Is E85 being Phazed out in your area?

[Roundybout]

I’ve never had an issue finding it on multiple recent trips from MA to TN to FL. My F150 ecoboost loves the stuff. Smaller towns away from major highways that don’t sell enough of it to warrant carrying it might be in play.

I’ve noticed a lot more of the E15 stuff lately.

[tjs44]

My 2017 5.3 Yukon was built as a flexfuel but nothing was on the window sticker.Had to pull the build sheet of the vin to confirm.I’m told like 2014-2018 5.3s were all built as flexfuel but not advertised.FWIW,Tom

[289nate]

In my neck of the woods there are only a few stations that sell it and we are fairly high density of population. Plus we are super stupid liberal southern California Los Angeles County. The people I knew who had flex fuel cars shade away from using E 85 because doing the math was not much price difference And they didn’t want to be at the gas pump all the time especially when they weren’t easy to come by. For hot riding it’s magic. My opinion is that as a solution it cannot be flex fuel it needs to be designed around 85 completely. Then efficiency can go up and make financial sense.

[Caprimaniac]

About 10-15 years ago. There were a gas station here snd there for a couple of years. Hyped in media, but disspeared quicker than…. Here in Norway we can travel actoss the border to Seeden. At least…. It eas available there before Covid. Fading away there too, as I understand.

[n2omike]

Not sure how long it will be around, as it exists ONLY because of government subsidies. The fuel requires more energy to create than it produces when burnt... plus it replaces a LOT of crop lands. Makes zero sense... but is GREAT in boosted applications, so I'd be sad to see it leave. lol

Nearest station to me that has it is 25 miles away. They are making a HARD effort to push E15. It is usually at least $0.50 less per gallon than E10. Sold as 88 octane. Can be run in pretty much any EFI vehicle. I've tried it in my car, and can't really tell a difference between it and E10.

[Bigchief632]

Not sure how long it will be around, as it exists ONLY because of government subsidies. The fuel requires more energy to create than it produces when burnt... plus it replaces a LOT of crop lands. Makes zero sense... but is GREAT in boosted applications, so I'd be sad to see it leave. lol

Nearest station to me that has it is 25 miles away. They are making a HARD effort to push E15. It is usually at least $0.50 less per gallon than E10. Sold as 88 octane. Can be run in pretty much any EFI vehicle. I've tried it in my car, and can't really tell a difference between it and E10.

Exactly this, it's a disaster for the "environment". The amount of fresh water consumed, the cast off waste, the amount of energy required to produce it is over double of what it creates, not to mention all the diesel fuel required to plant and harvest the corn, or sugar grass, or sugar beats, and ship it, etc etc. Not to mention, for the 11% reduction in tail pipe emissions, it requires 30% more of it.

The only thing it was ever good for was cheap race gas. Period.

[Schurkey]

The only thing it was ever good for was cheap race gas. Period.

In that "available at the pump" E85 was only 85% ethanol by accident; and it was deliberately manipulated seasonally from about 65% to about 80% ethanol...HOW DO YOU TUNE THE FUEL SYSTEM for fuel that's perpetually changing?

Either you have the full array of flex-fuel sensors and electronic controls to keep the mixture correct, or you're spending all your time swapping jets at each fill-up.

The sold-in-a-drum-to-racers "race E85" is a stable, predictable blend; but who wants to buy drums of fuel for their daily driver?

The whole works is a politically-driven nightmare having little actual benefit--and plenty of under-publicized detriments--for the economy and environment. In short, it's a Government Boondoggle inflicted on We the People by bought Congresscritters.

Dirtbags.

[Orr89rocz]

The only thing it was ever good for was cheap race gas. Period.

In that "available at the pump" E85 was only 85% ethanol by accident; and it was deliberately manipulated seasonally from about 65% to about 80% ethanol...HOW DO YOU TUNE THE FUEL SYSTEM for fuel that's perpetually changing?

Either you have the full array of flex-fuel sensors and electronic controls to keep the mixture correct, or you're spending all your time swapping jets at each fill-up.

The sold-in-a-drum-to-racers "race E85" is a stable, predictable blend; but who wants to buy drums of fuel for their daily driver?

The whole works is a politically-driven nightmare having little actual benefit--and plenty of under-publicized detriments--for the economy and environment. In short, it's a Government Boondoggle inflicted on We the People by bought Congresscritters.

Dirtbags.

