E-85
E-85
Right now I have the SCT tuner with 93 perf/93 towing/87 towing. I have an E-85 station opening up pretty much 10 mins from my house (it would be worth it to fill up there), and another about 40 mins away.
My question is...is there an e-85 tune? or can I just run a tune like I'm running right now and just run the e-85? I would want 2 tunes, a gas milage and a towing tune (one for DD and one for weekends basically).
Here is my other question...say your on a road trip and you can't find e-85 and you DO have the e-85 tune...can you run 93 or 87? I mean switching back to a 87 or 93 tune would be easy...
I want to take advantage of the e85...it is 3.85 and supposibly getting cheaper once more people start using it!!! Might as well have my 3.0 good for something!
My question is...is there an e-85 tune? or can I just run a tune like I'm running right now and just run the e-85? I would want 2 tunes, a gas milage and a towing tune (one for DD and one for weekends basically).
Here is my other question...say your on a road trip and you can't find e-85 and you DO have the e-85 tune...can you run 93 or 87? I mean switching back to a 87 or 93 tune would be easy...
I want to take advantage of the e85...it is 3.85 and supposibly getting cheaper once more people start using it!!! Might as well have my 3.0 good for something!
yea it is flex fuel. I just want my speedo to be accurate. I'm really picky about the speedo...
edit, I was also reading a 6 percent loss in economy. Some people are saying it's not worth it at all...it would be cheaper by a few cents a tank (per mile) to drive on 93!
edit, I was also reading a 6 percent loss in economy. Some people are saying it's not worth it at all...it would be cheaper by a few cents a tank (per mile) to drive on 93!
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 230
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From: Tucson
From what I heard, the E-85 lacks performance compared to the 87 octane and mpg. But the E-85 is cheaper per gallon. So, after you buy it and lose a couple mpg, you will spend about the same amount of money per tank, but you will have less available power.
A co-worker used E-85 in her 2008 Ram 1500 and this is where I got the info. I haven't tried it in my truck yet because I like my 91 octane tune a lot.
A co-worker used E-85 in her 2008 Ram 1500 and this is where I got the info. I haven't tried it in my truck yet because I like my 91 octane tune a lot.
well I know for sure you loose power with e85. i have read 6% milage and 10% power...
From my calculations, it's cheaper to run 93 and I'm getting 16mpg at $4.40, than E85 and get 13mpg for $3.85
From my calculations, it's cheaper to run 93 and I'm getting 16mpg at $4.40, than E85 and get 13mpg for $3.85
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 230
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From: Tucson
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 128
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From: Santa Maria CA
Given 12,000 miles in a year with these mpg and $ figures you'd pay (12,000/16*$4.40)=$3300 for a year of 93 octane, and (12,000/15*$3.85)=$3080 for a year of E85. $220/year in your pocket in exchange for a 10% drop in power...worth it? I'm sure opinions will vary.
Of course there's tons of speculation and maybes here, but now that you have the power of math on your side to help you in your decision you'll be able to decide if it's worth it in your particular situation.
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 128
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From: Santa Maria CA
Some interesting information here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E85
Originally Posted by Wikipedia
Depending on composition and source, E85 has an octane rating of 100 - 105[4] compared to regular gasoline's typical rating of 87 - 93. This allows it to be used in higher compression engines which tend to produce more power per unit of displacement than their gasoline counterparts. Since the reciprocating mass of the engine increases in proportion to the displacement of the engine E85 has a higher potential efficiency for an engine of equal power.
One complication is that use of gasoline in an engine with a high enough compression ratio to use E85 efficiently would likely result in catastrophic failure due to engine detonation, as the octane rating of gasoline is not high enough to withstand the greater compression ratios in use in an engine specifically designed to run on E85. Use of E85 in an engine designed specifically for gasoline would result in a loss of the potential efficiency that it is possible to gain with this fuel. Using E85 in a gasoline engine has the drawback of achieving lower fuel economy as more fuel is needed per unit air (stoichiometric fuel ratio) to run the engine in comparison with gasoline. E85 also has a lower heating value (units of energy per unit mass) than gasoline leading to a reduction in power output in a gasoline engine.
