E-85 flex fuel



Allen

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The vehicles I drive for work over the past 15 years, or so...have mostly been labeled for E85. The Ford and Chevy models have run decent, but they get around 10-20% less in MPG than straight gasoline, and maybe 5-10% less when running E15.

Some of the Dodge/Chrysler pieces of shit really left you wondering if it would even start when running E85 (and I am not even kidding on this). We even had to get special permission to NOT run E85 in one of them because it was so problematic. I think it was about a 2014 Dodge Minivan of sorts???? We were really happy to get rid of it.
 

watson

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I've only run it a handful of times so not much experience, but the times I did mpg dropped and a a few times the check engine lights came on from plugged filters and a fuel pump issue. I won't waste the money on it again

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I've only run it a handful of times so not much experience, but the times I did mpg dropped and a a few times the check engine lights came on from plugged filters and a fuel pump issue. I won't waste the money on it again
 

riverview

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ive had newer vehicals in my shop that ran like crap, missing codes for misfires, come to find out they were using e 85, drained tank put good gas in and run fine, i advise not to use it.
 

MuskyManiac

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I have a F150 that can run it. Only tried it once, MPG were crap but the engine did have some extra pep for sure.

Even now I only run non-ethanol gas, and the mileage difference between even 10% ethanol usually makes up for the difference in cost.
 


SupressYourself

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I run it in my Silverado when the price difference makes sense. As others have said, it will reduce milage about 10%, so it needs to be at least 10% cheaper.
My truck runs just fine on it, and seems to have extra snort.
 

sweeney

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mpg goes down power goes up i have a ford police interceptor (taurus) 3.7l i run it in. I'd say i average about 3mpg less, haven't done the math but i ran premium in it before, so it was over 2 $ a gallon cheaper. In my 6.2 silverado i ran it back in the day noticed about the same only time it really evened out back then was towing.
 

IFishND

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Less mpg's and a check engine light. It hasn't made sense to use it in more than 10 years now pricewise imo.
 

Davey Crockett

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mpg goes down power goes up i have a ford police interceptor (taurus) 3.7l i run it in. I'd say i average about 3mpg less, haven't done the math but i ran premium in it before, so it was over 2 $ a gallon cheaper. In my 6.2 silverado i ran it back in the day noticed about the same only time it really evened out back then was towing.



I tried it for the first time last weekend when towing. I was down to 1/2 tank and topped it off with E-85. I was pulling a car trailer loaded with a small tractor @ 10 MPG . (08 f-150 ) My milage went from 10 MPG to 9.6 MPG and I could notice the increase in power. I was thinking power would be less. Will have to see how it performs with no load but it seems like it makes cents to use it when pulling anyway.

I haven't checked actual milage , just going by onboard computer but I'm not impressed with MPG of this pickup at all. I could run a big block chevy and 400 torbo transmission that would do close to 100 MPH in the quarter mile and get better milage than that. I guess I should change plugs but I have heard scarey stories about that project.
 

wslayer

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No vehicles for me than can run it, but how stale is the fuel at the pump beings it doesn't get sold very often ?
 


bravo

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Tried it in once, killed the mpg’s and it seemed kind of hard starting. Haven’t touched it since.

Hard no on small engines.
 

lunkerslayer

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I don't think i have seen e85 for awhile now, maybe a couple of years or so, and I travel all over north dakota in the summer months.
 


snow

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As a GM employee for many years,my engineering GM contacts claimed all EPA ratings for E85 rated engines were tested 100% e85 at speeds between 62 to 65mph ,trucks w/o payload lost 10% mpg


Further it's recommended to use regular 87oct for light duty trucks under load or trailering.

My experience using E85 on road trips ,cruise set at 65mph 5.3lit engine,little to no head wind 15mpg, next return trip regular 87oct 19 to 21mpg

Further it takes two full tanks of 87octane to fully flush out E85 residue.
 

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