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E85 Usage

revrnd

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TRKLGND Enthusiast

TRKLGND

Posted
Posted

You won't hear knock on a vehicle built in the last 20 or more years unless something is drastically wrong. The stock tune is such a sack you could probably run 80 octane fuel and get away with it. Custom tuning will make it happen.

I don't disagree with you but a lot of folks here seem to.

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TRKLGND Enthusiast

TRKLGND

Posted
Posted

My '07 was Flex Fuel but I couldn't find any FFV when I bought my '17. Which is sad because I like E85.

 

My wife's '07 Impala was also a FFV and it had problems with E85. Her fuel pump started having issues, so we quit running it, and it cleared up. My impression was that GM didn't really put much thought into their FFV's at the time.

 

I don't understand why people bitch about the difference in MPG. It's a different fuel with different properties. A diesel truck could do 500 or 600 miles on a tank vs the 400 miles I get with gas. Vs 300 with E85. LPG or CNG is different yet.

People complain about the MPG difference because it directly effects their pocket. Running E85 in my truck when it is only .25 less than reg unleaded costs me money because of the loss of MPG and in my truck there is NO increase in performance. I ran it all the time in my 2014 1500 5.3 because I got more power. The 6.0 doesn't work that way.

SierraHD17 Senior Enthusiast

SierraHD17

Posted
Posted

I don't disagree with you but a lot of folks here seem to.

In their heads maybe... or like I said... something is very wrong. I have had audible ping with a tune that was too lean.. and a maf sensor that was no good but not enough out of range to set a code. If you have issues they will ping... if not.. the knock sensors will pull timing fast enough you won't hear a thing... to a point anyway.

Nick The Great Senior Enthusiast

Nick The Great

Posted
Posted

People complain about the MPG difference because it directly effects their pocket. Running E85 in my truck when it is only .25 less than reg unleaded costs me money because of the loss of MPG and in my truck there is NO increase in performance. I ran it all the time in my 2014 1500 5.3 because I got more power. The 6.0 doesn't work that way.

 

Then why don't you run a diesel engine? Less $/mile, typically.

 

That's what I meant.

TRKLGND Enthusiast

TRKLGND

Posted
Posted

 

Then why don't you run a diesel engine? Less $/mile, typically.

 

That's what I meant.

I am not complaining about it. I run E85 when it makes financial sense and unleaded the rest of the time.

 

Diesels are less $/mile if you are looking at fuel only. Maintenance and repairs after the warranty is up makes a diesel more expensive in the long term. But that is a topic for another thread.

revrnd Senior Enthusiast

revrnd

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I am not complaining about it. I run E85 when it makes financial sense and unleaded the rest of the time.

Well said!

  • 10 months later...
Cowpie Senior Enthusiast

Cowpie

Posted
Posted

Well, most of my running around is usually in the upper Midwest.  I have been using E85 for the last year continuously.  Decided to do a E85 only trip to Wyoming this week.  The average MPG has been around 13.4 for the entire trip, including some back roads above Buffalo, WY.  Diesel in this area is going for about $3.31.  I and getting E85 for about $2.43.   So 13.4 MPG with $2.43 price is about 18.7 cents a mile fuel cost.  With diesel, I would have to average almost 18 MPG to break even on the cost per mile.  I suppose it is possible, but that is only break even.   Diesel in a 2500 would have to get 19 MPG and better to have any kind of an edge, in the same situations as what my 2500 6.0L is dealing with and using E85.  

 

At home the prices are $1.91 for E85 and $3.08 for diesel, so a Dmax would have to get even more MPG just to break even on the cost per mile since the price spread is larger.

 

Frankly, that is one reason among many that I never considered the DMax.  Not really any appreciable savings on a cost per mile basis, and a lot more expensive in not only purchase cost but operation cost in the long run.   Under the right situations, Dmax is the only way to go.  For many others, maybe not so much.

 

One thing that seemed goofy and I can only attribute to the higher oxygen content of E85, is that at high altitude I actually got a slightly better MPG on E85.  Not a lot, but noticeable.

 

No, not towing, but I wouldn't be towing on this trip with a diesel either.

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