So....used E85 yet?

[Rawyzf]

I ran 91 octane for July, just to get a comparison of MPGs vs e85 with my new tune after adding headers.

 

With the tune, the truck runs great on both 91 and e85. However, I will be switching back over to e85 once this tank of 91 is gone, as the price of e85 vs 91 is a lot cheaper.

[tmo]

I read over this topic over the coarse of 2 days so I can't remember, but are the gains for the 4.3L as good as the 5.3L?

[gone_fishing]

I read over this topic over the coarse of 2 days so I can't remember, but are the gains for the 4.3L as good as the 5.3L?

 

GM 4.3 Liter V6 EcoTec3 LV3 Engine

 

Horsepower hp (kw)

Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra:285 hp (213 kw) @ 5300 RPM SAE Certified

Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra:297 hp (221 kW) @ 5300 RPM SAE Certified – E85

 

Torque lb.-ft. (Nm)

Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra:305 lb.-ft (413 Nm) @ 3900 RPM SAE Certified

Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra:330 lb-ft (447 Nm) @ 3900 RPM SAE Certified – E85

 

Read more: http://gmauthority.com/blog/gm/gm-engines/lv3/#ixzz4GTY1o8o5

[Jernik]

The "85" in E85 does not refer to octane rating, but the volumetric concentration of ethanol (alcohol). It has even higher octane rating than Premium-labeled gasoline yet at a price lower (most of the time) than Regular-labeled gasoline.

The closest station I have found that sells it has a sticker on the E85 pump that says "70% ethanol minimum". So... E71?

[Rawyzf]

70% minimum is good, I know in the winter, my local station was down in the 66 range. I think the highest I've seen is about 78.

[fbachman]

The SAE certified numbers with E85 show impressive gains, such as the extra 25 HP on the 5.3.

 

 

Can you FEEL it?

 

Late comer to this thread. You'll also "feel" a 20-25% decrease in mpg....

[Rawyzf]

 

Late comer to this thread. You'll also "feel" a 20-25% decrease in mpg....

Very true, but you'll also feel a 35-40% cost saving if running premium exclusively.......or 20-25% cost savings if running base grade (break even point), just more frequent gas station visits.

 

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[Bowtie619]

I just ran my first tank of e85. I have a Hypertech premium tune and an exhaust so I tend to have lower mpg to begin with since I love to hear it rumble..

 

91 is approximately 3$ per gallon and I get roughly 350 miles on a tank before filling up or around 15 mpg.

 

I had about 2 gallons left of 91 when I filled up and I got about 285 miles before my gas light came on. e85 is 2$ here in San Diego. so let's say I will get around 250 miles for this tank now that I have filled back up and the 2 gallons of 91 should be pretty diluted now.

 

Price

91 Premium (I have tune) - 3$

e85 - 2$

e85 is 33% cheaper...

 

MPG (assuming you fill up when light comes on and have a few gallons left in tank ie. 23gal tank instead of 26)

91 - 350 Miles on a tank or around 15mpg

e85 - 250 miles on a tank or around 11 mpg

e85 gets me around 27% less mpgs

 

Performance

I could not tell a major difference but I will say that it seems to be idling much smoother. I was having a bit of a rough idle and that seems to be gone now. Maybe a bit more kick as well. But not a night and day difference...

 

So bottom line is for me living in San Diego with e85 stations all over the place it's a no brainer. I will be using e85 from here on out as long as the price is more than 25% cheaper than premium. The cost clearly outweigh the lower mpgs.

 

I have not read through the pages of posts but if someone sees anything I am missing in my scenario please let me know, or if there is some other concern or long term affect of using the e85....Thanks!

 

Cheers!

[Rawyzf]

I just ran my first tank of e85. I have a Hypertech premium tune and an exhaust so I tend to have lower mpg to begin with since I love to hear it rumble..

 

91 is approximately 3$ per gallon and I get roughly 350 miles on a tank before filling up or around 15 mpg.

