Flex fuel

[JcMack]

Is flex fuel still a viable option? I remember that about 6 years ago flex fuel seemed like a good deal. Very few gas stations in this area even sold it though. My neighbor bought a new Chev Equinox? and says he got a real deal on it. This vehicle has all the options on it. Chev's warranty is 5yrs 50k, but assuming it's the same as on my '08 Chev PU, it's only 3yrs. bumper to bumper, 5yrs. drive train. Anyway his new vehicle is "flex fuel". Any pitfalls to owning an engine of this type?

 

[max]

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.

 

[1 old 0311]

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.

IF...IF...IF...IF the Feds keep subsidizing it. In this country it can't stand on its own using corn. Corn must be replanted each season. Brazil used sugar cane. You plant ONCE, cut the top off, and the plant grows back on it's own.

 

[S&WIowegan]

I've been driving Chevy Tahoes or Avalanches since 2005...all were flex fuel capable. Iowa is the #1 producer of ethanol so we have it widely available. I have tried it all and made very careful calculations rather than rely on the on-board numbers. Without going into the actual details, I can state unequivocally that ethanol lowers MPG so much that you lose money using it! We have E85 available at $1/gal below regular. You still lose money. Most drivers here buy the lowest price and never think twice about value.

 

[DeathGrip]

^^^ +1

The ONLY advantage is if corn squeezings is the only thing available.

 

[snowman]

I can confirm that ethanol lowers mileage significantly -in my view, it's one of the most foolish things to come along in a long time. And that from a farm boy!

Andy

 

[Chubbs103]

I was waiting to get my truck fixed from being rear-ended two years ago and my rental car was flex fuel. I got excited when I drove by a filling station that had E85 for 1/3 cheaper than unleaded. As I drove away, I could virtually watch the fuel gauge nose dive. I was not impressed.

Chubbs

 

[Pete99004]

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.

Flex Fuel IS NOT CHEAPER! The Federal Government SUBSIDIZES Flex Fuel. HOW does that make it cheaper?????

It's really STUPID to use food as a fuel source - IMHO

Pete

 

[haggis]

Switching back and forth between E0 or E10 and E85 can play havoc with the fuel computer controls unless you run the vehicle to almost empty before changing fuel type. As others have said, miles/$ is not a bargain most places.

Buck

 

[woodsltc]

IMO....corn should be used to feed people, live-stock, and to make moonshine!!! It just doesn't measure up as a fuel source.

NOW, if someone can come-up with an engine that can efficiently use corn/etahonol then I would certainly have a change of opinion.......but the fact is, right now, corn/ethanol fuels in our current engines "are not" efficient or economical IMO.

Don

 

[armadillo]

My '09 Chevrolet Silverado is rated for Flexfuel. I tried E-85 in it several times and calculated the MPG at 80% of the gasoline MPG.

I would use the E-85 if it was below 80% of the price of gas - but it is closer to 90%.

 

[Stevie]

I own a flex-fuel Ram 1500...runs fine on either fuel..or mixtures of regular and E85.

As noted fuel economy drops significantly on E85...and no E85 pumps within 50 miles..so my trucks runs 99% of the time on plain gasoline as I have several stations in town with ethanol free fuel.

No real advantage to E85..costs a bit less..burns more.

The only advantage I see to a flex-fuel vehicle is the fact that the fuel system is made from corrosion resistant materials..and that the truck seems to run better and yeild better fuel economy on E10 than a non-flex vehicle.

 

[snowman]

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

 

[JcMack]

The neighbor in question is about 60 and no fool. I've talked trucks and repairs with him before and he knows his way around same. His other vehicle is a short bed '96 Ford F150 with that 300 cu in straight six. I had a '73 Ford F100 with that engine and it was great.
I'm surprised at his buying this new vehicle. His '06 Chev HHR threw a rod at 60K miles and he had it fixed (engine swap) and traded the HHR on the Equinox. The new car has heated seats and touch screen controls and back up sensors and all the junk I can see breaking about 4 yrs. from now, a year out of warranty. I don't know if the new car is a 2011 or 12. Maybe this was one nobody wanted.

 

[JcMack]

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

I don't know. Most of the stations here are major chains. Maybe their stations on the interstates make the bulk of the 10% required?

 

[Maximumbob54]

I thought corn had little to no nutritional value in the first place. I know you can feed it to hogs to help "clean them out" so they won't taste so wild and it will lean them out some. And from what I remember, it's hard on water and soil. As a fuel source, I would think biodiesel would be a better "green" idea.

 

[Moonman]

US addition of ethanol in gasoline WAS A BAD IDEA, it was a PORK BARREL DEAL for the farm lobby. It has raised the cost of FOOD to all for just one reason. Mileage is less for another.

Try DRILL-DRILL-DRILL, for Natural Gas, and Oil.

 

[Goldstar225]

IMO using ethanol as a fuel source is one of the biggest and worst jokes that has been forced upon us. Ethanol has 75,000 -80,000 BTU's per gallon vs. gasoline at 115,000-125,000 BTU's per gallon, giving ethanol 2/3 the output of energy. When you factor in the taxes that subsidize ethanol and the cost at the pump there is no savings and the MPG is reduced.

 

[DeadAye]

Ethanol as a fuel is just flat alcohol abuse!

 

[chez323]

My 2010 F150 has the Flex fuel logo on the back but as of yet I've not found a local gas station that sells flex fuel..... did a search online and the last time I checked the nearest station that sold it was in Allentown.... so regular gas it is for mine...........

Is flex fuel still a viable option? I remember that about 6 years ago flex fuel seemed like a good deal. Very few gas stations in this area even sold it though. My neighbor bought a new Chev Equinox? and says he got a real deal on it. This vehicle has all the options on it. Chev's warranty is 5yrs 50k, but assuming it's the same as on my '08 Chev PU, it's only 3yrs. bumper to bumper, 5yrs. drive train. Anyway his new vehicle is "flex fuel". Any pitfalls to owning an engine of this type?

 

[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.