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npartin
12-18-2007, 01:50 AM
Anyone running E85 fuels in their boat....

the local fuel station just started carrying it and its hella cheep..... bout a dollar less a gal... im seriously considering converting my 2.5L merc and my car (no brainer) to it... the car is easy... the merc not so much...... thoughts???

VetteLT193
12-18-2007, 07:25 AM
Anyone running E85 fuels in their boat....
the local fuel station just started carrying it and its hella cheep..... bout a dollar less a gal... im seriously considering converting my 2.5L merc and my car (no brainer) to it... the car is easy... the merc not so much...... thoughts???

The car might be harder than the boat. E85 for the boat will require a new, or at least re-jetted carb. It burns like gas, but you need a whole lot more of it.

For the car, if it's not a flex fuel vehicle and it's fuel injected, good luck.

Also, I'd do research on it first. you make more power with E85, but your gas mileage goes down. So, even though it's cheaper it may cost you the same...

DickB
12-18-2007, 07:26 AM
E85 has less energy content than gasoline; hence you will consume more E85 fuel than gasoline. With an actual 85% ethanol content, this will be in the range of 25-30% or more. (Here’s a reference: http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/pdfs/taurus.pdf) You'll reduce your range considerably and fill up more often. When I do the math with local gasoline and ethanol prices, it doesn't add up. Ethanol is being priced in proportion to gasoline prices, and has little to do with the cost of ethanol production. At least locally, it appears to be priced so as not to be cheaper than gasoline.

A characteristic of E85 is that you don't know what you're getting. E85 can be up to 85% ethanol, but it can be less. I image it might vary with the availability of ethanol. Some claim much better gas mileage than others - I wonder if this is due to actual ethanol content?

Conversion may be involved and costly, depending upon the age of your engine and components. Hoses, fuel pumps, plastic parts may not hold up to high ethanol content. You'll need modified electronics if your engines are fuel injected. Since you're messing with emissions, it's not legal to convert a car unless the conversion has been certified, if you care about that. There may be issues with storing over winter if you are subject to that.

I'm not an E85 fan - can you tell? I haven't even touched on subsidies, cost of production, water usage, etc.

MOP
12-18-2007, 12:26 PM
E85 in the long run will prove to be a BUST! Watched a really informative show on it, the added fertilizers, transportation and refining is pretty bad pollution wise. The usage is higher then gas, the fuel system damage it causes is also quite bad. The show went on to say it does nothing more then a prolong and solidify of corn Subsidies!
What should be tried until something better comes along is lean burn engines, a little was done with lean burn years back. Ceramic pistons, light oil cooling that allowed the engines to run at higher temps. Fuel air ratios with current burn technology is right at 14 to 1, the one article went on to say 18 to 1 was achievable. Who knows with todays technology maybe it could even be higher.

Phil

Tony
12-18-2007, 01:26 PM
"I'm not an E85 fan - can you tell? I haven't even touched on subsidies, cost of production, water usage, etc."

Corn requires huge amounts of nitrogen-based fertilizer to grow. Over 200 million pounds enter the gulf yearly, and the amount is expected to rapidly rise in upcoming years. This contributes to the 7,900 sq. mile "dead zone" in the gulf, also expected to grow dramatically.

This "dead zone" forms when fertilizer causes explosive growth of algea, which dies and sinks to the bottom, where it sucks up oxygen as it decays. This creates a deep layer of oxygen-depleted ocean where nothing lives. Crabs, oysters, and shrimp are three species most at risk.

:beer:

BUIZILLA
12-18-2007, 01:49 PM
don't do it...

I can't be any more eloquent than that...

MOP
12-18-2007, 02:40 PM
To put what Tony said into perspective! They are putting alky in your tank and killing the food you need to eat! Think about that!!!

Phil

rustnrot
12-18-2007, 02:41 PM
Funny I got a call a few minutes ago from a buddy who just put a tank in his E85 stickered Suburban. Gas was $3 and some change per gallon, E85 was $2.40. Filled up with E85. He went from 16 to 9 MPG!

All I gotta say is the E85 retailers gotta have a lot of first and ONLY-time customers!

rustnrot
12-18-2007, 02:52 PM
I am not one to hijack a thread but right now I am posting this on the OLD as in few days ago Donzi site (I am thrilled, I can read it!!) but when I try to open a new thread I get the new dreary hard to read site (although I think Scot increased the font size slightly today), what gives???

Sweet little 16
12-18-2007, 03:00 PM
E85 won't work in the marine environment it likes water to much

BigGrizzly
12-19-2007, 10:11 AM
NO COMMENT!!! I know too much. I am not changing!

mikev
12-19-2007, 11:58 AM
NO COMMENT!!! I know too much. I am not changing!

I go with what Big Grizz said im sure he has seen more "real" reseach than we could ever find on the web about E85.

