Using E85 gasoline in our vehicles




Ethanol powered indy car




 The benefits of using E85 fuel include a greener healthier planet that in turns translates in to happier healthier human beings






  Ethanol molecular structure



                          

- How does FLEX FUEL also known as E85 fuel work ?

- E85 is a blend of 85 % ethanol and 15 % gasoline, its main purpose is to provide a cleaner burning fuel more friendly to the environment.

- There is a reason why it is a mix of both, cars don't run on 100 % ethanol yet for a reason, if you continue reading you will find out why.

- So far, only race cars run on 100 % ethanol, but as time evolves, that may change, allowing us to use 100 % renewable energy.

These are the most common questions about E85 fuel........

1- Is E85 corrosive?

- Yes, E85 is corrosive, but so is gasoline, E85 is also biodegradable in water, so it has a tendency to attract water, and believe it or not, it is high water content in fuels that can be harmful to a vehicle, causing the fuel system to rust from the inside out.

Thankfully, today's vehicles have fuel systems to withstand corrosive fuels and high contents of water and thanks to the distilling process the water content in the Ethanol fuel is reduced to a minimum making it very safe to use.


2-Can I use E85 fuel in a non-flex fuel vehicle?

- Technically, you shouldn't because the density of Ethanol and gasoline are different, and in order for a car to run on E85 without a problem there is a need to inject more E85 fuel to run the way it would run with gasoline, your vehicle's computer can't compensate enough and it would cause it to run to lean, making it prone to hesitation, lack of power, pinging etc.
There are companies who make conversion kits for people who own an older non-flex fuel that would like to run E85 instead of gasoline, we recommend a certified repair facility to install this kits, they are very simple, but some times it requires removing the intake plenum to install the kit depending on the vehicle, but you can always buy the kit and once you have it in your hands, you can determine if it is something you can do by yourself or not.

The advantage of E85 over gasoline is its octane rating, E85 has 105 octane, gasoline has 87, 89 and 91, a lot lower than E85, so, if you use the right amount of E85 ( more than gasoline), your engine will run cooler because you have more liquid entering the combustion chamber, plus you can have a higher compression engine due to the higher octane rating.


3- Will ethanol or E85 ruin the gaskets, seals, rings etc. in my engine?

- So far, there has been not enough testing to answer this question correctly, and that is the reason why the mix has a max ethanol content of 85 %, because of the theory that since ethanol doesn't have lubricating properties, the 15% gasoline will provide the needed lubricants for the fuel pump, fuel injector seals etc.

People who chose to run 100 % ethanol use a special oil added to the fuel to act as a  lubricant to avoid engine damage.


4- Is it illegal to convert an older vehicle to E85?

- At first the EPA imposed a $25,000 fine if someone did that, but once companies starting making kits that met the EPA requirements things changed.
- So, when buying a conversion kit, you must make sure that it meets the EPA requirements.



5- Is E85 better for the environment than gasoline?

- E85 reduces carbon monoxide by 70 % and less carbon monoxide helps reduce ozone formation and greenhouse gas levels.
According to the EPA, gasoline is the largest source of man made carcinogens. And Ethanol reduces the overall toxic pollution by diluting harmful compounds found in gasoline  such as benzene and others.



6- Will the use of E85 cause a decrease in fuel mileage?

-You will notice a slight decrease in fuel mileage due to the fact that your car needs more ethanol than regular gasoline to make the same amount of horsepower, but remember that E85 has a higher octane rating so if you own a sports car or a vehicle with high compression, it will benefit more from the use of E85 and that in return will translate to a minimal fuel mileage decrease.



Final notes:

- By using E85 you benefit in several ways:

1- You use an environment friendly fuel that will help us to reduce the air pollution that is causing global warming, allowing your children and your children's children to enjoy a healthy planet.

2- We allow the US to generate new jobs by boosting the sales of crops needed to produce Ethanol, and at the same time we decrease the dependency in foreign oil to meet our energy needs.

3- You continue to use your vehicle in the same way you always have, allowing you to be able to do your everyday errands without changing anything.