Flex fuel

[Stevie]

Stevie,

How do your stations get away with it? My understanding has been that the government mandated 10% ethanol in the whole country back in 2006.

Andy

Must be a state by state deal?

The Shell stations I frequent and many others in Oklahoma advertise right on the pump "Ethanol Free"....Depending on the vehicle...the plain undiluted fuel gets better fuel economy than E10(measurable..but not drastictly so)...However some gas-burners seem to run better with a touch of ethanol.

Not hard at all to find non-ethanol fuel in my area...both Shell stations in my little burg are ethanol free(at least so they say).

 

[snowman]

Must be a state by state deal?

The Shell stations I frequent and many others in Oklahoma advertise right on the pump "Ethanol Free"....Depending on the vehicle...the plain undiluted fuel gets better fuel economy than E10(measurable..but not drastictly so)...However some gas-burners seem to run better with a touch of ethanol.

Not hard at all to find non-ethanol fuel in my area...both Shell stations in my little burg are ethanol free(at least so they say).

You're very fortunate; there is not a station anywhere around here which isn't all 10%. And that is just about exactly the percentage my mileage has been lowered by the stuff.

Andy

 

[Stevie]

My weed-whackers..chainsaws..generators..and other small engines like it.

lots of folks around here just buy the slightly cheaper E10 and seem to have chronic issues with small engine carburators....

If for some reason I buy some ethanol containing fuel for my small engines...I give them a dose of fuel conditioner too. Seems to alleviate any corrosion issues.

 

[reddogge]

Interesting comment about Flex Fuel vehicles having ethanol resistant components. That's the biggest problem with small engines and boat engines now.

I have a 2007 F150 that uses it but I've never put any in it. A girl in a gas station down south told me her dad uses it because it's cheaper but he winds up spending more money than she does because it's so inefficient. My F150 in anything but fuel efficient on E10 moreless E85.

 

[J Rich]

E85 is a 100 octane fuel, it's cleaner than regular pump 87 octane. It helps to keep farmers in business, works great in small engines as long as you use a fuel stabilizer with it, and for those with pump gas race cars you can get more performance with E85.

The other side of E85 is lower mpg. This is because when you use E85 your cars computer has to change the air to fuel ratio for the E85 to burn correctly. It takes more E85 to get the same combustion as regular pump gas, that's why MPGs are less. E85 cannot sit for long periods of time, it goes bad and gums up parts. thus requiring a fuel stabilizer when used in small engines( weedeaters, mowers).


So, there's no real money savings using E85, just cleaner on the environment.

 

[marcus396]

I have a 2008 Chevy Silverado LTZ 4x4 extended cab with 5.3 flex fuel. City and highway driving i average around 16.6-17.8. Before our summer vacation at myrtle beach sc, 750 mile trip each way from cleveland oh, i wanted to check e85 out. Aug 2011 price was 3.41 for e85, and 3.49 for 87 regular. I ran tank down to 1/8 like garage said and filled to 3/4 tank full. Let it set for 10 minutes like dealer said, then continue on. after a 20 minute trip back to house check engine light come on. Next morning was chilly and tried auto start to turn seats and heat on, nothing. I called dealer and told them what happened, they said yeh this happens, run fuel down to about 1/4 tank put high test in, run down to 1/8 tank and fill up 87. in about a week, my average went from 17 to about 10.5, same driving, same conditions, etc. putting 93 in did not change the computer until I went down to 1/8 tank and filled up with 87 oct, 3.49 gal x 23 gal, ( tank is 26 gals) voila back to normal, called gm garage up all is normal and they said bulletin expect 30-45% decrease in mileage and entered my vehicle info into it. ILL never ever use it again, not even recommend it to anyone. trip down to myrtle beach 3 adults and one child ave 17.8 , several stops for sight seeing, return trip, ave 19.2 in mountains and 70mph driving , 4 spd auto 3.73 gears, impressed me. when i got home, flex fuel badge came off tailgate and ended up in recycling container, theres my subsidizing!!

 

[sophie]

Around here in our area just about all you can get is Ethanol mix (about 15%) at our stations. There are 2 places in town where you can get regular unleaded. It is about 25 cents a gallon more. I don't get as good a fuel mileage as I used to and I think it is harmful to fuel lines and paper fuel filters and I believe that from experience. I don't like it and think it is a ripoff.

James

 

[jdh]

As of the current weeks pump prices, I get 3.48 miles to the dollar on E10 and 3.32 on E85. I may use E85 for city driving BUT the 100+ more miles per tank with E10 means less stops on a road trip.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

We have several stations that use 100% gas. VERY important for boats-the ethanol plays havoc on outboards. Will absolutely eat up the rubber and gunk up your fuel system. 20 years ago the Feds subsidized two big sugar mills down here to build ethanol plants. Both plants were built and then sat there and rusted until they were taken out and scraped about 10 years ago. The reason Sugar prices re above the subsidy point and have been for years is that all the Brazillian cane is being used to make ethanol-it gives a higher yeild than corn. Sugar cne is planted in year one, harvested in year 2,3 4 and sometimes even 5, plowed under and the fiels planted in beans or winter wheat for a year and then the rotation starys all ove ragain. Some of the cane harvested in year 2 is used as seed cane to replant . Fairly complicated rotation. You make the money off the cane because it yields better than corn, not because you plant it once and then forget it. Cane is a bit more labor intensice in the harvest and planting than corn. That's why God made Mexicans

 

[DeadAye]

^^^^ I'm using Marine Stabil in my boats gas. It's supposed to do some magical thing to keep the E from eating the fuel system - I sure hope it helps.

 

[goldenlight]

No problems with the engine, it will burn either. The 85% alcohol is cheaper, but you get less MPG. IMHO, your per mile cost will be the same.

No, the per mile cost of E85 is 30 to 50% HIGHER, depending on the vehicle. You can look up the MPG on .gov website, and calculate it for yourself.

E85 is so full of stupid, it is unbelievable.

We take FOOD, and turn it into ethanol. The net result: fuel that costs MORE per mile than regular gasoline, and causes the price of MANY, MANY foods and food products to increase.

Utter, unbelievable stupidity.