E85 fuels

[gearhead]

After reading all the "good" things about it, I was wondering why anyone would buy it.
After 40 years in the petro-chemical industry I'm still learning!

After the postings I might "recall" seeing yellow handles in Indiana or ??? But I was focused on that green diesel handle and had no reason to wonder: "why yellow"?

[JRTJH]

About 5 years ago I used E85 in my F150. At the time, it was about 1.50 a gallon less expensive than E10 which was about $4 a gallon. With E10 I was getting about 16MPG combined driving (with no towing). With E85 I was getting about 12 MPG.

Doing a little "math" I "deduced" that I was paying about $0.25 a mile for E10 and about $0.21 a mile for E85.

Back then, it was about 4 cents a mile cheaper to use E85.

Today, E10 is about $1.99 a gallon and E85 is $1.72. (The tax incentives and ethanol subsidies have ended for this area). So, using that same 16 MPG, current cost for that same truck would be 12 cents a mile for E10 and 14 cents a mile for E85.

So, at least "my thinking" is that when it was "cheaper to run E85, I used it. Now, it's cheaper to run E10, so I wouldn't consider the "yellow handle" at today's pricing.....

Just my explanation of what I think, others may well have different experiences and different expectations......

Keep in mind that for most of us, there's no "long term storage" of fuel in a primary vehicle, so the fuel separation isn't an issue and there's no carb bowl to "gum up" with fuel injectors, so the common complaints with "small engine use" aren't a big consideration in car or truck use of E85.

[GMcKenzie]

Vehicles designed to use E85 can benefit from it. The NEW GM 1/2 ton trucks set up for E85 get better performance from it.

The 2014 5.3L engine is rated at 380 hp on E85 (vs 355 hp on gasoline) and 416 lb-ft on E85 (vs 383 lb-ft on gasoline). But you get worse mileage. E85 has a higher octane rating than straight gas at 93 octane, so the truck can be more aggressive on timing.

My 5.3L does not have the sensor to detect E85 so it's of no use to me (can't find it much up in Canada anyway).

If you truck is not set up for E85, no real point in running it as you will get 20-30% worse fuel mileage without the performance benefit.

[dcg9381]

That's interesting.. Without forced induction, I wonder how they're getting more power out of it..

[GMcKenzie]

Originally Posted by dcg9381

That's interesting.. Without forced induction, I wonder how they're getting more power out of it..

Mostly timing. They do have complete fuel maps that the truck will use when the sensor detects enough ethanol, but it really bumps the timing.

[dcg9381]

Originally Posted by GMcKenzie

Mostly timing. They do have complete fuel maps that the truck will use when the sensor detects enough ethanol, but it really bumps the timing.

Yea, I understand that - and you'd get some of that power back with timing, but no where near all of it. This is a fuel with less energy per unit than gas, so you assuming you can't artificially add more air, which requires more fuel, I don't see how you get more power out of it - so I learned something today.

New to me - course, this is a direct-injected motor... First time I've seen E85 NA motors coming out on top over gas. Impressive, GM, Impressive..

[twindad99]

In the Houston area, a lot of the Kroger fuel spots have E85. I'm sure there are others but since I don't use the stuff I've not paid that close attention.

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by twindad99

In the Houston area, a lot of the Kroger fuel spots have E85. I'm sure there are others but since I don't use the stuff I've not paid that close attention.

That's why I haven't seen it...I don't buy gas at Kroger.
I buy at the gas station to do whatever I can to help insure I get a pension check. lol