E85?

[David_]

I'm unable to pull PID 52 on my 2015 High Country without RPO FHS.

[redwngr]

It's called tailgating and it's stupid dangerous for everyone.

 

I brake check people for that. HARD.

that's why I have bush bars on the front...

[patriot]

that's why I have bush bars on the front...

...and why I have a lawyer on retainer. You'd LOSE that fight, the same as always.

Rear end someone=PAY UP.

 

 

 

Saved for posterity.

[02suburbanZ71]

that's why I have bush bars on the front...

Hopefully its a ranch hand [emoji106]

[scottie350]

So what is the consensus on using E85 in the 2015 5.3L without RPO FHS? I refuse to believe that the $100 up-charge gets you anything of merit.

To run e85 there is a bunch of upgrades made to vehicles, upgraded injectors, fuel lines, fuel tank fuel pump ect basically anything the fuel touches

e85 is VERY corrosive, using it without said upgrades will chew away all of that stuff in no time

 

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[David_]

To run e85 there is a bunch of upgrades made to vehicles, upgraded injectors, fuel lines, fuel tank fuel pump ect basically anything the fuel touches

e85 is VERY corrosive, using it without said upgrades will chew away all of that stuff in no time

 

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For some reason GM is unwilling to say what exactly is different if you order with the $100 option.

[scottie350]

Since vehicles with flex fuel as an option it could just be the sensor

 

The could just put more stout parts in all of the vehicles..less production cost that way.

 

But from a tuner standpoint anyone running a vehicle and tuning for e85 for the performance expecially in high boost applications you have to upgrade everything but that's on vehicles that don't have the "flex fuel " option and are all factory designed for just reg unleaded

 

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[scottie350]

Which if that's the case you'd just have to custom tune to run e85 in a non flex fuel gm

 

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[Cowpie]

That $100 option is for the ethanol sensor that sense level of ethanol in fuel. One doesn't need all the upgraded fuel lines and other stuff being bandied around. I have hauled production auto parts to assembly plants for decades. The fuel systems in a particular model are the same irregardless of flex fuel capable or not. it is prohibitive, cost wise, to stock all kinds of different components. Simplification is more cost effective, and it eliminates the possibility of inferior components going in a vehicle being built for flex fuel. Injectors are the same, lines are the same, pumps are the same. Only thing missing between a flex and non flex motor is the ethanol sensor and the ECM programming to recognize it.

 

The sensor that costs the $100 upgrade is easily available anywhere. Have found OEM ethanol sensor for GM vehicles on Ebay for $100. I would bet it only costs $25 at the factory build.

 

As to whether E85 is worth it, that depends on cost spread between it and regular. I have determined different mpg's on different fuels for my vehicles, and generally, the price spread has to be 50-70 cents lower per gallon for E85 to make it worth using. Otherwise, you are paying more per mile for fuel. With gasoline commodity prices as low as they are, E85 is not enjoying the big price spreads of just a couple of years ago. I have centered on E15 right now. It gives virtually the same mpg as E10 and E0 in my pickup, yet it is 10 cents a gallon less than E10, and 30-40 cents less than E0 regular in my area. E85 is only 30 cents lower than E15, so I am avoiding it right now.

[HondaHawkGT]

I think a lot of guys are interested in E85 for the easy 25 hp and 33 lb-ft power increase.

[Black02Silverado]

The spread here is worth it for me to run E85. It is $1.54 a gallon where premium is $2.62. Mileage drops from 20mpg to 15.5mpg but as stated above, the cost per gallon is less even with the mpg drop. It works out to be .10 per mile to run E85 and .12 per mile to run premium. I just use the Flex Fuel Calculator on my phone to show the difference.

[Cowpie]

That is the smart way to approach all of this. We all like high mpgs. They help us feel better about what we are driving. But I am a businessman. I feel much better about the lowest cost per mile to operate anything I own, from my pickup to my commercial semi trucks. I know what each fuel gives me for fuel economy and use the fuel, based on the prevailing price, that gives me the lowest cost per mile. Unless one is in a competition truck pulling event, not sure any supposed increase in power from using E85 as the deciding factor is really worth it. I will use E85 when it offers me the lowest cost per mile as the only deciding factor. Prices vary from region to region, and in my area, E15 right now wins out. A couple of years ago, filled up on E85 for almost 8 months before the price spreads shrunk and made it no longer a good choice.