E85
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==What is E85?== | ==What is E85?== | ||
| − | E85 is a fuel mixture that typically contains 85% | + | E85 is a fuel mixture that typically contains 85% or higher (160-plus proof) denatured ethanol and 15% gasoline. Ethanol (also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol) is the "alcohol" found in alcoholic beverages. "Denatured" means that it has been made toxic or undrinkable, often by adding methanol or denatonium, to give it a very bitter taste. This minimizes the drug value of the alcohol, and also exempts it from beverage alcohol taxes. |
In the United States, ethanol is derived mainly from corn. There are about 1,600 gas stations in America selling E85 fuel. Most of them are located in the Midwest, where corn is a staple crop. | In the United States, ethanol is derived mainly from corn. There are about 1,600 gas stations in America selling E85 fuel. Most of them are located in the Midwest, where corn is a staple crop. | ||
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*Use of fuel with more than 10% ethanol content will void most car manufacturers' warranties. | *Use of fuel with more than 10% ethanol content will void most car manufacturers' warranties. | ||
*Water contamination of fuel is exacerbated by the presence of ethanol. Ethanol readily absorbs water but too much water contamination will cause excessively lean fuel mixtures. | *Water contamination of fuel is exacerbated by the presence of ethanol. Ethanol readily absorbs water but too much water contamination will cause excessively lean fuel mixtures. | ||
| − | *Air-fuel mixture problems. To achieve a usable fuel mixture, a lot more E85 is required. A | + | *Air-fuel mixture problems. To achieve a usable fuel mixture, a lot more E85 is required. A carbureted car running E85 will need MUCH larger fuel jets than one running gasoline. Trying to run E85 with a carburetor designed and tuned for gasoline use will result in a very lean fuel mixture and a big drop in power. EFI cars will have similar problems. "Flex fuel" cars designed to run varying mixtures from straight gasoline to straight E85 have a fuel sensor in the tank line that can sense the proportion of alcohol content of the fuel. Thus the engine computer can adjust timing and fuel mixtures accordingly. Obviously other vehicles do not have any such capability unless heavily modified. |
==Economic concerns from E85 use== | ==Economic concerns from E85 use== | ||
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*The cost of "converting" existing vehicles to run on E85. | *The cost of "converting" existing vehicles to run on E85. | ||
*E85 may be viable, but it has a long way to go before it can be relied on by an entire economy. | *E85 may be viable, but it has a long way to go before it can be relied on by an entire economy. | ||
| − | *There is some concern that this is propaganda released from the American Petroleum Institute to tarnish and lessen alternative ethanol usage. | + | *There is some concern that this is propaganda released from the American Petroleum Institute to tarnish and lessen alternative ethanol usage. The purchasing of corn futures by oil companies at high prices, driving up the cost of corn for billions of dollars, and selling it to companies such as General Mills cheaply recently caused the spike in corn prices. This was unrelated to ethanol production and corn now is down tremendously because big oil has stopped the artificial manipulation of corn futures to a certain extent. |
==Performance disadvantages of E85== | ==Performance disadvantages of E85== | ||
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==Converting to E85== | ==Converting to E85== | ||
| − | *Because it is slightly corrosive, some of the fuel system may need to be replaced. | + | *Because it is slightly corrosive, some of the fuel system may need to be replaced. Ethanol, however, is much less corrosive than methanol, and the two should not be confused with each other. Many people have run their cars on E85 for several years with no fuel system corrosion problems. |
*Ethanol runs at a richer air-fuel ratio, so you need to use more of it. | *Ethanol runs at a richer air-fuel ratio, so you need to use more of it. | ||
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===Fuel injected engines=== | ===Fuel injected engines=== | ||
| − | Feedback type fuel injection systems are idea candidates for using E85. | + | Feedback type fuel injection systems are idea candidates for using E85. 50% larger fuel injectors are required, and an increase in ignition timing to compensate for the slower burning of the E85. The feedback narrow band O2 sensor is a Lambda O2 and does not need to know what stoichiometric is, the sensor looks for the most O2 in the exhaust and the engine controller makes all the appropriate fuel calculations for the new fuel. The larger fuel injectors and no engine controller modifications will prevent you from running dual fuel, as in gasoline or E85, or a mixture of the two. |
==Switchgrass== | ==Switchgrass== | ||
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*[http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/e85-anyone-tried-99137.html E85...anyone tried it] | *[http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/e85-anyone-tried-99137.html E85...anyone tried it] | ||
*[http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/e85-fuel-97285.html E85 fuel] | *[http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/e85-fuel-97285.html E85 fuel] | ||
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[[Category:Engine]] | [[Category:Engine]] | ||
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