E85 Flex Fuel - 2019 AT4

[Cowpie]

On 11/11/2019 at 7:48 AM, TXGREEK said:

 

I don’t mind putting in a few gallons for cleaning purposes but NEVER will I run straight E85, doesn’t benefit from it. I’ve noticed a decrease in mpg just by adding 7 gallons to a full tank. Super on road trips, especially being I almost never find E85 and when I have, I got nervous not knowing the condition of it. You gotta get it while it’s fresh out of the oven lol. E85 in my area isn’t sought after, primarily for those that mix a bit like I do for cleaning purposes but to this day, I’ve never seen anyone fill up with E85. To each their own, I’ve got a Tuned 6.2 that’s always eager to go, with E85 or with 93, I do get better mpgs with straight 93


Sent from Above

 

Yeah, one will get  better mpg  from non ethanol fuel.  No argument there.  the big question that very few ever answer is what is the cost per mile on the fuel mileage you are getting with the fuel you are using?  

 

Like I have stated in the past.  The price spread of E85 in my area is such that there is no way I could get good enough mpg with premium to match the lower cost per mile by using E85 with its lower mpg.    My wife's Equinox will get about 23 average mpg on E85.  At the price we filled yesterday, $1.85 a gallon, the cost is about 8 cents a mile.  To get that cost per mile using premium at the current $2.94 in my area, the Nox would have to average over 35 mpg.... 12 mpg better.  That is never going to happen even with a tail wind on a warm day.    So while the mpg is less with E85, it is still cheaper on a cost per mile basis than using premium.  And it still delivers high octane and premium fuel performance.  That is "average" mpg comparison, not some one time highway mpg.

 

It can be a belly drop to see a miserable mpg, but since I get to keep more of my money in my wallet, I can easily dismiss the lower mpg.  And not figuring out the actual cost per mile is why many people don't seek out E85.  They are only focused on mpg without realizing they are getting ripped off by using premium.   I realize I am probably unique in taking the time to figure out these things. Comes from managing fuel economy costs on my heavy transport trucks.

 

Many in the performance auto community have figured this all out.  Even on their vehicles that are not flex fuel capable, they are able to mix E85 and E10 at a 1 to 4 ratio to get roughly an E30 and 93-94 octane.  And the resulting cost of that mix is cheaper than regular fuel alone and significantly cheaper than premium.  And many have found that using up to E30 does not trigger a CEL or cause the engine to run erratically, even though it is not flex fuel rated.  I would think the 1500 crowd with the 6.2 Ecotec would be all over that methodology since that motor needs a higher octane fuel.

Edited November 14, 2019 by Cowpie

[swathdiver]

9 hours ago, Cowpie said:

...not figuring out the actual cost per mile is why many people don't seek out E85.

My two year average is this Cliff, cost to run 973 gallons of 93 has been twenty-two cents per mile.  Cost to run 860 gallons of straight E85 has been nineteen cents per mile.  Cost to run 540 gallons of E30 has been seventeen cents per mile.  That's a lot of coin saved when you pay attention to prices and can take advantage of having a FlexFuel vehicle.  Too bad we're not Multi-Fuel like the old Continentals in the 2.5 and 5-ton military trucks!

 

Viewed another way, it costs me $51 to drive 300 miles on E30, $57 on E85 and $66 on 93.  Over the last two years, the average price paid for 93 has been $3.20, for E85 has been $2.19 and E30 has been $2.51.  Not so fortunate as Cliff up there in my ancestral homeland of Iowa!

[TXGREEK]

South Texas, 93 is $2.65 per gallon, E85 is $2.15 per gallon haven’t seen any E30 anywhere


Sent from Above

[Cowpie]

E30 usually is only available at stations which have blender pumps.  The “Altfuel” app for smart phones usually has those locations.  They can be sparse.   On a trip to Branson MO now and hit a couple of stops that had blender pumps and bought E30.

 

some studies have shown E30 as the best blend for almost the entire GM line.... both flex fuel and non flex fuel varieties.

Edited November 15, 2019 by Cowpie

[swathdiver]

12 hours ago, Cowpie said:

E30 usually is only available at stations which have blender pumps.  The “Altfuel” app for smart phones usually has those locations.  They can be sparse.   On a trip to Branson MO now and hit a couple of stops that had blender pumps and bought E30.

 

some studies have shown E30 as the best blend for almost the entire GM line.... both flex fuel and non flex fuel varieties.

I can attest to that.  Mine gets slightly better mileage than gasoline with an alcohol content between 16-22 percent or so.  Sometimes the blender pumps are off and have wound up with a tank full of 87!  GRRR!!!

 

It's easy to make your own too.  Wanted to run a high octane mix, so pumped in 8 gallons of E85 and 18 of 93 and got 19% alcohol with R+M of about 96 octane.  Ran really good but broke no records because most went to idling and city driving.  Still delivered 15 mpg.  Refueled with 4 gallons E85 and 22 of Unleaded 88 which settled down to 20% alcohol and about 91 octane.  

[Black02Silverado]

On 11/14/2019 at 7:28 PM, Cowpie said:

E30 usually is only available at stations which have blender pumps.  The “Altfuel” app for smart phones usually has those locations.  They can be sparse.   On a trip to Branson MO now and hit a couple of stops that had blender pumps and bought E30.

 

some studies have shown E30 as the best blend for almost the entire GM line.... both flex fuel and non flex fuel varieties.

Yeah, I brought up an old thread. 

 

We finally got a station here that has E15 and E85.  I converted out 2016 Suburban and it runs so much better on E85 with the Black Bear Tune.  Now on my 2019 Silverado with the 6.2. As for now, the cost to convert it is to expensive for the benefits. But I do mix E85 with 93.  I can't go any higher than 10 gallons of E85 or I get a CEL for running lean on both banks. The Silverado runs way better.  As stated in all the posts on here. To me the benefits are the main reason for using it.  Now that it's 2024, the cost spread isn't what it used to be.

 

The local rice burners that are tuned and boosted love it.  We had one source to get E85 before a chain, Sheetz opened up. It was a pain to get to the pump. It was back on the side of the building and hard to get my large vehicles backed in to the pump. But the locals with the tuned imports said it tested on average E65 for the most part.

 

I can say that our Suburban would get 22mpg on 93 and 19mpg on E85. This is with a fully load of 4 adults and all their stuff on a road trip up to visit my mom in PA. She lives in over by Pittsburgh and in the mountains. So I'm happy with the use of E85 and that little hit to mpg isn't a big deal for me. It might be to some, but pulling up the mountain pass and not having to worry about spark knock is nice.

 

We do have ethanol free a around us. I would think it is due to being on the coast and boats everywhere. I do use it for all my lawn equipment and in our small boat.

[Grumpy Bear]

I've been running E-85 in Pepper for the last 28K miles. Average ethanol content is 66.67% and when it isn't; I blend to it. Zero KI ****** no matter how hot it is or how hard I run her.... which isn't very hard.  

 

Result for these 28K miles, based on fuel tickets and miles is 21.28 mpg. That is 4+ mpg higher that the national average 17mpg on E10 according to Fueleconomy.gov. My current cost is about 13.8 cents per mile. 

 

I run a full SAPS oil in this motor and the plugs have but a hint of ash midway down the porcelain. Hardly worth the note.