Home › Forums › Stay Dirty Lounge › Service and Repair Questions Answered Here › E85 Fuel in any car
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November 25, 2012 at 8:43 pm #479572
on YouTube there is a video titled “E85 Ethanol Does not harm Non-FlexFueled Engines” and i was wondering if there is truth behind this. There is also a video on how Diesel in a gas engine dont harm it and vice versa that putting the right gas back in fixes any issues misfueling can cause.
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November 29, 2012 at 3:06 am #480535
From what I understand E85 won’t hurt a standard engine that’s not meant to run it. The whole ‘flex fuel’ thing is a marketing gimmick in my opinion. They wouldn’t be able to sell E85 if it was going to damage vehicles. As for putting diesel in a gas engine that CAN do some harm and should not be done. Diesel is more like an oil and can damage the fuel system of a gas engine.
November 29, 2012 at 3:44 am #480539E85 may not hurt it, but some cars wont run on it.
November 29, 2012 at 3:50 am #480541I don’t even like the fact that regular gas is E10, E85 would not be finding it’s way anywhere near my cars.
November 29, 2012 at 9:37 am #480575[quote=”EricTheCarGuy” post=39712]From what I understand E85 won’t hurt a standard engine that’s not meant to run it. The whole ‘flex fuel’ thing is a marketing gimmick in my opinion. They wouldn’t be able to sell E85 if it was going to damage vehicles. As for putting diesel in a gas engine that CAN do some harm and should not be done. Diesel is more like an oil and can damage the fuel system of a gas engine.[/quote]
So how well will my car start in sub zero temps with E85 in the tank? is it ok to have bot plain gas and E85 gas in the tank together? Will it increase my preformance or make my car run better?
November 29, 2012 at 9:52 am #480579E85 isn’t good. Ethanol is the enemy of engines and fuel systems.
November 29, 2012 at 10:13 am #480585[quote=”LJ11194″ post=39734]E85 isn’t good. Ethanol is the enemy of engines and fuel systems.[/quote]
in the video i mention this is shown untrue as they disect the entire engine and fuel system and say that running on mostly E85 (exept arreas where it wasnt available) tha the engine and fuel system is in deed in better shape than the same parts running on just Gas BTW the E10 in regurlar gas is so the gas lines wont freeze in winter.
November 29, 2012 at 10:24 am #480587The bit of ethanol in regular gas is enough to make it degrade more quickly. It burns less cleanly as well, and therefore more inefficiently. I don’t know anyone who works on engines who likes ethanol, from my mechanic to my small engine shop.
Quite frankly, I’m fundamentally against ethanol in the first place for economic reasons but that’s a whole different argument that may not have a place on this forum.
November 29, 2012 at 5:37 pm #480611[quote=”EricTheCarGuy” post=39712]From what I understand E85 won’t hurt a standard engine that’s not meant to run it. The whole ‘flex fuel’ thing is a marketing gimmick in my opinion. They wouldn’t be able to sell E85 if it was going to damage vehicles. As for putting diesel in a gas engine that CAN do some harm and should not be done. Diesel is more like an oil and can damage the fuel system of a gas engine.[/quote]
what about E85 in small engines such as lawn mowers and snow blowers?
November 29, 2012 at 9:41 pm #480653Ethanol does more harm to a small engine than to a car. Most small engine mechanics recommend you run high octane fuel in them, especially when you mix gas for a two stroke.
Why do you want to use E85 so badly? It’s more expensive and less efficient.
December 1, 2012 at 7:59 am #481042[quote=”LJ11194″ post=39777]Ethanol does more harm to a small engine than to a car. Most small engine mechanics recommend you run high octane fuel in them, especially when you mix gas for a two stroke.
Why do you want to use E85 so badly? It’s more expensive and less efficient.[/quote]
e85 is like 50 cents cheaper than 87 octaine unleaded in my area
December 1, 2012 at 8:05 am #481044Well that’s unusual. The few places that sell it in my area have it around the price of premium. Even so you’ll be spending the difference, or more, in the loss of efficiency. According to fueleconomy.gov, a car that gets 21 mpg highway on regular unleaded will get 16 on E85.
December 1, 2012 at 9:39 am #481087I wouldn’t risk it. Even running 93 octane in your car can ruin it if it is supposed to take 87. Ethanol will shorten the life of sensors and will wash down cylinder walls making them more prone to damage. Flex Fuel vehicles have components that are made to deal with different fuels. They also have the ability to adjust valve and spark timing to accommodate different fuels.
December 1, 2012 at 9:44 am #481091I can’t see how running higher octane fuel can hurt.
December 1, 2012 at 10:36 am #481106As far as small engines are concerned, I have had nothing but trouble out of my walk behind, self propelled lawn mower until I bought a Stihl weedeater and started feeding them both ethanol free fuel. Since I made the switch, AND cleaned the carburetor the mower runs like a top. Prior to that, I was about to buy stock in Gum-Out. My 93 Accord gets a healthy dose of Sea-Foam if I can’t afford pure gas for it. I love my car, and my car loves me… 232,000 miles long, still fires on the third stroke. Hates ethanol… She won’t tell me about it openly, but she won’t take me as far with it either.
Newer engines can handle it, but, if you are here as most of us are, to maintain an old vehicle, real gas without ethanol is the way to go.
December 1, 2012 at 5:29 pm #481165[quote=”thisisbuod” post=40056]I wouldn’t risk it. Even running 93 octane in your car can ruin it if it is supposed to take 87. [/quote]
I dont believe that. I have been running 93 octane in everything i own for years. 84 Bronco II, 91 Ford Explorer(for 3 years),96 F250 for 4 years), several GT Mustangs, etc. The way I understand it it is 87 octane when it is made, but by the time it gets in your tank it is closer to 80 octane than 87.AFA ethanol goes-My dad listens to talk radio, he said they are going to 15% ethanol instead of 10% and that a lot of car manufacturers says it is going to void your warranty. Sometimes he only half listens and I haven’t had the time to look into what he said.
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