E85
(→Converting to E85) |
(→Damage caused by using E85 in an engine) |
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*According to the US Department of Energy, ethanol has a "positive energy return". This means that it produces more energy than it consumes in its manufacturing process. The same is not true of gasoline. | *According to the US Department of Energy, ethanol has a "positive energy return". This means that it produces more energy than it consumes in its manufacturing process. The same is not true of gasoline. | ||
| − | ==Damage caused by using E85 in an engine== | + | ==Damage caused by using E85 in an engine not designed to use it== |
| − | *Prolonged exposure to ethanol corrodes metal and rubber parts that are designed to be used with gasoline. | + | *Prolonged exposure to ethanol corrodes many metal and rubber parts that are designed to be used with gasoline. |
*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. | + | *Water contamination of fuel is exacerbated by the presence of ethanol. Ethanol readily absorbs water but too much water cantamination will cause excessively lean fuel mixtures. |
| − | *Air-fuel mixture problems | + | *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 hanve any such capability unless heavily modified. |
==Economic concerns from E85 use== | ==Economic concerns from E85 use== | ||
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