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E85 Usage


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I know there has been some discussion about E85 usage when the price discount makes up for the loss in MPG. I hadn't really thought much about it personally as I don't recall seeing it being sold in Ontario.

 

On Tues' when we were driving out of Clermont IN (down for the US Nationals), I noticed the following pricing @ a Speedway station:

 

87 Unleaded = $2.45

 

E85 = $1.95

 

Is a 50 cent a gallon discount enough to make it worth while to purchase? Or do you guys have a rule of thumb to go by?

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I get such poor mpg with E85 that unless it's at least 30% less than regular gas, I won't bother. I do love the extra performance, but getting about 17mpg on regular gas and only about 12 on E85, it needs to be really cheap before I bother.

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I know there has been some discussion about E85 usage when the price discount makes up for the loss in MPG. I hadn't really thought much about it personally as I don't recall seeing it being sold in Ontario.

 

On Tues' when we were driving out of Clermont IN (down for the US Nationals), I noticed the following pricing @ a Speedway station:

 

87 Unleaded = $2.45

 

E85 = $1.95

 

Is a 50 cent a gallon discount enough to make it worth while to purchase? Or do you guys have a rule of thumb to go by?

In my area, central Illinois, E85 is a break even if it is .60/gal less than regular unleaded. Two days ago it was .85/gal less. I filled up with E85. I understand I will need to fill up more often as E85 contains about 30% less energy than gasoline but if I am saving .25/gallon, it's worth it.

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I did the math based on actual mpg from using E85 in my truck. Several tankfuls just to make sure there was no gasoline left.

My break even is .62/gallon.

The prices in my area two days ago were $2.63 for unleaded. $1.75 for E85.

Edited by paracutin
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For those of you saying that it had to be 50 cheaper or. 60 cheaper to be worth it what ever.

My opinion is it had to be % based. If you are getting 30% worse mileage, than it had to be 30%cheaper to break even! Right?

So 30% of $2 gas is different amount off of $3 and $4 gas. With gas prices fluctuating daily how can you say. 50?

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For those of you saying that it had to be 50 cheaper or. 60 cheaper to be worth it what ever.

My opinion is it had to be % based. If you are getting 30% worse mileage, than it had to be 30%cheaper to break even! Right?

So 30% of $2 gas is different amount off of $3 and $4 gas. With gas prices fluctuating daily how can you say. 50?

You are correct. I based my numbers off of the fuel prices from the day I filled up! I gave that info in my last post. At 30%, $2.63 is $1.84. Also, my truck loses a bit less than 30%. I based this on hand calculated mileage from a number of tanks of E85. Mentioned that too. So, in my case, on the day I filled up, the break even point was .62/gal. Not 'whatever', just simple math.

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I did the math based on actual mpg from using E85 in my truck. Several tankfuls just to make sure there was no gasoline left.

My break even is .62/gallon.

The prices in my area two days ago were $2.63 for unleaded. $1.75 for E85.

 

thanks for posting the exact break even point paracutin... I am currently "testing" and figured 60 cents was about the mark...

 

right now for me e85 is $1.79 and e10 is $2.49.... so my tanks have been e85 lately

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I filled up with e85 for the first time last month and immediately felt a difference in hp. I'm always skeptical about things so I considered the placebo effect, but no. It definitely ran stronger. I also got it for 1.79 in my area

 

Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk

Edited by EGreenleaf42
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Since flex-fuel vehicles will burn either fuel, here's how to tell which is the better financial deal. Divide the gasoline price by 1.33. If E85 is priced above the result, don't buy it. Example: If gasoline is $2.50 per gallon, don't pay more than $1.88 for E85. Unless you especially enjoy going yellow. —

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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What is not mentioned and everybody is forgetting, E-85 is also a very strong cleaning agent. It's corn alcohol.

 

If you have been running gasoline for a long tine, then switch to E-85, that E-85 cleans all the varnishes gums and fuel contaminates out of the fuel tank, fuel pump- screen and lodges them into the fuel filter. It also cleans the fuel injectors too. So if you have injectors that are heavily varnished, running E-85 will start to minutely change the flowrates on the injectors.

 

Over the long usage of E-85, the plastics / seals will break down in the fuel and evap system.

 

Stay away from that fuel if you don't want fuel system problems.

Edited by Motor City Rick
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