Ethanol blended fuel effects?

[DogVomit]

I love the idea of having multiple options for fuel...

Deisel, Propane, Gasoline, Ethanol, Electric, Etc...

There shouldn't be a shortage of anything if we used all options.

So I say bring on the ethanol, it doesn't mean goodbye gas, but it might mean competition, which might mean lower gas prices for those of us who own cars where performance counts.

 

[sgarlic]

We have that 10% ethanol crap here during certain times of the year, and then 10% something else (don't recall what) the rest of the year.. I get like 2-3mpg less than everyone else.

 

[Skidawg]

How very unfortunate for your state

I think it's great. It's nice to see that special interests (ethanol makers and the corn farmers) don't win out for once. I need to send a letter my state rep thanking him for thinking straight.

I'm not sure why you'd want to put something less efficent and more expensive into your gasoline, but enlighten me. Tell me how burning more of something that's more expensive is good....?

If ethanol is so great, it will be used someday on it's own merits - not government mandates.

 

[wanta5.0]

I think it's great. It's nice to see that special interests (ethanol makers and the corn farmers) don't win out for once. I need to send a letter my state rep thanking him for thinking straight.

I'm not sure why you'd want to put something less efficent and more expensive into your gasoline, but enlighten me. Tell me how burning more of something that's more expensive is good....?

Well lets see. Ethanol has almost no pollution, supports our own economy rather than middle east, costs LESS, and while it may have a little less energy than gas it is higher octane so you can advance timing and run higher compression and get more power.

The mandate is to help reduce our dependence on foreign oil and reduce pollution.I don't see what would be bad about that.

The farmers don't actually want this mandate right now anyway because it would drive up the price of ethanol. Why do they not want the price to go up? Because GM and Ford are really pumping out the E85 vehicles and people won't be as interested if it is not much cheaper than gas.

 

[Jackie Chan]

they have a 1000rwhp turbo mustang on turbo mustangs that runs off of e85. They had to go with bigger injectors since it takes more fuel to make the same power as gas, but it is an awesome read

 

[USMstang]

I think it's great. It's nice to see that special interests (ethanol makers and the corn farmers) don't win out for once. I need to send a letter my state rep thanking him for thinking straight.

I'm not sure why you'd want to put something less efficent and more expensive into your gasoline, but enlighten me. Tell me how burning more of something that's more expensive is good....?

If ethanol is so great, it will be used someday on it's own merits - not government mandates.

You obviously didn't check out the link I posted early on in this thread. You also must not understand the GDP or the GNP both of which are hammered by imports. Yes, crude from the Middle East (and OPEC for that matter) are imports. Ethanol is in fact much cleaner than just about anything else that is combustible. But most alarming of all in your comment above is that you seem pleased that corn farmers didn't win??? Where are you from (what country)? Do you not view Exxon/Mobil, BP (British Petroleum), or Shell as special interests?
The fact of the matter is that big oil companies provide more spin than Washington politicians. They are actually driving the increased demand for ethanol because so many states have banned MTBE.
So you'll know, Brazil is doing quite well on Ethanol. I bet they don't send Trillions of $$$ to the Middle East and elsewhere to "buy" friends. Look where we are today from our nasty little addiction to crude. Dude, I just want a good economy and the ability to drive fun cars for many years to come. I can't fathom the thought of being mandated to drive some electric car, which is where we are headed if we don't find viable alternatives to crude. Ethanol is but one alternative! Biodiesel is another. I guess that is another thread for another day.
As for price...do you think gas will remain at its current level? Ethanol and other biofuels can be made cheaper by planting more crops. Hence, renewable energy. Please take the time to research this critical subject.

 

[stonegod85]

i agree...i'm trying to figure out what i need to do now to convert to E85 as it is at almost every other gas station here and it is about $0.60 less than 93 octane and you get 105!! i really like that trade off! not too mention the other obvious reasons for using E85(better for the environment and no more depending on middle eastern countries for crude! what more could you ask for. so does anyone have a thread or write up on converting to E85?

 

[Mustangless]

http://www.turbomustangs.com/smf/index.php?topic=47094.0

^ link to a 95 mustang gt running on it.

By the way oil and unleaded gas did today, I wont be supprised to see gas to jump atleast 10 cents tommorow.

I would also like to run my car on this stuff.

I dont know anywhere that sales it though.

 

[V8302stangs]

So what does it take to convert a car to run on E85? I figure ideally you want high compression due to the high octane. I heard that you need to change certain o rings on fuel injected cars due to the corrossion that ethanol can cause as well as running stainless steel fuel lines for some reason - someone said it had to do with ethanol not being conductive like gasoline but I'm not sure as to the truth of that. There seems to be a lack of information on what makes a car able to run on pure or mostly ethanol.

 

[RoadconeTuning]

we have 10% ethanol added in about half the gas stations around and i avoid them as when i had my fiero which was designed to run on 86 octane not 87 i couldnt run 87 w/ a 10% blend even w/ its 8.8:1 compression it would ping... we also have E85 105 octane and eveyrone around me that has used it in a car that is compatible has said that it IS cheaper but you get less gas mileage and you loose performance from it so its pointless and smells funny.

i like good ol dead dino in my tank... if i wanted corn i would hit up the store and stuff an ear in the tank.

 

[sgarlic]

I don't think I'd jump on the e85 bandwagon quite yet.. at least, I don't think I'd be seriously pursuing finding a way to make my daily driver dependant on it. Gas prices always fluctuate, history has shown that we've had good times, bad times, etc.. I wouldn't jump to any conclusions or go converting your car just yet.

