, 11:49:49 AM
Not saying I'm thinking about doing this, but since they finally have an E85 pump in LA and it looks like the old rig is going to be sharing the road with an increasing number of too-clean-for-you plugins etc. was looking at E85 conversion options.  Nothing out there for 4banger Jps that meets official approval though.  Sure I'm going to blow the engine, sure it aint worth the money, sure you're talking less energy per gallon, nah, nah, nah etc.  :beers: But for this smog-laden neck of the woods, corn conversion is probably inevitable for some of the motorheads here. 
Title: Re: E85
Post by: grumpygy on October 09, 2011, 12:29:04 PM
http://www.change2e85.com/servlet/Detail?no=136

But it seems to be missing some real important stuff, Like new fuel lines and gaskets. I also found where it takes a double wall fuel tank to be legal to run that stuff.


  Just me Think I will stick with 10% and then 15% when it gets here.


  We are already trying to get more power out of these little 4cyl's and with that fuel you will be really losing power and Mileage.
Title: Re: E85
Post by: Jeffy on October 09, 2011, 01:36:07 PM
I don't know why you'd want to run that stuff.  The E85 movement is dead.  The EPA isn't requiring E85.  Currently all cars from 2001 are able to use 15%.  Before that (2009) it was 10% and before that it was 5.7%. Only those like GM's FlexFuel can run E85 but no one does.  I'm surprised a station in Socal is even selling the stuff.  Most of the stations are in the midwest.

"Blow the engine"?  Hardly.  Most likely, it will be fine for the short term even if you do nothing.  Overtime you could see O-ring deterioration but it's not going to do any major damage to the engine.

It would be nice to be able to tune the engines to run E85 though.  It's rated at 94-96 (R+M)/2.  So it's good for a higher compression engines.
Title: Re: E85
Post by: JohnnyO on October 09, 2011, 07:27:29 PM
My understanding is that while it costs less your mpg is also less, so you don't end up saving any money.  They don't sell it where I live anyway.
Title: Re: E85
Post by: Torch_Ind on October 09, 2011, 10:06:34 PM
we never got the E85 here not the full on stuff, just the 10-15% stuff.
Title: Re: E85
Post by: sharpxmen on October 09, 2011, 10:20:57 PM
we never got the E85 here not the full on stuff, just the 10-15% stuff.

in BC only up to 10% Ethanol stated at the pump, used it quite a bit in my '95 4banger Jeep and '86 Camaro, no ptoblems so far.
Title: Re: E85
Post by: Torch_Ind on October 09, 2011, 10:33:49 PM
in BC only up to 10% Ethanol stated at the pump, used it quite a bit in my '95 4banger Jeep and '86 Camaro, no ptoblems so far.

it's prob up to 10% to here I just don't check I just no it low the content of it
Title: Re: E85
Post by: Nicks92jeeper on October 10, 2011, 12:27:25 AM
As if the MPG for a jeep doesn't suck enough. If E85 was a requirement I think I would break the law. Although I am from the state of corn production as well as learning the fire department field right now, that stuff burns pretty weird. Check out some Ethanol fires and what they have to do to extinguish them.
Title: Re: E85
Post by: chrisfranklin on October 10, 2011, 05:05:41 AM
That's a lot of negative on this one

You guys could be right, but I'm still thinking about it.  Wouldn't consider it, but when you live in a "dirty sink" (LA area basin), you start thinking...
Title: Re: E85
Post by: Nicks92jeeper on October 10, 2011, 07:57:53 AM
You are better off designing a hydrogen fuel cell and use water to power the beast!!! Actually I am building one of those and I hope it will be worth it! Fingers crossed
Title: Re: E85
Post by: Jeffy on October 10, 2011, 11:36:08 AM
As if the MPG for a jeep doesn't suck enough. If E85 was a requirement I think I would break the law. Although I am from the state of corn production as well as learning the fire department field right now, that stuff burns pretty weird. Check out some Ethanol fires and what they have to do to extinguish them.
If you could tune the engine to take full advantage of the higher octane rating, you could potentially lessen the energy gap.  Problem is E85 is not a standard and won't be.  EPA isn't going to force everyone to buy a new car in this economy.  They're hated already.  They took a lot of flack for changing the Dealer window stickers and reeled that one back.  In 2010 the EPA lowered it's "2010 US cellulosic ethanol mandate" by 94%.  The whole E85 movement went way too fast without anyone really looking at what needs to be done first.  There is also a bill in the House that will limit the use of Corn for fuel in times when the corn stock is low.
Title: Re: E85
Post by: chrisfranklin on October 10, 2011, 12:10:21 PM
That's just like your opinion, man  :lol:

