Last week I thought it might be fun to experiment with E85. It's $2.50 a gallon in Wisconsin; cheaper than regular 87 octane by about 40 cents.

I filled up my '95 pickup (3.0 4x4 5spd 4.88 gears, 31x10.5, yadayadayada) with 5 gallons exactly. With a 19.3 gallon tank that came to 26% E85, or 22 percent alcohol overall. There may have already been some ethanol in the regular gas. I have no idea, but 10% isn't unusual (many pumps say "may contain up to 10% ethanol"). So I was running with at least 22% ethanol and maybe up to 29 percent. I suspect closer to 22 percent.

I ran 280 miles with this mix and achieved 18.3 miles per gallon. About what I would expect this time of year and for the driving I was doing - about 25% in stop and go traffic and 75% hiway (interstate/state hiways).

I noticed no issues with power, check engine lights, operating temperatures or anything out of the ordinary. I did notice that when I started from cold and backed up out of my driveway, the exhaust smell was different - more alcoholly. Made me want a beer.

My current fill-up is with 87 octane gas. I'm going to run it through and reduce the possible alcohol content in the tank. Then I'll do the 5 gallon test again and see what happens.

Nothing really major to report, just passing this along.

Thanks for letting us know how the E85 is working out. I've been thinking about running some in my tank too and am real curious how it works out for you.

I haven't checked the mileage yet, 'cuase I haven't filled up again, but I put a half tank of E85 in my 05 Ranger, my dd, in less than 10 miles my check engine light came on. I went and filled up the rest of the way with regular. I figured out, assuming a 17 gallon tank, to get to the 40% maximun of alcohol I will fill up next time with 10.2 regular gas and 6.8 E85. I'll check my mileage and repost. It seems to run fine, buy it kinda smells like a hospital!
Mark

If I remember correctly ethanol is worse for fuel economy.

"The downside of of using ethanol-blended fuel is a slight increase in fuel consumption (approximately 2%) when compared to gasoline."

That was taken from my Automotive Technology Book.

That's why I'm going to check the mileage. If it's too big a drop, it won't be worth the hassle!

But its using an American made replenishable fuel supply.

Its cheaper but you get less miles per gal with it so it's pretty much the same $ per mile.........

I guess it's reall the American way <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />

Well, my way is to say "Screw the Greenies, we're drilling in ANWR!" Even the Caribou will like it!

Methane is burned off in ANWR; I don't think they're prospecting for ethanol.

Growing season is too short; ground's too cold. Them midwestern guys might be happy to have a job again. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

Hmm..if you could make silage taste like lichens, the caribou might like AND get a little fatter!!!

problem with corn based ethonal is that it takes so much oil to produce the corn and so much coal to produce the alchohol, it is a zero sum gain. Corn requires lots of atrazene (chemical fertilizer that is poisonous and made from oil to grow in quantities that we would need for fuel. Our best bet is Methane. Methane hydrate is frozen methane buriied under the sea floor surrounding the continent in massive quantities, burns clean and once it becomes easily mineable will become a great new fuel source until we can make a switchgrass (or whatever plant) based alchohol energy source that doesnt require oil to produce it.

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/sleeping.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

OK. Here goes my shot at a bump



Actually,
You are wrong.
Two things people with that argument never consider.

1. Growing corn actually takes CO2 out of the atmosphere. That to me is energy. (keep in mind one global warming solution is to actually take CO2 out of the atmosphere).

2. Those with this argument never take into consideration the feedstock that is left after distillation happens.

Take a look at the % efficiency some of the new MidWest plants are running at now. It has improved a lot.

Big oil has been throwing this propaganda around for years, but don't worry, now that the oil companies are investing in ethanol all this propaganda will start to change.