E85 consumes more fuel in flex fuel type vehicles when the vehicle uses the same fuel/air mixture and compression for both E85 and gasoline because of its lower stoichiometric fuel ratio and lower heating value. European car maker Saab currently produces a flex fuel version of their 9-5 sedan which consumes the same amount of fuel whether running e85 or gasoline[5], though it is not available in the United States. So in order to save money at the pump with current flex fuel vehicles available in the United States the price of E85 must be much lower than gasoline. Currently E85 is about 5-10% less expensive in most areas.[6] More than 20 fueling stations across the Midwest are selling E85 25%-40% cheaper than gasoline.[7] E85 also gets less MPG, at least in flex fuel vehicles. In one test, a Chevy Tahoe flex-fuel vehicle averaged 18 MPG [U.S. gallons] for gasoline, and 13 MPG for E85, or 28% fewer MPG than gasoline. In that test, the cost of gas averaged $3.42, while the cost for E85 averaged $3.09, or 90% the cost of gasoline.[8][9] In another test, however, a fleet of Ford Tauruses averaged only about 6% fewer miles per gallon in the ethanol-based vehicles as compared to traditional, gas-powered Tauruses.[10]
One complication is that use of gasoline in an engine with a high enough compression ratio to use E85 efficiently would likely result in catastrophic failure due to engine detonation, as the octane rating of gasoline is not high enough to withstand the greater compression ratios in use in an engine specifically designed to run on E85. Use of E85 in an engine designed specifically for gasoline would result in a loss of the potential efficiency that it is possible to gain with this fuel. Using E85 in a gasoline engine has the drawback of achieving lower fuel economy as more fuel is needed per unit air (stoichiometric fuel ratio) to run the engine in comparison with gasoline. E85 also has a lower heating value (units of energy per unit mass) than gasoline leading to a reduction in power output in a gasoline engine.
E85 consumes more fuel in flex fuel type vehicles when the vehicle uses the same fuel/air mixture and compression for both E85 and gasoline because of its lower stoichiometric fuel ratio and lower heating value. European car maker Saab currently produces a flex fuel version of their 9-5 sedan which consumes the same amount of fuel whether running e85 or gasoline[5], though it is not available in the United States. So in order to save money at the pump with current flex fuel vehicles available in the United States the price of E85 must be much lower than gasoline. Currently E85 is about 5-10% less expensive in most areas.[6] More than 20 fueling stations across the Midwest are selling E85 25%-40% cheaper than gasoline.[7] E85 also gets less MPG, at least in flex fuel vehicles. In one test, a Chevy Tahoe flex-fuel vehicle averaged 18 MPG [U.S. gallons] for gasoline, and 13 MPG for E85, or 28% fewer MPG than gasoline. In that test, the cost of gas averaged $3.42, while the cost for E85 averaged $3.09, or 90% the cost of gasoline.[8][9] In another test, however, a fleet of Ford Tauruses averaged only about 6% fewer miles per gallon in the ethanol-based vehicles as compared to traditional, gas-powered Tauruses.[10]
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 199
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From: Tejas!
5% INCREASE in performance with a proper tune. Running E85 int he Focus and the Explorer gets it this weekend. Focus dyno'd at 127HP on Gas, 133 on E85.
There is more that people (and Wiki) haven't figured out, at 105 octane, E85 has STUPID bottom end torque, it pulls very hard, and if you go heavy in the throttle (as you will WANT too), you are penalized with a BIG mileage drop. Gas and E85 drive COMPLETELY different. E85 likes high temps (air and engine), long highway runs at 55 MPH or so, and minimal throttle angles on start off.
First couple tanks were 28MPG, now I'm right at 30MPG if I can get a long highway stretch in there. Pulling 37 gas, so it's worth it at $1.10 less a gallon...
There is more that people (and Wiki) haven't figured out, at 105 octane, E85 has STUPID bottom end torque, it pulls very hard, and if you go heavy in the throttle (as you will WANT too), you are penalized with a BIG mileage drop. Gas and E85 drive COMPLETELY different. E85 likes high temps (air and engine), long highway runs at 55 MPH or so, and minimal throttle angles on start off.
First couple tanks were 28MPG, now I'm right at 30MPG if I can get a long highway stretch in there. Pulling 37 gas, so it's worth it at $1.10 less a gallon...
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 211
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From: Maple Plain, MN
I have been running E85 for about a year and a half in my truck. I lost about 2mpg from the switch, but I feel there is more power there off the line. It's probably just me looking at the octane number, but I like it:)
