LFA951

I usually use Chevron gas, because it has the highest tier rating, but the road to it was closed due to improvements and I did not want to go thru the detours, so I stopped at the Shell which is closer to my place (less expensive too) and put in $30 of V-power Super. As it was pumping I noticed that it said "Contains 10% Ethanol" on the pump. I drove it all week and the car ran better, felt smoother and more powerful. I called Shell and a tech told me that Ethanol is pro Green and that it burns better the fuel, but that there is a 3% drop in fuel economy, which doesn't bother me because I feel the smoothness makes up for it. Has anyone here had any experience with it or know something else the tech might have left out?

Ski

Ethanol also expands less than gasoline, which is why a lot of areas up North, require it in gasoline; read consumer gets a better deal because a hose can expand and cost the consumer $.02 on cold mornings when the ground temp gas hits it. ( I used to help my father-n-laws business out on my time off - I was Gilbarco certified, largest manuf of gas pumps). From what Gilbarco says, Ethanol also "endures" water molecules better than gasoline, ie will spread the molecule out rather than isolate it like gasoline - not sure on that but that's what they say.

LFA951

That explains a lot, I had no backfires all week and there was less smoke on acceleration, the car feels much more stable and happy...

88BlueTSiQuest

I used to always fill my car up at a station that had either 10% or 15% ethanol added, and actually preferred running that. We've moved from that town, and I don't have any where conveniently located to me to run this.

I'd love to convert to E-85.

Maybe some of our chip makers could actually tune for E-85..... Replace the 2 fuel hoses, and call our cars green

Chris White

Thats becasue you are running slightly leaner. APE chips?

Matt Sheppard

I understand most gasoline formulations allot a certain percentage of the mixture as ethanol, Chevron included. Because it is subsidized racing fuel (ethyl alcohol; a primary alcohol), I plan on taking advantage of it by the end of the year via stand alone.

I dont see why a chip board couldn't have a toggle or use the FQS switch on the DME) and have a setting to run E85 and one to run petrol?

Chris White

Ethanol has a very different A/F ratio - you could, in theory, have such a switch – but you would run out of injector capacity if you were running the same boost (unless you swapped to injectors that had +/- 30% more capacity – and then you might have an idle issue on regular gas).

95ONE

For A long time now, Fuel company's have been running this ethanol blend as an alternative to MTBE's.

been at the gas pumps for years.

Matt Sheppard

I see, Chris - One or the other.

Still a chip, 3 bar FPR and 85lb injectors could make full-time E85 possible? Sound feasible?

Rogue_Ant

Completely


-Rogue

333pg333

Bear in mind that it increases wear on any alloy parts.

LFA951

What differences did you notice?

LFA951

Exactly...

LFA951

I called Chevron and they said they don't use the Ethanol in their gas, that's why I'm sticking with the Shell from now on....

nsyr

I've tried the ethonol blend in mine and noticed a 3mpg drop. Doing the math I determined that to get the same mileage it costs 55-60 cents more a gallon. I would rather get what I pay for.