Title: Re: E85
Post by: Jeffy on October 10, 2011, 02:12:44 PM
That's just like your opinion, man  :lol:


You can always add some magnets to your fuel lines and get better MPG.  :trollface:
Title: Re: E85
Post by: chrisfranklin on October 10, 2011, 02:35:39 PM
I'll stick with the big magnet deal i've got on my oil filter.   :truck: 
Title: Re: E85
Post by: Torch_Ind on October 10, 2011, 04:30:55 PM
Canadian tire came out with one that went in the cigar lighter one lol
Title: Re: E85
Post by: chrisfranklin on October 13, 2011, 02:23:03 PM
This much I'll say: if my Jeep could safely run E85, where I'm living, that's the fuel I'd use. 
Title: Re: E85
Post by: Cheap5.0 on October 13, 2011, 06:39:48 PM
There is also a bill in the House that will limit the use of Corn for fuel in times when the corn stock is low.

Id like to read more on this, do you happen to remember a bill #?

Here in MI, E85 is pretty easy to find.  Our work vans (Chevy) get similar MPG compared to 89 octane while running it.  However, we have not run it since gas has dropped from $4+/gallon. 
Title: Re: E85
Post by: Jeffy on October 13, 2011, 08:58:18 PM
Id like to read more on this, do you happen to remember a bill #?

Here in MI, E85 is pretty easy to find.  Our work vans (Chevy) get similar MPG compared to 89 octane while running it.  However, we have not run it since gas has dropped from $4+/gallon. 
it was mentioned here; http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/23/us-ethanol-usa-mandate-idUSTRE78M2WF20110923
Title: Re: E85
Post by: reddogg on October 14, 2011, 12:52:44 AM
Our 10% ethanol gasoline ruined the diaphragms in my Eberspacher gasoline heater. Turn them to goo and I had to find a suitable alternative. If we had a choice in Delaware I wouldn't buy it. we only have one place for e85 everywhere else is e10. My VW's don't like the ethanol either. I have to change fuel filters once a month due to the cleaning effects on my old steel fuel lines and tanks. It breaks down the old vanish to such a small particle that it still gets through my filters, then it's carb cleaning I go.
Title: Re: E85
Post by: chardrc on October 14, 2011, 07:38:20 AM
My VW's don't like the ethanol either. I have to change fuel filters once a month due to the cleaning effects on my old steel fuel lines and tanks. It breaks down the old vanish to such a small particle that it still gets through my filters, then it's carb cleaning I go.

x2 that's a big reason why we ended up selling our vw dune buggy. now there are some stations with nonoxy gas aka no corn in it which would have saved us the trouble... :yuno:
Title: Re: E85
Post by: grumpygy on October 14, 2011, 05:48:03 PM
I got rid of a Katana 750 cause I was tired of cleaning out the carbs.  My HD has had no problems with it.
Title: Re: E85
Post by: Jeffy on October 14, 2011, 06:10:55 PM
I got rid of a Katana 750 cause I was tired of cleaning out the carbs.  My HD has had no problems with it.
Newer bikes and cars are built to run on a minimum of E15 usually.
Title: Re: E85
Post by: JohnnyO on October 15, 2011, 04:27:35 PM
I had issues with my snowblower last year, issues like keeping it running.  Dude at the shop told me that small engines don't like the ethanol in the gas because it evaporates faster and gums up carbs in engines that aren't run daily like your car.  He said he tells all his customers to put Sta-Bil in the gas ALL the time, not just for storage.  Haven't had any problems with the snowblower, mower, or weed whacker since.  Also I see that Sta-Bil now has a straight ethanol treatment.
Title: Re: E85
Post by: Jeffy on October 15, 2011, 04:38:17 PM
I had issues with my snowblower last year, issues like keeping it running.  Dude at the shop told me that small engines don't like the ethanol in the gas because it evaporates faster and gums up carbs in engines that aren't run daily like your car.  He said he tells all his customers to put Sta-Bil in the gas ALL the time, not just for storage.  Haven't had any problems with the snowblower, mower, or weed whacker since.  Also I see that Sta-Bil now has a straight ethanol treatment.
They saw a huge rise in business when everyone started using blends.