docmusolf

anyway to make our cars e85 compatible?

ryoung

Ethanol has only 63% of the <a href="http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=energy%20density">Energy Density</a> of gasoline. Fuel economy and vehicle range suffer in direct proportion.

Since E85 is only ~$0.15/gal cheaper than gasoline (thanks to a $0.50/gal pork-barrel subsidy that makes zero sense), the poor fuel economy also results in a very hard hit to your wallet.

"Ethanol Flexible Vehicles" that can use E85 are listed seperately on page 18 of the <a href="http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/feg2000.htm">2005 Fuel Economy Guide</a>.

docmusolf

he insisted that the mileage was the same. guess he was way off.


Thanks

skiracer

The ONLY beneficiaries of Ethanol in gas are the corn farmers......:-(

ryoung

doesn't notice what would be a much smaller drop in fuel economy. I don't know how anyone could miss the hit from E85.

ryoung

with our money, the tax subsidies.

brittcrowell

Read an article a few years back on converted Ford Taurus's ....

The points of the article that stuck in my mind are:

1. How they had to put in a stainless fuel system because of the corrosion properties of the e85.
2. Bigger fuel tank to get the same range
3. Locks on the pumps to keep regular people from pumping it.
4. 108 octane!

I bet an A8 would run like a scaled dog till the e85 ate through all your fuel seals and your AL manifold.

AL is corroded quite easily except in its purest form.

Britt

ttuling

It need not stay that way

dimitristx

Let's all switch to diesels. After all, they were originally made to run on corn oil.

PTS Power

My soapbox, that is - Ethanol helps the corn farmers? Corn prices are STILL at 1963 levels. Not to mention that actual farm populations have fallen to single digits from even a few decades ago. Note also that farming is the ONLY industry where you buy all of your products at retail and sell at wholesale. I grew up on an official Iowa corn farm, and my folks and brother are still hard at it. You CAN make a living, but it's hard-earned, which precious few people in this country can even fathom. Let's consider for a minute that E85 is 85% non-Mideast oil. What would you be willing to do to take the legs out from under the Oil cartel? Unfortunately, with China and India growing industrially by leaps and bounds, the US will likely fall to a lesser position of negotiating strength over time. Granted, the ethanol process is not as efficient as it should be and could be - but that is being studied and improved on a daily basis. So also is bio-diesel, using soybeans. My business deals with each of these industries up-close and personal. Look at this subject in terms of making the most of what America can really (cleanly) pump out - grain crops - and how can we turn that into a reduction in dependance on foreign oil? I personally burn 90/10 in my A8, V8, Navi, ATV, lawn mowers, etc. Not the best mileage, but it all adds up as I see it.

Next week - have you ever seen the inside of a nuclear spent fuel pool???

Scott B

2003 Navi
2000 A8
1990 V8Q
1981 JD 2940