E15 question

[mcnash]

With the EPA trying to push E15 gas, does any one have any info on using E15 in their VUEs?

[far2grumpy]

Originally Posted by mcnash

With the EPA trying to push E15 gas, does any one have any info on using E15 in their VUEs?

Last I heard EPA announced E15 is OK for 2001 and newer vehicles.

I've mostly used E10 since day one in my 2005 V6 ... mileage is not quite as good as regular 87 octane.

There are few E85 pumps in my area so who knows how long it'll take to provide E15 services.

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress...25781F0059E65C

[3 Rings]

We don't have E15 yet in our neck of the woods. I agree that it will definitely lower your fuel economy. Can't wait for that to happen.

What has me more concerned is the affect it will have on my motorcycle. From all the reports I have read, it could be very detrimental to the fuel systems on most motorcycles.

[XRL]

The Ethanol blends will significantly harm your fuel economy, to the point that they actually make you use more gasoline. More proof the government is stupid.

[Chazberry]

Originally Posted by XRL

More proof the government is stupid.

X10 to that! I was crunching some numbers for my cuz who has a Flex Fuel Yukon. Even though his E85 was cheaper, his ¢/mile was higher due to his lower mpg on E85.

[chillin05VUE]

It's ben proven that using E85 makes your mileage go down comapred to straight gas. And with the government pushing for higher mileage vehicles, I don't see how the car companies will be able to accomplish that. Besides the military bases and private companies (which the public can't use), we only have 1 E-85 station that I know of and it's about 25 miles away. But E85 is cheaper, so is propane.

[ricksLS1]

1 station near me sells E85. It is 40 cents cheaper than regular E10 gas. I have watched people that have cars not able to use it put it in their vehicles I believe by accident. The E85 is labeled well.

[BobbyP]

In every market where I travel to that has E85 fuel, I never get a FlexFuel rental. I always get FlexFuel vehicles in the most unlikely areas where you cannot buy the fuel. I always get Impalas with FlexFuel in Texas, but I never seen a single gas station with E85...

Personally I would be reluctant to use higher concentration ethanol fuels in cars not engineered for FlexFuels. I won't be using them in my VUE, if I can prevent it...

It seems to be a conspiracy... They have the cars in the markets that doesn't have the alternative fuels...

The areas I've seen E85 to purchase was Detroit, Minneapolis, and Iowa.

[3 Rings]

In order to keep you from filling up on E15 if your vehicle is older than a 2007, there will be a label on the pump, such as this one:

[What a VUE]

Originally Posted by 3 Rings

We don't have E15 yet in our neck of the woods. I agree that it will definitely lower your fuel economy. Can't wait for that to happen.

It's all about the BTUs. Eth has less BTU output/gal than gasoline. Less BTU=less power=less MPG.

If they REALLY want to make a difference in imported oil consumption, go to straight Eth fueling - like Henry Ford envisioned with his first automobile.

Brazil's been on it for years.

[tackepj]

Originally Posted by BobbyP

In every market where I travel to that has E85 fuel, I never get a FlexFuel rental. I always get FlexFuel vehicles in the most unlikely areas where you cannot buy the fuel. I always get Impalas with FlexFuel in Texas, but I never seen a single gas station with E85...

Personally I would be reluctant to use higher concentration ethanol fuels in cars not engineered for FlexFuels. I won't be using them in my VUE, if I can prevent it...

It seems to be a conspiracy... They have the cars in the markets that doesn't have the alternative fuels...

The areas I've seen E85 to purchase was Detroit, Minneapolis, and Iowa.

That happens a lot to me, too, but I finally got lucky. I rented a 2010 Chevy HHR LS Flex Fuel here in IN for a trip to central TN. I used E10 (all I can get) for the trip down and E85 on the way home. Using the readout on the display, it showed ~31 mpg using E10 and ~24.5 using E85 for essentially the same type of driving. Given the mileage and the (heavily subsidized) cost of E85 where I filled up, it was essentially a wash.

Not looking forward to E15 either, and neither is my outdoor power equipment or motorcycle.

[onefunkar]

my 2007 aura and 2011 kia sorento both cant use e15 or my warranty is voided. at this point unless you can use e85 you shouldnt use e15. see owners manuals. also you will still be able to use e10. the higher the ethonal content the worse for you as a driver. the less the actual gas content the worse the mileage. corn doesnt get the mileage of gas. e15 would have to be alot cheaper to be worth it even if you could use it.

[BobbyP]

A year ago E85 was ~50 cents lower than reg unleaded in Detroit. It looks like the gap is narrowing where E85 was just about 30 cents cheaper.

[GOF]

Originally Posted by onefunkar

my 2007 aura and 2011 kia sorento both cant use e15 or my warranty is voided. at this point unless you can use e85 you shouldnt use e15. see owners manuals. also you will still be able to use e10. the higher the ethonal content the worse for you as a driver. the less the actual gas content the worse the mileage. corn doesnt get the mileage of gas. e15 would have to be alot cheaper to be worth it even if you could use it.

And corn based fuel use more crude to produce. Start with the tractors and trucks using diesel fuel to plow, plant, and move everything and add the fertilizers made from oil plus the energy used to produce the alcohol and we aren't saving anything. Without the government subsidies the cost would be prohibitive.

Hunger always a global problem and we are turning our food into fuel. Seems kinda strange to me. I don't pretend to have the answers to oil dependency, green energy, and feeding the world but this isn't it.

[onefunkar]

agreed but one of the worst parts of e15 is almost no cars can use it without voiding warranty and most people dont pay attention and will use it because it would be cheaper than e10. and the government is telling people they can use it in 2007 and newer which isnt true.

[far2grumpy]

Originally Posted by onefunkar

and the government is telling people they can use it in 2007 and newer which isnt true.

As of Jan 21, 2011 EPA has decided E15 can be used in 2001 vehicles and newer.

There is a link in post # 2 - above.

[GOF]

“Recently completed testing and data analysis show that E15 does not harm emissions control equipment in newer cars and light trucks,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Wherever sound science and the law support steps to allow more home-grown fuels in America’s vehicles, this administration takes those steps.”

Ok, my O2 sensor and catalytic converter are safe. How about the rest of the fuel system?

[onefunkar]

the government decided it can be used but the car companies say not. see owners manuals.

[chillin05VUE]

THere's a guy out there claiming to sell a kit that will convert your car to run on E-85 and that it was approved by the EPA. This is a crock of s***. I contacted the EPA and gave them the web site. They told me that there is no kit available and they haven't put an indorsment on one. They were going to contact the guy and demand that he remove their name off his site or they would shut him down. Now, he has a disclaimer on his site stating that the system is not for vehicles sold in California or vehicles having California emission., which by the way, is almost all new cars sold today. Here's a link to his site:
http://www.change2e85.com/servlet/StoreFront

Here's his video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXajLGqafyk

Here's what Motorweek has to say about it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSdh1PaQ418

[GOF]

There is way more to running E85 than changing the plug and computer. You also need a lot of fuel system and engine work done. Oh, and a source of E85, which I've never seen anywhere around here.LOL