[4U2C]

Has anyone thought about or done this?

I saw some nice converts on Ebay and thinking about pushing the button..
Here is one
E85 Conversion kit with Bosch EV1 connectors | eBay

[Six Banger]

Converting to E85 wont "save gas" you'll just run on gas with 85% ethanol, which is expensive from what I remember. Seems like a lot of work for not much savings (I could be wrong)

[Lumoon]

I know that E85 in my area is a LOT more expensive in my area. And I don't think switching to E85 will improve your fuel economy. I think the E85 hoax was just a ploy to get more money from gullible consumers, and drive the price of food up.

[03SonicBoom]

I don't know where you guys are from, but I've never seen E85 be more expensive than gasoline.

I don't have any stations in my town, but a couple weeks ago (in a neighbor town) gas was about $3.60 and E85 was about $3.10. The trade off is that you'll get about 25% worse gas mileage with E85. So if gas is $3.60, in order to break even you would need E85 to be less than $2.70.

In order to determine if you're going to save money, you have to determine the cost per mile of gasoline and cost per mile of E85. IMO, the only time to go E85 is if you're running high boost (b/c it's less prone to detonation).

[ReverendDexter]

^ This. On top of breaking even just from the loss of fuel economy, you also need to recoup the cost of the conversion.

The only real gain to be had with E85 is it's effective octane. If you're not boosty, though, I wouldn't bother.

[Mr. Red Pony]

Less fuel economy and less power.

[4U2C]

Originally Posted by Six Banger Converting to E85 wont "save gas" you'll just run on gas with 85% ethanol, which is expensive from what I remember. Seems like a lot of work for not much savings (I could be wrong)

No man.
E85 is like .50 to 60 cent cheaper then 87 gas... I rented a car that took e85 when 87 gas was like $3.90. The E85 fuel cost me lie $3.10 a gallon.

Check the prices on google is alot cheaper


Also it has been tested on DYNO that a car gets more power from e85

I would run E85 while going on long highway trips/

[4U2C]

Originally Posted by Lumoon I know that E85 in my area is a LOT more expensive in my area. And I don't think switching to E85 will improve your fuel economy. I think the E85 hoax was just a ploy to get more money from gullible consumers, and drive the price of food up.

Are you sure or just talking?

E85 is like a cheaper version of 87 gas.

Also do you stay in Fairfield Ohio?I looked up a Krogers Gas Station by you North Cincinnati and e85 there is $2.78.. So how is it a lot more expensive in
your area my friend? E85 is not a ploy or hoax too. The newer GM cars run on it
E85 Kroger Fuel Center #436 5830 Harrison Road 2.78 ($ per Gallon)
updated 2011-06-22

[02edge]

e85 is cheaper gets way worse fuel economy and is not great for your motor or fuel system

[Six Banger]

Originally Posted by 4U2C Are you sure or just talking? E85 is like a cheaper version of 87 gas. Also do you stay in Fairfield Ohio?I looked up a Krogers Gas Station by you North Cincinnati and e85 there is $2.78.. So how is it a lot more expensive in your area my friend? E85 is not a ploy or hoax too. The newer GM cars run on it E85 Kroger Fuel Center #436 5830 Harrison Road 2.78 ($ per Gallon) updated 2011-06-22

87 Octane has about 10% Ethanol. E85 is lower octane (if I remember from chem) and is 85% ethanol.


Even if you are saving per gallon, you get worse mileage overall (18 vs 12 in a Tahoe) E85 vs. Gasoline Comparison Test - Edmunds.com


So if you're saving even $.80 a gallon, you still have to fill up 3 times with E85 for every 2 times you fill up with gas.


For kicks, lets say that gas is $3.80 and Ethanol is $3.00 and you want to travel 500 miles

So it would cost you ~$106 to fill a 14 gallon tank on a mustang twice with gas, and it would take $126 to fill 3 times with E85 for the same amount of miles.



It isn't worth it for price savings no matter how you look at it, especially since you're paying MORE to make the car run on E85 from the get go. Unless you're running a high boost car, it isnt worth it unless you want to help save the environment, in which case you should go run an old diesel on bio-diesel.



EDIT: Someone please double check my math, I've been awake for 24+ hrs and a little out of it

[JoshC!]

Originally Posted by Mr. Red Pony Less fuel economy and less power.

not true

why are so many people wanting to switch over to it?

[Jetflo]

E85 prices likely to rise
There is a government subsidy to increase domestic ethanol production for vehicle use atm. I'd expect that to be among the first things to get cut this year. It has been related to increases in food costs (inflation) through reduction in food supply, increase in feed prices and lack of availability for manufacturing.

Not recommended to change to E85.

[walt1120]

a lot of bad info in this thread...

E85 is usually cheaper than gasoline

E85 is 85% ethanol and 15% 87 octane gasoline.

E85 has an octane of around 96 ( if 15% 93 octane is used instead of 15% 87... octane goes up to 105 for E85). most blends are made with 15% regular 87 gas so octane is usually only around 96.

