The reasoning is fuel savings over a longer time.

The reasoning for the government push is to reduce our dependance on foreign oil.

 

So you are running just e-85?
If so, did you upgrade your entire fuel system?
The alcahol content will start to corrode your fuel rails from the inside out, cause injector failures, fuel sending unit problems, if you get a bad batch they tend to give injector tips a maple syrup coating. We work on the e-85 vehicles from KSC / NASA, and tghey have tons of issues, and they are made for it. E-85 is only 70% efficient as 83 octane, doesn't burn worth a damn, and most likely will end up destroying a forced induction engine. Also did you use e-85 approved motor oil, because if not the alcahol will wash down your cylinder walls and then you are buying a $10g cyl block. I have worked for sseveral service managers, and because they say something, it doesn't mean it's right. Especially the way car technology is today.

I hope your car makes it, but be prepared to have it in the shop with major repairs.

 

and the bad news is that it doesn't appear to be an "official" Chrysler accessory/mod.

what happens if the service manager leaves the dealership?

i'm not sold on E85 yet. so far it comes off as a "look at me, i'm not a big enough tree-hugger to buy a Prius, but i'm helping the environment!" thing.

 

Living in an Oil state, I understand the government angle. But, how long do you think you would have to run E85 to pay off the cost of the installation, parts, and possible repairs to your fuel system with the drop in gas mileage per gallon?

You still have to consider the extra stops for gas you will have to make due to getting a few less miles per gallon. After 12000 miles how many times would you have to fill up with E85 vs. fill ups with regular unleaded 91 octane?

It also sounds like the increase in octane is off set by the fact that E85 contains less stored power than standard fossil fuel. So maybe you will break even in that area. So the E85 will not give a noticeable increase in power output?

Alcohol is a sugar byproduct, right? I know that I wouldn't put sugar in my car.

Just trying to learn as I go.

 

Because 100+ octane race fuel can be $10 or more a gallon. You can run advanced timing with the higher octane.

 

Would the race fuel not dyno better than E85?

 

I don't care about the fuel savings. All I care about is the possible performance benefit.

 

I'm not drinking the E85 Kool-Aid. It's fine for Brazil because they make it from sugar cane which they can grow more than they can eat. Ours is made from corn. We eat most all the corn we can grow. What we can't eat we sell to other countries. Plus, it takes as much or more energy (gasoline or diesel!) to process the corn for E85 than the gallons of gas it saves in our cars. It also is making corn products cost more.

The whole thing is BS to make us think we are doing something to be less dependant on oil.

 

Possible. I can see that. I would like to know if there is a performance benefit as well. But if there is any truth to some of the ealier posts, it looks like the old school fuel has the power.

I guess someone with the kit will need to get some test data posted. Maybe a dyno comparison?

E85 Vs. unleaded with equal octane ratings.

 

On our e85 truck they come with a sticker that states on a tank of unleaded you get about 400 miles, on e85 you get about 300 miles to a tank. E-85 polluts more, when you factor in what it takes to produce it.

I just can't believe I'm reading about this ignorant decision...it's your car, and it's your choice to totally screw it and yourself. I hope things work out for you.

 

He is going to the track to prove it. Like someone else said, I don't care about mpg. I care about performance. E85 gives you ability to run 105 octane with a race tune all the time for the price of regular gas. Race gas is $10+ as someone stated, so there is significant savings. My only concern is the long term effects and damgage to the fuel system, which there seems to be no conclusive evidence. Props to Bikecop for being the test pilot and hopefully it all works out.

 

I'm sorry for being a bit nit-picky here, but it's not the ethanol that corrodes your fuel lines. It's the fact that ethanol is hygroscopic, which means that it absorbs water from the atmosphere. This water, in turn, is the stuff that causes corrosion. The only thing that Ethanol will corrode is your liver. As long as the ethanol you pump has been stored properly, you should be fine.

1. "E-85 is only 70% efficient as 73 octane" - In a sense, but who cares, it's 105 octane equivalent. This means that you can more boost, more timing, and make more power.
2. "Doesn't burn worth a damn" - Burns well enough to power a car.
3. "most likely end up destroying a forced induction engine" - How is that?? I don't want to say flat out that you're wrong, but I'd like you to back up that statement with some facts!!

 

Shawnkey,

Why do you have such a hatred of E85?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-MNQ...ages/news1.htm#
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8jCa...ages/news1.htm#

 

That lotus is sick! Bikecop, do you think Inmotion could go more aggressive with the E85 then you current tune?

 

I think it's partially warranted. Ethanol is not the holy grail of alternative fuel it's being made out to be. Commodity prices and food prices are soaring because farmers are planting more corn and displacing other crops. Plus, it has less energy than gas and thus has lower fuel economy mpg and lower a/f ratios.

That said, from a performance perspective, I think E85 is a great idea. High octane means more aggressive tuning and more power, fuel economy be damned. I've heard of worse ways to spend money on performance upgrades.

 

If it can do that to a lotus with a 1.8L, I can't wait to see what it can do to a 3.2L.

 

I woudn't say its better for our enviromnet! For every gallon of E85 thhat is made, you burn up 5 gallons of water! Don't forget corn and wheat prices go through the roof! No matter how you slice it, gains made some where, will be losses else where......Just my 2 cents worth.....

 

This sucks US 41 called off their test and tune due to cold and water on the track. I hate Indiana weather . Looks like sunday is going to be 60 and sunny. I will give an update when I finally get back from the track. Well, at least I gave the forum something new to talk about.

 

This is interesting.
Wonder how this will all pan out.