e85

[hdloner]

can we run e85 in older carb  no cat motors   86 c20 suburban

[VileZambonie]

Why would you want to do that?

[ccz145a]

I would only try that with plastic or coated fuel tank and stainless fuel lines, alcohol and water mix and would rust the steel parts. Would research if e85 has effect on regular rubber hose as well.

I have to ask why, too. It's more expensive, and is driving up the cost of food. Seen the cost of beef lately, heck even totillas?

[Captkaos]

Alcohol and normal rubber lines don't mix well.

[hdloner]

e85 is cheeper by 60to 80 cents a gallon but i hear gas miles are down some  need to do something or the 454 will sit

[VileZambonie]

By the time you're done converting and getting less bang for a lesser buck you probably would be kicking yourself anyway. If your truck is getting poor mileage try tuning it up and setting your timing. remove any unecessary weight, set your tire pressure etc. That will help

[hdloner]

done all that i just wanted  try it and see the diff but its ok to try ?  no major tuning

[dunedigger]

One gas station here just started selling e85 and it is way cheaper than regular fuel.  Other than that I don't know anything about it.  I do know a guy with a brand new truck rated to run on e85 and he gets worse miliage out of it and says he loosed some performance running it.  He is sticking to regular right now.

[Captkaos]

E85 generally is cheaper, but you get far worse mileage out of it that you would gasoline.   In the end, gasoline is cheaper.

[JJSZABO]

That is because the average energy content of E85 is 94,190 British thermal units (Btu) per gallon.  The  energy content of ethanol is 83,333 British thermal units (Btu) per gallon.  The energy content of regular gasolene  is 125000 British thermal units (Btu) per gallon.  Therefore, gas will provide more power and take you farther on one gallon than the other fuels (as long as all other constants are equal).

[dumbucket1]

my 07 gmc sierra with a 5.3 v8 could run on e85. With 20 gallons of 87 octane gasoline I could go 420 miles consitanly with all interstate miles. The same 20 gallons of 100 ocatane e85 fuel I could go 180-200 miles consistantly with all interstate miles. So I lost half of my gas mileage.

But my truck did produce more hp with the e85 fuel vs the 87 octane gasoline. Also with the truck running on e85 the exhuast smelled like vodka lol.

[Dragon]

Pretty much anything built Pre 1990's(Even then there was still alot of rubber pieces used in the Fuel systems(Ie Seals)) would be a Gamble with using E85 in them....  As Chris stated, Alcohol and Rubber don't play well together....  Causes Drying Out in some mixtures, while others will likely dissolve the rubber   Your Steel tank(s) will also rust from the inside out, along with any other Steel Part(s) it comes in contact with!!!

Hmmm Convert over to all the Proper Parts to run E85, and Lose Performance in the process, or keep what you have, put what you saved not converting into your tank.....   Wow I guess I apart of the group that says keep what you got!!!

BTW:  Newer Cars/Trucks/Etc with Flex Fuel Capabilties will see a Performance Gain, as they have been Programmed for Flex-Fuel Efficiency, along with the other parts of the System that allows them to do so.....   

I find it kind of funny that everyone is on an E85 kick now-a-days.. When I was growing up, alot of the Stations that were adding it to their Fuels(Was used as a Fuel Supply Extender, and a Supposed Anti-Freeze/Fuel System Cleaner) were being ran out of Business, due to all the Damage to Cars/Trucks it was causing....

[78 Chevyrado]

Try it in the push-mower first and see how it does.