Converting to E85 is simple. you need your computer to basically dump up to 40% more fuel than its used to. this can be done with a tune. you may need to upgrade stock injectors and fuel pump in some cars since alot more fuel is required. On some older cars, ethanol can eat away at fuel lines...However this is NOT a problem with our cars.

Since the octane is higher, more power can be made if its tuned. For example, you can run more timing just like you could with using 93 instead of 87 gas.


If E85 is readily available and about 25-30% cheaper than gas...than its a win win situation. Yes youll get worse mpg but the low cost of e85 makes up for it. Plus the higher octane causes it to be like cheap race gas for boosted cars.

[4U2C]

Originally Posted by Jetflo E85 prices likely to rise There is a government subsidy to increase domestic ethanol production for vehicle use atm. I'd expect that to be among the first things to get cut this year. It has been related to increases in food costs (inflation) through reduction in food supply, increase in feed prices and lack of availability for manufacturing. Not recommended to change to E85.

The thing is you dont completely convert to e85 you can just run off E85 as well as regular fuel

[Six Banger]

Originally Posted by walt1120 a lot of bad info in this thread... E85 is usually cheaper than gasoline E85 is 85% ethanol and 15% 87 octane gasoline. E85 has an octane of around 96 ( if 15% 93 octane is used instead of 15% 87... octane goes up to 105 for E85). most blends are made with 15% regular 87 gas so octane is usually only around 96. Converting to E85 is simple. you need your computer to basically dump up to 40% more fuel than its used to. this can be done with a tune. you may need to upgrade stock injectors and fuel pump in some cars since alot more fuel is required. On some older cars, ethanol can eat away at fuel lines...However this is NOT a problem with our cars. Since the octane is higher, more power can be made if its tuned. For example, you can run more timing just like you could with using 93 instead of 87 gas. If E85 is readily available and about 25-30% cheaper than gas...than its a win win situation. Yes youll get worse mpg but the low cost of e85 makes up for it. Plus the higher octane causes it to be like cheap race gas for boosted cars.

Not unless it's significantly cheaper, and the price is still tied to oil, so you're not going to see huge changes in the differences in price, especially since the price of corn is going to remain high due to government subsidies.
And the % Ethanol by me is at MAX 10% in normal gas, not at 15% it needs to say so right on the side of the pump.




I just don't think it's worth it for an every day driver that is mostly stock. It is possible, but I wouldn't bother doing it

[03SonicBoom]

Originally Posted by Six Banger 87 Octane has about 10% Ethanol. E85 is lower octane (if I remember from chem) and is 85% ethanol.

87 octane is SUPPOSE to be 10% ethanol and it says 10% on most gas pumps. But I've got a buddy who tracks it (b/c it's terrible for boats) and it's over 15% ethanol.

Originally Posted by walt1120 If E85 is readily available and about 25-30% cheaper than gas...than its a win win situation.

That's a HUGE "if" statement. I've never seen E85 be 30% cheaper than gasoline.

Like you said, Kroger has E85 for $2.78. That means gas would have to be at $3.71 for a 25% savings and $3.97 for a 30% savings (neither are true for the area). That's just the break even point. You then have to make up for the tune (in this case the box) and fuel system upgrades. Sounds like a losing situation to me.

[Six Banger]

Originally Posted by 03SonicBoom 87 octane is SUPPOSE to be 10% ethanol and it says 10% on most gas pumps. But I've got a buddy who tracks it (b/c it's terrible for boats) and it's over 15% ethanol.

Wow, forget my previous posts about 10%, didn't know this.

[03SonicBoom]

Originally Posted by Six Banger Wow, forget my previous posts about 10%, didn't know this.

Yeah, it's suppose to be no more than 10% like it says on most pumps. But it's not. I go to the marina and pay $1/gallon more than market price to get true ethanol free gas for the boats. Not much fun, but the only other place I've seen that has ethanol free gas is the high octane at Shell (and there's none in my city).

[mcqueen]

Originally Posted by 03SonicBoom Yeah, it's suppose to be no more than 10% like it says on most pumps. But it's not. I go to the marina and pay $1/gallon more than market price to get true ethanol free gas for the boats. Not much fun, but the only other place I've seen that has ethanol free gas is the high octane at Shell (and there's none in my city).

Yeah Shell's V-Power was the only fuel I was able to find in Iowa that didn't have ethanol. Aside from that it seems like everywhere carries 10%. Although it probably didn't help that I used to live about 2 miles from an ethanol plant (smells like shit all the time).

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by 4U2C Also it has been tested on DYNO that a car gets more power from e85

I can tell you it's dyno-proven that a stock Honda makes power and more torque than a stock Mustang and be telling the truth, but without providing all the rest of the details, it's still nothing but a total bullshit statement.

Show us this dyno test. You're leaving out a huge amount of information here... what kind of car? What kind of engine? What were all the modifications that done between dyno pulls on regular gasoline and E85?

Originally Posted by JoshC why are so many people wanting to switch over to it?

Because it's higher octane. It allows you to run a lot more boost/compression than you elsewise could on pump-gas, and it's significantly cheaper than equivalent octane gasoline.