DonziNUTS
12-19-2007, 12:03 PM
Right now the only thing good about E85 is that it's 100-105 octane rating. With the price average of $2.40 to $3.00 its a bargain for high horsepower engines. Here in NE it is compared to Sunoco race fuel of 104 octane for about $6.00 gal.

FISHIN SUCKS
12-23-2007, 06:22 PM
Okay, my 2 cents, I guess I am going to be the only to stick up for E85. I have an '07 Corvalanche (limited edition Corvette Avalanche), I buy at $.60/gal less than 87 oct., 13.5 mpg w/E85, 16 mpg w/87 oct., and 19.1 mpg by mixing half and half. These are highway figures. I met with a GM rep at a trade show back in March of this year and she was the expert who told me this would be the case, hence, she was right about the mileage. It is worth it for me to use the E85 at this price, approximately $.30/gal less is about a wash. In place like Iowa and South Dakota, E85 sells for around $1.00/gal less than 87. I like having an option when it comes to buying fuel. However, I was unaware (until this post) about what Tony was saying about the Gulf, and I hate to hear that. I am not a tree hugger, but I do try to be responsible. Please take this the right way (not trying to be smart), but isn't the fertilizer from the farm fields producing corn and sugar cane already in existence anyway? Feel free to set me straight, I just want to understand:). As for air polution, anyone ever smelled an oil refinery before? I agree, E85 plants don't smell good either:yes:.

VetteLT193
12-24-2007, 09:13 AM
... I have an '07 Corvalanche (limited edition Corvette Avalanche)...

can you tell me more about your truck? I haven't ever heard anything about it before this, and can't find anything online about it...

DickB
12-24-2007, 09:49 AM
Please take this the right way (not trying to be smart), but isn't the fertilizer from the farm fields producing corn and sugar cane already in existence anyway? Feel free to set me straight, I just want to understand:).

Coincidentally, the local paper just ran a story on this.

"Corn is more "leaky" than crops such as soybean and alfalfa - that is, it absorbs less nitrogen per acre. The prime reasons are the drainage systems used in cornfields and the timing of when the fertilizer is applied. "

Here's a link yo the full article:
http://www.twincities.com/ci_7746582?source=email
Corn boom threatens Gulf
Ethanol demand has meant the increased use of nitrogen-based fertilizers in Midwest, killing fisheries down the Mississippi
BY HENRY C. JACKSON
Associated Press

FISHIN SUCKS
12-26-2007, 03:01 PM
Coincidentally, the local paper just ran a story on this.


Thanx DickB, I did not know this and appreciate the info.

***Brief Thread Hi-Jack***
Vette-the best story I can get from my dealer is that this truck was a GM Exec vehicle. As odd as this truck is spec'd w/Nav., 20's, remote start, and '07 Corvette Emblems where most of the Avalanches have LS, LT, or LTZ, it only has cloth interior and no hole in the roof. My friends at the dealership knew that I was in the market for a new truck and they found this (knowing that I am an avid Corvette fan proven by racing and club events). The 5.3 definitely has more boot than other '07's that I have driven, but there are no markings on the motor. Wish I could tell you more on how to get one, because I really like this truck:yes: Randy (BigGrizzzly) saw it this years AOTH...don't know if he liked it or not, but needless to say he is my witness that it exists in this thread.
***Hi-Jack finished***please accept my apologies***

VetteLT193
12-27-2007, 07:03 AM
Thanx DickB, I did not know this and appreciate the info.
***Brief Thread Hi-Jack***
Vette-the best story I can get from my dealer is that this truck was a GM Exec vehicle. As odd as this truck is spec'd w/Nav., 20's, remote start, and '07 Corvette Emblems where most of the Avalanches have LS, LT, or LTZ, it only has cloth interior and no hole in the roof. My friends at the dealership knew that I was in the market for a new truck and they found this (knowing that I am an avid Corvette fan proven by racing and club events). The 5.3 definitely has more boot than other '07's that I have driven, but there are no markings on the motor. Wish I could tell you more on how to get one, because I really like this truck:yes: Randy (BigGrizzzly) saw it this years AOTH...don't know if he liked it or not, but needless to say he is my witness that it exists in this thread.
***Hi-Jack finished***please accept my apologies***

Thanks for the info, I hope I get to see it one day:)

BigGrizzly
12-27-2007, 09:43 AM
Actually I did like the truck. Some times trucks are fitted with too much ginger bread. Kind of like a beautiful woman with too much make up, you start to wonder wonder what it is hiding. That truck is done with some taste, and not trashy at all.

FISHIN SUCKS
12-27-2007, 10:33 AM
Actually I did like the truck. Some times trucks are fitted with too much ginger bread. Kind of like a beautiful woman with too much make up, you start to wonder wonder what it is hiding. That truck is done with some taste, and not trashy at all.
Thanx Griz, and you know how gaudy I am with the Mr. T starter kit that I wear (gold rings and junk). And even though Barbi is not all caked up with Make up (and I like make-up), then maybe she is like my truck. If I find a picture, I'll post it, too much snow on the ground right now!