# E85



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

What does it retail for in your area on average?

For those of you that have used E85 for a period of time now in their flex-fuel vehicle, what do you think of it as compared to regular unleaded?

Regards, MIke


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Does anyone even use E85 even if they have a flex fuel vehicle? I think I might now have one with my Titan. I'll have to check. Then I may or may not try it. Most places I get gas don't have that option.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

A lot of stations here have E85 at the pump.I don't have a E85 vehicle so don't pay to much attention to the price.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Know of one person that used it for awhile, while it may be cheaper you'll get less mileage with it since alcohol needs a higher compression ratio to get the most out of it. Didn't take em long to figure that out and go back to gas.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

When I drove my truck to through Nebraska to Iowa Aron’s Christmas. I put 87 octane in. I’m certain it must have more ethenal in it compared to the 85 octane in Colorado. Because my gas mileage sure dropped. So if E85 has even more ethanol I would t want to even try it.


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## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

E85 is 85% ethanol mixed with the lowest grade gas available, I use to deliver it when I drove a fuel tanker, it gets worse mileage and it will evaporate from the tank much faster.. it's something most have figured out is a scam and does more harm than good to the auto and your wallet ....


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

2.49 for unleaded with 10% E.All car gas in Mn has to have 10%E

1.68 for E*%

3.02 for premium with no ethanol.Boat,small engines and older cars.

I do know guys that run E85 and they do get less mileage but the price difference more then makes up for it.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

I have read on some of the sites that E85 typically gets 20% less mileage, but it actually keeps the engine cleaner.

"The difference in miles per gallon between gasoline and E85 ethanol has to do with E85 ethanol's lower energy content per unit of volume. Which is measured by BTU's. A gallon of E85 has 72% of the energy content of a gallon of 87 octane"....this info was from the E85 info site.

There was no distinguishable difference in power between E85 and 87 Octane.

There are a couple of E85 pumps in my immediate area now and it is significantly cheaper than 87 Octane per gallon.

Regards, Mike


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## MrLuggs (Dec 14, 2015)

I've got a tune for e85, which is great, takes advantage of the higher octane (105).


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Here is the government's info.

https://fueleconomy.gov/feg/pdfs/guides/FEG2018.pdf

As an example on page 43, Chev K15 standard pickup 4 wd, 4.3L 6 cylinder. Annual cost for regular gas $2,000, E85 gas $2,400. 5.3L, 8 cylinder $2,150 and $2,400, respectfully.

The only vehicles I notice that seems to do better with E85, Mercedes-Benz models (page 42, 43 & 44). Did they cheat???   

YMMV is for certain.

Larry


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## skyrydr2 (Oct 25, 2015)

Almost impossible to find that crap here in Mass. It is a joke and ruins fuel components if it was not designed to run on it! Absorbs water at any chance it gets too. Then evaporates and leaves the water behind.. nice stuff.. you can keep it! My truck doesn't even have flex fuel only runs on the good stuff.


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## cjsr8595 (Jul 7, 2014)

We have it everywhere in southern indiana. I ran it in my 3/4 chevy for a couple of months. I saw decreased mileage. I've done the math, if i can get it at least 1.00 cheaper than 87 it is worthwhile by a few cents/mile, other than that i'll burn 87.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

Teslan said:


> When I drove my truck to through Nebraska to Iowa Aron's Christmas. I put 87 octane in. I'm certain it must have more ethenal in it compared to the 85 octane in Colorado. Because my gas mileage sure dropped. So if E85 has even more ethanol I would t want to even try it.


E85 means "E" for "ethanol" and "85" for 85%-- meaning it's 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline. IIRC the highest allowable percentage of ethanol in gasoline that the EPA allows to be sold as "gasoline" (which it's actually "gasohol" or a blend of gasoline and alcohol) is E10, or 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline (which is the industry standard-- getting "alcohol free" gas is increasingly difficult). The corn promotion and big ethanol industry clowns were pushing for E15, or increasing ethanol content to 15% in gasoline, but IIRC that failed, as vehicle manufacturers didn't want to get stuck with a bunch of issues on vehicles from seals and hoses and components failing due to alcohol damage to the vehicles already out there...

Later! OL J R


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