Topic: Ethanol Conversion for Jeep?

[chrisfranklin]

Have been reading up on Ethanol and conversions.  This feasible for YJs and TJs?

[chrisfranklin]

I guess Ethanol conversion is, in fact, feasible for Jeep YJ and TJ and probably carbed YJ 4.2s and CJs, too.  Ethanol now comes in the E85 formula -- E85 means its 85% alchohol and 15% petroleum.

Flextek (flextek.com) is a Virginia company that sells conversions kits, so you can get your gas-powered car or Jeep to run with E85 and then switch it back over to petroleum if you need to.

http://flextek.com/shop.htm  shows the 4 cylinder conversion kit runs for $516.00 + shipping.  

Now here's supposedly the environmental benefits: http://about.newsusa.com/article-site.asp?ArticleId=3994&idCategory=200

Other interesting thing about E85 is a higher octane (Rated "105") rating that is "said" by its proponents to improve engine performance substantially.  Downside is typically lower mpg than petroleum fuel due to lower comparative energy value per gallon -- about a 25% mpg drop if you are running E85

But, like biodiesel from soybeans, the E85 is mostly made of domestically grown foodstuffs such as corn, wheat, barley and potatoes.  

I figure if I hold on to this YJ for a while and stay in a city, I'm going to do this Ethanol conversion on it before too long -- just so I can laugh at Prius drivers cause they won't have a fun, better-looking, yet environentally friendly ride like me.  Just have to find the E85 pumps in Southern California/Los Angeles  

Course, most people are not going to buy conversion kits and are going to be looking to the factory for cars/trucks that can run on E85 with no modification necessary (a few domestic cars, trucks and police package versions are already set up for E85).  Suspect more foreign and domestic vehicles will begin to fit this bill to meet a likely rising market demand (from anti-foreign oil public, environmental public -- basically everybody)

[chrisfranklin]

Yeah, well the practicality of my "E85 for YJ" idea is about 5-10-15-20 years off, at least.

Just read in LA Times that there is one station that sells E85 on the entire west coast of the U.S. at present -- Pearson Ford Fuel Depot in San Diego.
 :cry:

Here's the LA Times piece on it http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-altfuel12jun12,1,47159.story?coll=la-headlines-business

[Mozman68]

We have 15 in Michigan...guess that's what we get for being the home of GM....I didn't see the average price per gallon on the web though....maybe makes up for the mileage??