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Flex Fuel E85?

OaklandCowboy

Full Member
Joined
May 23, 2013
Messages
16
does anyone run this fuel in your Avy? if so any pros/cons....it's almost a dollar cheaper in my area...just curious
 
Most of the old threads about gas mileage agree with greatgab in that E-85 takes more gas to go same distance and only savings overall come when it is sold way cheaper then regular gas. Also best way to improve MPG is to keep the AV as close to stock as possible with stock tires properly inflated, vehicle properly tuned and maintained, and to drive it like an old man avoiding rapid starts and stops. Not sure about long term savings as far as cleaner burning etc. though.
 
Normally don't get more pep, unless engine is set up to need higher octane than 93.  Our stock engines are fine with 87.
 
Run several full tanks of both, keeping good records of miles driven, fuel consumed and cost of each fuel.

Do the math to come up with your cost per mile driven.

Don't use guesswork.

Use real time numbers for your calculations.

Use the fuel with the lowest cost per mile driven.

Miles per gallon does not matter.

Cost per mile does.

It should also be possible to determine the cost per gallon break point of each fuel to determine when it would be in your best interest to switch from one fuel to the other based upon the current price of both fuels.

Beyond the cost per mile driven, I don't really think you are going to see a big enough change in the truck's performance using either fuel to make performance a deciding factor.

(y)
 
read this bad boy thread with over 57 pages of replies.

http://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php?topic=73537.0

 
According to https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=24711 it costs more to run E85. They don't seem to provide the actual prices used for the their calculations. But they do show the MPG for each fuel.
 
1967DropTop said:
According to https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=24711 it costs more to run E85. They don't seem to provide the actual prices used for the their calculations.
The price is $2.54/Gallon for gas and $2.10 for E85
1967DropTop said:
But they do show the MPG for each fuel.
This is suspect to me. Exactly 16.0 and 12.0 respectively?. When I compared them I got 15.8 on 87 octane pump gas and 12.4mpg on E85 in my 2008.

Another thing to consider here is your MPG or range per tank can deviate using E85 as it is a gasoline/ethanol blend and can contain anywhere from 17 to 49% gasoline depending upon when and where you get it. You might fill up this week and it's 20% gas, but when you fill up in 2 weeks you get 40% gas. The blend ratio also determines the change in MPG and cost/mile.
 
Calicak89 said:
The price is $2.54/Gallon for gas and $2.10 for E85This is suspect to me. Exactly 16.0 and 12.0 respectively?. When I compared them I got 15.8 on 87 octane pump gas and 12.4mpg on E85 in my 2008.

Another thing to consider here is your MPG or range per tank can deviate using E85 as it is a gasoline/ethanol blend and can contain anywhere from 17 to 49% gasoline depending upon when and where you get it. You might fill up this week and it's 20% gas, but when you fill up in 2 weeks you get 40% gas. The blend ratio also determines the change in MPG and cost/mile.

So can we say 12.4/15.8 = 78%, and 12/16 = 75% and if the E85 costs less than 75% of gas then E85 is probably the better buy? A higher gas ratio in the "E85" would only make MPG better.
 
1967DropTop said:
So can we say 12.4/15.8 = 78%, and 12/16 = 75% and if the E85 costs less than 75% of gas then E85 is probably the better buy? A higher gas ratio in the "E85" would only make MPG better.
based on the few times I have tried it, I would say that's an accurate assessment.
 
When I have driven to the Midwest and the price makes it cheaper calculating cents per mile driven, then I load up on it.  Here in Washington they sell it at the same price as regular.  Guess they think a green state means you pay green for bio fuels.
 
The few times I ran it I noticed an average of 5 mpg difference less than running regular fuel. Same routes I take to work also. Not to mention in my truck it actually caused other issues. I'll never run e85 again, but that's just my personal feelings toward the stuff. Just not worth the little bit of savings
 
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