Flex fuel vehicles are priced the same as non-flex fuel. There are lots of late moded GM vehicles out there whose owners don't even know they can burn E85 ethanol.
In Minnesota and other northern states the amount of gasoline added to make E85 varies from around 15% in summer to 30% in winter.
You can switch back and forth from E85 to gasoline without making any changes in set up, the two fuels mix in any ratio.
Flex fuel vehicles are priced the same as non-flex fuel. There are lots of late moded GM vehicles out there whose owners don't even know they can burn E85 ethanol.
In Minnesota and other northern states the amount of gasoline added to make E85 varies from around 15% in summer to 30% in winter.
You can switch back and forth from E85 to gasoline without making any changes in set up, the two fuels mix in any ratio.
What about additional wear on your motor, i.e. valves, lifters, rockers, injectors, throttle bodies, etc.? I wonder if they leave more deposits and buildup?
__________________
Different strokes for different folks!
I never learned from a man who agreed with me. Heinlein
What about additional wear on your motor, i.e. valves, lifters, rockers, injectors, throttle bodies, etc.? I wonder if they leave more deposits and buildup?
According to GM, E85 is cleaner burning and has a higher octane rating than regular gas. The engine control module can tell the difference (how?), and adjusts for the type of fuel. They admit that mileage will drop due to lower energy density in ethanol, but that is more than offset by the lower cost.
In Brazil, a lot of the vehicles run on and are optimized to use pure ethanol. They don't need to blend with gasoline because the ambient temperature is high enough for good starting.
I did notice yesterday that my Tahoe ran a little rough for the first few miles after a bitter cold front came through. I'll need to put in a few more gallons of straight gas until they get a colder blend at the local station.
What about additional wear on your motor, i.e. valves, lifters, rockers, injectors, throttle bodies, etc.? I wonder if they leave more deposits and buildup?
The big three have been making E-85 compatible cars since at least the mid-80's (all Tauruses for example run E-85 since day one) to meet the CAFE standards. The CAFE standards allowed flex fuel cars to be used to get credit for the CAFE mileage requirements and it was easier for the big three to engineer engines that would burn E-85 than to engineer engines that would use less gasoline.
Prior to the Oil Companies predatory price gouging that coincided with Hurricane Katrina, there was no interest in E-85 so the big three never advertised that their vehicles would run on E-85. They just reported it to the government to get the credit toward CAFE. Now, they are touting the flex fuel autos as if they have miraculously re-engineered their autos to run on E-85 to protect the environment and save our precious dwindling gasoline supplies and reduce our dependence on the suddenly greedy foreign oil producing countries. (BTW, we buy mid-eastern oil for approximately $11-$14/barrel vs. the $90-$100/barrel we hear in the news for US produced oil.) GM, in particular, likes to promote themselves as being especially green by expounding how many millions of flex fuel vehicles they have on the road already. Funny, nearly none of the owners of those vehicles realize they are flex fuel. Initially, in fact, GM put a $650 premium on their "flex fuel" vehicles for those that received the little flex fuel badge...then consumers caught on when they started reading their owner's manuals and found out that even those without the little badge would run on E-85 without any modifications. The Triton v-8 is another of the flex fuel engines that was never advertised as such. Expedition and F-150 owners read your manuals!
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2006 30' Safari - "Changes in Latitudes"
2008 F-250 Lariat Power Stroke Diesel Crew Cab SWB
Family of Disney Fanatics
WBCCI# 4821 streamin across america
$4.10 per gallon of Diesel in Pasadena, California
...
Ouch!
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2006 30' Safari - "Changes in Latitudes"
2008 F-250 Lariat Power Stroke Diesel Crew Cab SWB
Family of Disney Fanatics
WBCCI# 4821 streamin across america
Converted to US gallons and dollars we paid $3.23/gal yesterday in Mission, BC for regular. I did not notice what diesel was at but I'll check next time we are out.
Barry
__________________ You never hear of people dieing in their Airstream, only at home and in hospitals. So, live long by getting out and enjoying your Airstream.
Barry & Donna Life is short - so's the door on an Flying Cloud (ouch)
This morning on the way to the office, $3.34, pump yourself, cas, regular.
__________________ J. Rick Cipot Sandi Gould NEUNew England Unit Airstream Life Magazine WBCCI #3411 AIR #17099 2009 Silverado 2500HD 2004 22' Safari 1960 24' Tradewind
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$4.10 per gallon of Diesel in Pasadena, California
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