infidel

The advantage to rape and canola is that they can be grown further north where corn and soybeans don't do well. They also take far less input than corn and soy in terms of fertilizer, water demand, weed and insect pressure.

A crop we have been researching recently that shows great promise for syn fuel is camolina. This is one of the strongest plants I've ever dealt with short of being a weed. About all you have to do is broadcast the seed and harvest it a few months later.
Short article> http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:...s&ct=clnk&cd=1

RCW

If you have an automotive gasoline engine made prior to the popularity of E85 as a fuel source, you can have a first line automotive mechanic increase the timing a bit to take advantage of the slower burn rate, and do a slight enrichening of the fuel system to compensate for the additional fuel required. All in all, the net effect will be a loss of economy that is about the same as when you switch from summer blends to winter blends today, and will not even be that noticable for most people. The downside of doing this is that with the newer fuel injected systems, this action by a mechanic will generally also require purchase of chip for the ECM which makes use of the E85 not as economical.

All European and Japanese engines since the mid-90's have alcohol fuel tolerant fuel system parts, so corrosion and softening of coatings and hoses are not an issue. US cars can be a crap shoot before 2001.

As far as running E85 in lawnmowers, outboards, etc., that were not originally designed for this fuel, I would not be afraid to use the stuff as long as I had access to new carburetor parts in case you dissolved a gasket or float, just be prepared for a power drop such that a 15 horse will generate closer to 13 horses and will be slightly more difficult to start because of the lower volatility of the E85 fuel.

Chrisreyn

The closest gas station to me has been selling E10 for over a year. Its about 12cents a gallon cheaper, so that is what I have been running in the '59 Ford 871 tractor and 89 CubCadet Lawn tractor, as well as all my other gas powered stuff( chainsaws, trimmers, etc. Cant say I have seen any issues with either of them as far as horsepower, or mechanicaly.

jforce

My late 80's turbododge shelby cars absolutely love E-85. It's 105 octane,perfect for a turbo gasser. No problems ever (i did change the fuel filter) Been running it in the work van and wife's car on it too.They are not flex fuel but all we have noticed is an occasional cel. I have driven both with a scanner and thermocouple installed and yes the mix is lean for gasoline,but this is not gasoline! The combustions temps are way cooler than gas. If i could figure out how to advance the timing,the mpg would come around too. We are running it to take the money away from big oil. It's about time-Don't believe the anti-ethanol crowd. Let's cut big oil out of the picture-They do their best to blur the lines between METHANOL and ETHANOL. Methanol is very corrosive to stock fuel systems and ethanol is harmless in all newer cars.

James Gunter

E-85 or any other blend of "ethanol", will deliver LESS fuel mileage, clog your fuel filter, (because ethanol is a solvent) and as a result, cause you to buy more fuel. It is a giant hype propagated by the politicians and the "green Peace" liberals, that just winds up costing us more money.

capt.Ron

Can't argue the less fuel mileage point...this would coincide with the buying more fuel but clogging the fuel filter can only happen so many times. Once the fuel system is clean the clogging will end. Just as we've experienced with Bio diesel.
I have a yes and no to that statement. Yes the Green peace idiots are a driving force when it comes to ethanol and it is too expensive to make the way we're doing it but if instead of corn we made it from sugar cane or sugar beets it "could" be a more viable alternative source of fuel.

jforce

You guys are missing the fact that e-85 is no pipe dream,it is available in many areas,and big oil wants to kill it anyway they can. Through outright lies and market manipulation,the gov and big oil have been working together through massive misinformation campaigns,just about all the "offical'' info on it,the manufacture,transportation,the properties of it and the vehicles suited for it,as well as how to tune for it,is bunk. According to them,3 of my vehicles should be junk by now,but the truth is e-85 is superior to gas in many ways. We being hot rodders all understand the concept of tuning,the epa has taken this away,even the '' flex fuel '' vehicles are not optimized for it. They are undertuned,if you will,and overfueled,designed to decrease mileage,and help kill off ethanol.The automakers have been in bed with big oil,(i am sure cash was involved) Bottom line-big oil is scared of this stuff.

capt.Ron

Now that's the funniest thing I've heard all day!!

jforce

I didn't find any of my research funny,much of it was sobering.I have been playing with e-85 (and diesel alternatives) for a while now,and have chosen to share what I have learned. Rather than just blow hot air,I have spent my time and money playing with different fuels for both gas and diesel and did have to first unlearn some of the things that were supposedly common knowlege. We have even rented several ffv to play with and do more research. This forum has alot of smart people in it (hotrodding diesels takes brains,***** and money) so it seems like a good place to share what I have learned and learn what others have learned. I know I am running boost levels I could not even dream of on pump gas in one of my turbocars,and it will be going to the track for new numbers soon.

bhaugen

I think Ethanol is a good thing, but keep in mind corn ethanol is not going to be the answer to our problems. Sugar ethanol might be the answer. Brazil runs all ethanol in thier economy, little or now gasoline. Its all done with sugar cane. The switch grass and cellostic ethanol alternative is going to start to ramp up now. This will push the ethanol production farther west into the more arid region, but will compete with wheat production more.

Yes ethanol does get less mpg's at 85%, but some people around here have been running 50% blends and seeing little or no mpg drop. They are getting this from some of the new Blender pumps where you can set the % ethanol you want. There are people running as much as 30% in non flex fuel vehicles, but I will wait and see long term effects on that.

Its my understanding that the option for flex fuel vehicles at the factory is only $200-$300. All it is is a fuel sensor.

bhaugen

The only thing I can suggest on that is make sure you upgrade your fuel lines on all of them. The older rubber fuel lines will deteriorate with the ethanol. Other than that I have been running a 10% blend for many years. MN did a mandate for 10% ethanol 5-10 years ago.

jforce

Great post,I am with you on ethanol alternatives,but let's not throw the baby out with the bath water.Corn ethanol is only the beginning,I agree. I feel we need to embrace e85 now,made in the USA,use it because it is the patriotic thing to do. I don't like my money going out of the country. E85 is available and superior to pump gas,we just need to use our brains to wade through all the (mis)information,and to correctly tune for it. (Diablosport just came out with an e-85 tuner correcting the engineered-in- flaws in stock ffv ecm's) The first ones are for Gm's but you can bet they are working on the others.

jforce

Great point-on older vehicles,rubber,paper and cork could give problems and need to be changed out.Aluminum is no problem,despite what is printed. No need for stainless lines either-That would be for Methanol.Ethanol is not methanol.

capt.Ron

It's not your research that makes me laugh....it's you statements CLAIMING that somehow the car makers would go through all of the R&D to build a flex fuel vehicle yet build it to it's least economical state with the intent to make it fail becuase they are part of a massive conspiracy with the oil companies.
Do you have ANY factual documentation to back up that claim?

chipmonk

this contains some very strong allegations, regarding the oil companies trying to keep ethanol from the driving public, but even they say that the automakers are fighting for ethanol's availability and success. the last thing that the U.S. automakers need now, is the failure of flex fuel vehicles- that would give the buying public another reason to opt for a japanese econo-box or hybrid, the next time they're in the market for a new car.
http://royaldutchshellplc.com/2007/0...le-is-big-oil/