PSA: Don't use E85 if your vehicle wasn't designed for it
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The likelihood of accidentally using E85 in a vehicle designed only to run on straight gasoline is pretty damn small, considering the difficulty of even intentionally encountering an E85 pump. Regardless, a group of automakers and petroleum industry officials are reminding consumers that fuels containing blends of ethanol over 10% (E10) are only for "flex-fuel" vehicles. Additionally, consumers are being warned that modifying standard vehicles to use higher blends of ethanol is not recommended. The corrosive effects of ethanol can cause damage to standard fuel system over time, and making the necessary changes to the engine management system calibration will almost certainly run afoul of the EPA and its myriad regulations concerning emissions compliance.
For those wondering if your vehicle is certified to run on E85, check the owner's manual, or go to the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition's list of flex-fuel vehicles.
[Source: AP]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jeff 6:22PM (5/23/2006)
PSA: If you are enough of an idiot to need that warning, please don't drive in the first place.
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Joel A 6:30PM (5/23/2006)
There's also an article how using certain blends can even void warranties!
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2006/05/11/the-debate-rages-hybrid-e-85-vs-hybrid-diesel/
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the chad 6:40PM (5/23/2006)
Jeff: Amen
Better yet, if you can't figure that out, you DESERVE to screw up your engine by doing that.
:-)
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Hernandez 7:32PM (5/23/2006)
Yay Titties
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Donnie 7:42PM (5/23/2006)
how do you change a car over?
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Richard Warren 8:28PM (5/23/2006)
Duh!
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Dirk Dundenburg 10:56PM (5/23/2006)
People have mistakenly put diesel in gasoline fueled vehicles and vice-versa for decades, what make you think this won't happen in numbers as well?
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Glenn A. 8:53AM (5/24/2006)
Maybe the automotive industry and SAE (Society of Automobile Engineers) should send this little factoid to the Governor and State House and Senate of Minnesota, which has passed a law MANDATING 20% ethanol from about 2009. What's worse, some of the other midwestern states are looking at the same STUPID idea.
Yeah, this will mean state-mandated mis-fuelling of both brand new vehicles and essentially all vehicles in Minnesota, except for Flex-Fuel vehicles.
So, if I visit Minnesota in my 2005 Prius after 2008 (which, in my owner's manual, states should NOT be fed any gasoline with over 10% ethanol) and it breaks down, do I get to send the repair bill to the state of Minnesota? (Fat chance). After all, my warrantee won't cover the repair, will it?
Somebody know how to spell " R E C A L L " in Minnesota?
How about we scrap this stupid ethanol idea and make Butanol instead? See www.butanol.com for details.
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Dan 12:20PM (5/24/2006)
This is nothing more thna an attempt to sell more NEW cars (cant blame them the US automakers are in deep doo doo right now) instead of converting vehicles perfectly capable of using E85.
http://e85vehicles.com/converting-e85.htm
scary stuff 8 years from now you might have to change a $20 fuel line .. shakes
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MikeW 1:26PM (5/24/2006)
Stop gasoline dillution with ethanol, stop ethanol subsidies.
meth-, eth-, prop-, BUT- Go 4 carbon chain!!!
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Eber 7:48PM (5/24/2006)
here in brazil 80% of people either convert their "not yet flex" car or use half gas half alcohol.... mainly because of the price, with is half of the gas, making this choice very interesting.
what people do is change the programming of the electronic central to "see" the different fuel, change the sparks, change the fuel pump, and there u go!
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KoolAID 3:48PM (6/09/2006)
The reason E-85 is not recommended in non-FFV certified engines is primarily due to the corrosive nature of Ethanol. Interestingly enough, there is no appreciable difference in a 50% E-85/50% E-10 blend. That said, most vehicles manufactured after 1988 are capable of running E-10 (10% ethanol blend). The rare exception here is if the fuel is contaminated with water - in which E85 will become significantly more corrosive. Could this be the reason auto manufactures do not recommend running E-85 in a non-FFV vehicle?
In order to run the higher octane E-85 fuel, your vehicle will need to be able to adapt to the leaner-blend cooler burning E-85.
E-85 typically provides lower MPG than gasoline when used in high (33%+) blends. That said, you'd burn more fuel to get the same distance out of your non-ffv or ffv vehicle anyway. Is there a real benefit to E-85? Of course - lower emissions, potentially prolonged life of FFV powertrain components due to lower temperatures, and of course - less reliance on non-US oil sources.
I run an experimental non-ffv vehicle in which I add 20% E-85 to the tank when I fill up. The vehicle runs very well, seems to actually have more power, and I get MPG consistent with running E-10. I save a little money when I fill up the tank.
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