As I said earlier in the thread, I have 10% ethanol blend here half the yet, and 10% ether the other half.. I get about the same gas mileage with both.

 

[USMstang]

Alcohol is more corrosive than regular gas and for that reason, you have to change o rings and fuel lines. I believe you have to go with stainless fuel lines and there may be some sort of filter to remove any impurities such as water from the fuel. I'll see what I can find on the subject and on the conversion packages as well.

So what does it take to convert a car to run on E85? I figure ideally you want high compression due to the high octane. I heard that you need to change certain o rings on fuel injected cars due to the corrossion that ethanol can cause as well as running stainless steel fuel lines for some reason - someone said it had to do with ethanol not being conductive like gasoline but I'm not sure as to the truth of that. There seems to be a lack of information on what makes a car able to run on pure or mostly ethanol.

 

[DropTopPony]

I just watched a show on Discovery or History Channel last weekend and they showed the success of E85 in Brazil. They have it in every gas station there and it is 60% cheaper then gasoline. It is made from Sugar Cane....I would love to have this as an option for my Daily Driven car. If E85 becomes mainstream here in the US the price of Gasoline would have to come down to compete so we would benefit all around.

 

[V8302stangs]

Alcohol is more corrosive than regular gas and for that reason, you have to change o rings and fuel lines. I believe you have to go with stainless fuel lines and there may be some sort of filter to remove any impurities such as water from the fuel. I'll see what I can find on the subject and on the conversion packages as well.

Thanks, any information would be great. Unfortunately for me, the only two stations in north california that have E85 are both private fleet stations =( I think ethanol is bound to increase in price for at least a year and a half relative to gasoline since the government is mandating that all MTBE is replaced by Ethanol by the beginning of May which is going to cause a huge price jump in ethanol and a 10 to 20 percent increase in gas price over this next month. Regardless I"m more interested in Ethanol on the long term. About 30 refineries exist today and something like 90 are being built as we type. I've been following the industry quite a bit lately and even own stock in Pacific Ethanol which is building ethanol refineries in the California region - CA is the largest consumer of ethanol in the US currently but produces nearly none of it. Anyways any information is awesome, I might call up some resources to find more.

 

[USMstang]

Thanks, any information would be great. Unfortunately for me, the only two stations in north california that have E85 are both private fleet stations =( I think ethanol is bound to increase in price for at least a year and a half relative to gasoline since the government is mandating that all MTBE is replaced by Ethanol by the beginning of May which is going to cause a huge price jump in ethanol and a 10 to 20 percent increase in gas price over this next month. Regardless I"m more interested in Ethanol on the long term. About 30 refineries exist today and something like 90 are being built as we type. I've been following the industry quite a bit lately and even own stock in Pacific Ethanol which is building ethanol refineries in the California region - CA is the largest consumer of ethanol in the US currently but produces nearly none of it. Anyways any information is awesome, I might call up some resources to find more.

Yeah, we are 25 years behind "3rd world countries" in this one but better late than never. It's stuff like this that makes you realize how many "sheep" there are in the US. How is it that we can vote and yet we allow Brazil to be the leader in ethanol production. We buy it from them??? What's up with that? You can make it from so many things other than corn. I can't believe it took until 2006 for a US President to mention it in public. Anyway, here's some links for info:
http://www.ethanol.org/
http://www.drivingethanol.org/
http://www.hemelgarnracing.com/
and one on conversions:
http://abcesso.com/e85-conversion-kit.html
one on biodiesel:
http://www.biodiesel.org/
that'll keep you busy for a while!

 

[mrshl13]

I'm injecting 50% water and 50% Ethanol/Methanol blend(denatured alcohol w/ a bottle of Heet added) so I can run some decent timing with my high-compression engine. I picked up 1 MPG without advancing timing, same driving style and 3 MPG after advancing the timing back to stock. I just added 2 degrees w/ no pinging and am looking forward to this tank's mileage.

Here's what I posted on another board I'm a member of. Please correct me (without flaming) where my suggestions or opinions may be wrong:

Pros:

* It's 100% renewable. It's made from corn which can be grown RIGHT HERE ON AMERICAN SOIL! Also our farmers are getting poorer and fewer. Wouldn't they love to get a contract for growing enough corn to feed the nation and it's vehicles? It's the late 2000's version of Farm Aid! I'm sure my great-grandparents had a recipe somewhere for some 150-octane swill.

* It burns clean. It's byproducts contribute absolutely nothing to global warming.

* It can also be mixed with any amount of gasoline to combat some of the ill-effects mentioned below.

Cons:

* "It's expensive to make." I say that's bull***** the oil companies are trying to force-feed us. How does it cost more to grow and process corn that it does to drill, contain, ship, refine, transport again and then contain again so we can pump rotten dinosaur flesh? No way. I'm not buying that.

* "There aren't many stations around that provide it." *****ing build some!

* "Your mileage goes down." I started injecting ethanol into my mixture recently and my mileage went up by 3 MPG and I've been driving it harder because it's more fun!

* "There's an increased possibility of vapor lock." See above where it can be mixed with ANY amount of fossil fuels.

* "Cold starts are a problem." Dual plugs.

* "Flame visibility" Don't tailgate me and I won't melt the *****ing paint on your precious ****ing Mercedes' bumper!

* "Ethanol is corrosive". So put better fuel pumps, lines and injectors in our cars. So you're saying what you installed at the factory was just enough to get by on gasoline...and for how long? Might as well keep giving us rubber brake lines too since stopping is even less important than going, right?

Sweden has a plan to be 100% free of any dependency on ANY fossil fuels by 2010 and they're ahead of schedule! Now they do have more access to hydro-electric and wind-driven power but we also have that nukular stuff.