When to use Flex fuel/E85?

[bdsilverado]

Also can my truck use the other e fuels?

[Nick The Great]

Sure thing

[sdeeter19555]

I tried e15, and my mileage tanked hard... 
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Well, the Sheetz stations are all starting to handle e85 around here...so I'm trying it, got have a tank right now that bumped me up to 40% alcohol. I'll hit the station halfway home tonight and that should be near to a full tank of e85. It's right around $2/gallon...

Our pumps are mark "flex fuel", "51 to 83% alcohol".

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[Cowpie]

I really get a chuckle out of these "rule of thumb" ideas on how much one will lose in mpg and such.  Just run a few tanks of E85 or any other blend and find out what really is the result.   I did that with my 2013 1500 5.3 and I have done that with my 2015 2500 6.0.  I know the average mpg I get from E85, E30, E20, E15, E10, and E0.   So as prices fluctuate thru the year, I can select the fuel that will give me the lowest cost per mile to use.  And that is the key.... cost per mile, not just mpg.   For a while now, that has been E15, but price spreads are getting larger, so E85 is back again on my radar.   Several years ago when regular gas was tickling $4 a gallon or more, I could get E85 for $1 to $1.50 a gallon less.  My vehicles lived on E85 for almost 2 years.  

 

Obviously, convenience has to play into it.  If the stuff is not available locally, it really makes no sense to travel a substantial distance to fill up. 

[bgbdwlf2500]

On ‎8‎/‎15‎/‎2017 at 8:49 AM, Jsmith86 said:

Great info guys! I didn't think about using E85 when towing. I'll start experimenting with it. I have a few gas stations near my house that sell it. Would anyone buy E85 if it was the same price at 87 octane if you're about to tow a camper a long distance?

no, youre better off to run 93 octane for that. to answer your initial question there are many apps for your phone that calculate the cheapest cost per mile to run either fuel. you need to know your mpg on regular and your mpg on e85. I think highway on my 2010 is around 17 on regular and 13 on e85. that being said, I run e85 in the winter since its about 1.95 right now and has octane around 100 so I can run a 91 octane tune with no problem. my truck runs and drives better on e85 no ifs ands or buts. e85 is being used more and more to run as racing fuel due to its 100+octane rating and cost vs 8 to 10 dollars a gallon for racing fuel

[Reuther]

I guess that the following is not a real valuable information for you, but:

 

here in Germany you have either  Super ( = E95) or E85 gas.

 

The most of sold gas is Super with an octane of 95 (hope the words are correct, the 95 octane is) - E85 can have an octane of 107 - so much more compression could - COLD! - be availible , but even in a country with an huge amount of high compressed cars running, the sale of E85 is low. For high or very high compressed cars, a new kind of gas appeared called "Premium" with more than 95 octane and  of course a more expensive price.

 

All sales - besides Diesel - Super is the standard, E85 has a much lower sales rate, but all E85-User report a rise in consumption, ok, in Germany, it is not mpg - it is l/100 km - but the lower price of E85 does not fit to higher consumption.

 

Maybe somebody, who understood what I wrote may change this post in correct English, sorry for my poor knowledge in English .

 

By the way actual prices

 

Super: 1 Liter: 1,40 €
E85: 1 Liter 1,36 €
Premium: 1 Liter 1,46 €

[sdeeter19555]

I really get a chuckle out of these "rule of thumb" ideas on how much one will lose in mpg and such.  Just run a few tanks of E85 or any other blend and find out what really is the result.   I did that with my 2013 1500 5.3 and I have done that with my 2015 2500 6.0.  I know the average mpg I get from E85, E30, E20, E15, E10, and E0.   So as prices fluctuate thru the year, I can select the fuel that will give me the lowest cost per mile to use.  And that is the key.... cost per mile, not just mpg.   For a while now, that has been E15, but price spreads are getting larger, so E85 is back again on my radar.   Several years ago when regular gas was tickling $4 a gallon or more, I could get E85 for $1 to $1.50 a gallon less.  My vehicles lived on E85 for almost 2 years.  
 
Obviously, convenience has to play into it.  If the stuff is not available locally, it really makes no sense to travel a substantial distance to fill up. 

I'm just curious as to the driveability...it was so difficult to find around here, and now it's getting pretty common. Now that it is easier to find, I want to know if owning a flex fuel-optioned vehicle is worth it. Right now I'd say yes.

My initial finding it this, the truck was running rougher than normal yesterday when I filled up (had a mix of e15 and 93 Mobil), as soon as the Insight registered the alcohol content spike, the truck smoothed out. It was actually kind of neat to see and that was not a placebo affect.

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[sdeeter19555]

I guess that the following is not a real valuable information for you, but:
 
here in Germany you have either  Super ( = E95) or E85 gas.
 
The most of sold gas is Super with an octane of 95 (hope the words are correct, the 95 octane is) - E85 can have an octane of 107 - so much more compression could - COLD! - be availible , but even in a country with an huge amount of high compressed cars running, the sale of E85 is low. For high or very high compressed cars, a new kind of gas appeared called "Premium" with more than 95 octane and  of course a more expensive price.
 
All sales - besides Diesel - Super is the standard, E85 has a much lower sales rate, but all E85-User report a rise in consumption, ok, in Germany, it is not mpg - it is l/100 km - but the lower price of E85 does not fit to higher consumption.
 
Maybe somebody, who understood what I wrote may change this post in correct English, sorry for my poor knowledge in English .
 
By the way actual prices
 
Super: 1 Liter: 1,40 €
E85: 1 Liter 1,36 €
Premium: 1 Liter 1,46 €

You understanding of English is better than some who live here...no worries.

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[Grumpy Bear]

4 hours ago, sdeeter19555 said:

Our pumps are mark "flex fuel", "51 to 83% alcohol".
 

That's a huge difference!! Makes it pretty hard to evaluate mileage doesn't it? 

[sdeeter19555]

That's a huge difference!! Makes it pretty hard to evaluate mileage doesn't it? 

Yup, I can only report what my Insight reads...

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[cmysstailights]

15 2500 i get 14 hwy and 9 street e85. Havent really ran 87 through her. 14 1500 20mpg hwy 12 st e85. E85 1.59 gal, 87 2.50

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[sdeeter19555]

Well, with 41% alcohol registering on my Insight, getting 13mpg...which isn't any worse than 87 or even 91+. I was able to add another 10 gallons, got the alcohol to 55%. So far so good, it runs better, smoother...does feel a little more responsive (this is a 6.0l). That was 287 miles tonight...

To be truthful, my tires dropped my mileage worse than e85...

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[Grumpy Bear]

10 hours ago, sdeeter19555 said:

Well, with 41% alcohol registering on my Insight, getting 13mpg...which isn't any worse than 87 or even 91+. I was able to add another 10 gallons, got the alcohol to 55%. So far so good, it runs better, smoother...does feel a little more responsive (this is a 6.0l). That was 287 miles tonight...

To be truthful, my tires dropped my mileage worse than e85...

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I love useful information. Seriously! Thanks Steve. 

[Cowpie]

Some states play the fast and loose game.  Like calling the fuel Flex Fuel and have such a wide range of ethanol content.  In Iowa, we pretty much know what we are getting... E10, E15, E20, E30, E85.  E85 does fluctuate seasonally, but it never less than 70%.

[Joshjuniorr]

i've never owned anything that could run e85 lol. i might look into this and see if its worth it. Doesnt e85 gum up the fuel system though? At least thats the rumor down here in the south..