E15 fuel

[Sparky]

OK since the EPA has basically blown everyone off with concerns about the suitability of E15 and possible negative effects on older engines and food prices, saying no one has any right to question them ( ), does anyone know if there is potentially any issue with these engines, fuel delivery systems, etc and E15 fuel? Aside from the MPG drop we'll probably all get I was also considering the changes made in 06 and wondered if that may make any difference, like 06+ is OK with it but the older 02-05 engines might not like it as much due to injectors, or seal and O ring materials, or computer tuning, or whatever else.

Brilliance over there I tell you. Mandate higher mpg, but also mandate increasing amounts of ethanol which drop mpg!

 

[Mooseman]

And with the current droughts that are affecting the crops, guess what that will do to gas prices?

Apart from the possibility of running like crap, I don't think that individual components like tanks, lines and seals will be affected. I would imagine that engineers built in some extra protection for the affects of the ethanol on them. I wonder if there is anything special done to E85 vehicles? I would imagine at the very least that the PCM's are programmed differently but what about components? Have they been beefed up for the added ethanol? There's also corrosion that is of concern but don't know if just an extra 5% will make that much of a difference.

 

[limequat]

Likely, NBD. The largest danger would be that some O-rings are incompatible with alcohol. But since E10 has been around for a while, all newer cars are already resistant.

Not a trailblazer, but I've been running E85 on my Saabaru for about a year now. All I did was install modified *stock* injectors and retune. I plan on running my 2006 4.2 powered Supra on E85 as soon as I get it on boost.

Alcohol has about 1/3 less energy density than gas. So going from E10 to E15 should affect your fuel mileage by (15-10)*.33 = about 1.7%. I'm no fan of the EPA, but I won't cuss them out over that.

As a libertarian, I can't argue the politics of alcohol. But as a boost junkie...

 

[Sparky]

I wouldn't hate ethanol quite so much if they made it from other sources than food corn. Other sources which are also better for the purpose in the first place, that can grow on otherwise arid land where corn cannot.

 

[limequat]

I wouldn't hate ethanol quite so much if they made it from other sources than food corn. Other sources which are also better for the purpose in the first place, that can grow on otherwise arid land where corn cannot.

IIRC, the corn used to make ethanol is not the same corn that we eat. Still takes up farm land, though. Agreed we should be looking at alternate sources.
Brazil is 100% energy independent. Running on E98 made from sugar. Of course their climate is a bit different...

 

[Sparky]

Switchgrass makes decent ethanol (better than corn IIRC) and can grow where corn cannot.

 

[limequat]

Switchgrass makes decent ethanol (better than corn IIRC) and can grow where corn cannot.

Here in Michigan we have a bazillion apple trees that just drop their apples on the ground every year. Makes me want to make apple E85. Apple boost juice ftw!