 

I had about 2 gallons left of 91 when I filled up and I got about 285 miles before my gas light came on. e85 is 2$ here in San Diego. so let's say I will get around 250 miles for this tank now that I have filled back up and the 2 gallons of 91 should be pretty diluted now.

 

Price

91 Premium (I have tune) - 3$

e85 - 2$

e85 is 33% cheaper...

 

MPG (assuming you fill up when light comes on and have a few gallons left in tank ie. 23gal tank instead of 26)

91 - 350 Miles on a tank or around 15mpg

e85 - 250 miles on a tank or around 11 mpg

e85 gets me around 27% less mpgs

 

Performance

I could not tell a major difference but I will say that it seems to be idling much smoother. I was having a bit of a rough idle and that seems to be gone now. Maybe a bit more kick as well. But not a night and day difference...

 

So bottom line is for me living in San Diego with e85 stations all over the place it's a no brainer. I will be using e85 from here on out as long as the price is more than 25% cheaper than premium. The cost clearly outweigh the lower mpgs.

 

I have not read through the pages of posts but if someone sees anything I am missing in my scenario please let me know, or if there is some other concern or long term affect of using the e85....Thanks!

 

Cheers!

e85 will always be more than 25% less than premium.

 

The ones who worry about the break even point and 25% are usually comparing e85 to regular grade gas (87 octane here).

 

 

 

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[transam69230]

Bowtie619 your truck has a yellow cap right?

[Cowpie]

The best way to check fuel cost effectiveness is on a cost per mile basis.

 

Premium in my area is around $2.60. E85 is around $1.60. E10 is around $2.09.

 

My 2015 2500 averages roughly 14 mpg for all miles (gravel roads, highway, city, off road, etc) on regular E10, for a cost of right around 15 cents a mile.

 

Premium would be roughly same mpg, for a cost of roughly 18.5 cent a mile.

 

With E85, I average about 11 mpg for all miles with it, for a cost of 14.5 cents a mile.

 

I have been using E15 for quite a while now, and at around $1.99 in my area and it gets same mpg as E10, it is costing about 14.2 cents a mile. Once the spread gets a little wider between E15 and E85, I might go back to E85. Right now, E15 at current pricing gives me the lowest cost per mile. We also have E20 and E30 available, but it is a little further away to get it, so I don't use it very often.

 

On my previous 2013 1500 5.3L, the mpg spreads were about the same.... roughly a 3 mpg loss using E85 vs E10.

[Bowtie619]

Bowtie619 your truck has a yellow cap right?

Yes it does.

[cmysstailights]

Yes it does.

Then u can use e85

 

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[Bowtie619]

Then u can use e85

 

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What?? Am I missing something here? I just gave a report on using e85...and you're telling me I can use e85 now? lol umm thanks?

[Brian S.]

 

GM 4.3 Liter V6 EcoTec3 LV3 Engine

 

Horsepower hp (kw)

Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra:285 hp (213 kw) @ 5300 RPM SAE Certified

Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra:297 hp (221 kW) @ 5300 RPM SAE Certified – E85

 

Torque lb.-ft. (Nm)

Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra:305 lb.-ft (413 Nm) @ 3900 RPM SAE Certified

Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra:330 lb-ft (447 Nm) @ 3900 RPM SAE Certified – E85

 

Read more: http://gmauthority.com/blog/gm/gm-engines/lv3/#ixzz4GTY1o8o5

 

I had a 2014 4.3l Silverado that was a replacement for a 2010 5.3l. I could have sworn on E85 it was ​faster ​than the 2010 5.3l. (and maybe it was)

 

I saw a Car and Driver review where they clocked the 4.3l 0-60 faster than the 2007 6l vortec max they tested back then.

​

The gains for the 4.3l on E85 are no joke.

 

My first 2015 5.3l wasn't flex fuel, but now I have another 5.3l with flex so maybe I'll try it.