Carb guys may have more of an issue with this, but if you tune for e85, on the leanest side of max power, then any blend down to 51% just ends up being richer with about the same knock index so no real timing changes needed. Just not sure how much richer it gets, im an efi guy with o2 correction. Ethanol does seem to be ok when running richer, doesnt seem to lose that much power until you are way rich. Maybe not as broad a window as methanol but slightly rich wont hurt as bad as it may seem. Just have to try it and see. I get this would be very bad for bracket racers needing consistency.

[Bigchief632]

The only thing it was ever good for was cheap race gas. Period.

In that "available at the pump" E85 was only 85% ethanol by accident; and it was deliberately manipulated seasonally from about 65% to about 80% ethanol...HOW DO YOU TUNE THE FUEL SYSTEM for fuel that's perpetually changing?

Either you have the full array of flex-fuel sensors and electronic controls to keep the mixture correct, or you're spending all your time swapping jets at each fill-up.

The sold-in-a-drum-to-racers "race E85" is a stable, predictable blend; but who wants to buy drums of fuel for their daily driver?

The whole works is a politically-driven nightmare having little actual benefit--and plenty of under-publicized detriments--for the economy and environment. In short, it's a Government Boondoggle inflicted on We the People by bought Congresscritters.

Dirtbags.

True, I'm in a big e85 state, and in the summer, it's usually over 85% a lot of the time, many times even 90+. In the winter, no one is racing, so it's fine that it's as low as 58% or whatever it can as low as in the winter.

With that said, you still need to use a tester, and make sure it's up to snuff.

[stealth]

Just built a Sheets down the road... E85 AND an E15 pump.

I've never seen the 88 octane E15 product anywhere before. (Blue hose)

[BLSTIC]

A turbo direct injection motor would make the best use of E85. Already pretty knock resistant without it, you could keep the compression fairly high for efficiency and still operate on gasoline but wind the boost up with E85 when it's time to do some work.

How come I haven't heard of this happening? I don't mean adjust timing and add a bit. I mean 10psi vs 30psi. There's no particular reason that 350 ft-lb couldn't be done all day on 2.0.

Or do cars with the downsized engines never come with the big boy cooling systems and gearboxes?

[dfarr67]

I don't think it was widely available here in AB if at all.

In Brazil diesel, petrol, alcohol are your choice- alc was 1/2 price of petrol but would only get 1/2 the range.

As far as I know they used corn to make it E85- not a fan of burning potential food.

[Orr89rocz]

A turbo direct injection motor would make the best use of E85. Already pretty knock resistant without it, you could keep the compression fairly high for efficiency and still operate on gasoline but wind the boost up with E85 when it's time to do some work.

How come I haven't heard of this happening? I don't mean adjust timing and add a bit. I mean 10psi vs 30psi. There's no particular reason that 350 ft-lb couldn't be done all day on 2.0.

Or do cars with the downsized engines never come with the big boy cooling systems and gearboxes?

More complexity for oems but it can be done. Flex fuel sensor to know ethanol content can allow high commanded boost levels if onboard air or electronically controlled wastegate. Fuel and timing offsets as needed.

[Roundybout]

A turbo direct injection motor would make the best use of E85. Already pretty knock resistant without it, you could keep the compression fairly high for efficiency and still operate on gasoline but wind the boost up with E85 when it's time to do some work.

How come I haven't heard of this happening? I don't mean adjust timing and add a bit. I mean 10psi vs 30psi. There's no particular reason that 350 ft-lb couldn't be done all day on 2.0.

Or do cars with the downsized engines never come with the big boy cooling systems and gearboxes?

More complexity for oems but it can be done. Flex fuel sensor to know ethanol content can allow high commanded boost levels if onboard air or electronically controlled wastegate. Fuel and timing offsets as needed.

I’ve got a tuned ecoboost and have an E30 tune. That’s the highest I can run without fuel system upgrades. I’d like to run it more often as I test that it’s actually E85 at the pump and mix with 93 octane gasoline to arrive at the E30. Gets to be a pain when E85 is all over the place between 90% and 51% ethanol depending on the season. Marked difference in boost and timing I can get away with compared to my standard 93 octane tune. Without a flex sensor they rely on the knock sensor to pull timing and boost. Eventually I’ll suck it up and upgrade the fuel system and get an E85 tune. I can only imagine how much better that will be compared to E30.

[Bill Chase]

One of the largest, and oldest ethanol plants is within 12 miles of my house. ironically I have to drive 20 miles to get e-85. Less than 6 stations that carry it within a 35 mile radius of me.