e85 while towing any users?

[fordrocks]

I know there is a drop in gas mileage with e85 everyday driving, But if pulling a camper and only getting 10mpg with regular gas. Wouldn't u use e85? Where I live it is .40 cents cheaper. So would u get less then 10mpg if so how bad would it get? It couldn't go under 8 mpg? Im getting my new tt 3-29-13 so haven't had any experience with this. I know my truck gets 15 more hp and 10 more torque which is to consider. I did have a starting problem it started, but took longer. Called dealership to see if they heard of it? Right away said e85 doesn't like cold so I topped off with regular never happened again. So any e85 users while towing? Thanks

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

In the end, it is really a bottom line issue. Which is cheaper to run per mile?

It's up to you to do the math to find that out.

Lets say you can get gasoline for $3.75 a gallon.

$2.62 is the break point for alkie.

Anything more than that and you lose. Anything under and you win.

[esox07]

Geeezz,
I just bought a 2013 Silverado 1500 last night. It is E85 capable like they all are. I have never paid a whole lot of attention to E85 pumps to this point but I have certainly noticed them over the last couple years and don't envision any problem finding stations that supply it in the S. Central Wisconsin area. It sounds like from what I have read is that it is much more common in the Midwestern states where the corn is produced. But I would think it could easily be shipped as is gas and oil. I am undecided if I would give it a go or not. Probably I will at some point. My dealer said the truck will run fine on straight 87 octaine 10% gas or straight E85 or any combination of the two. He did mention that you should run the vehicle for at least a couple miles after changing fuels so that the on board computer has time to readjust the mixture before you stop or it is possible that I would encounter a check engine light the next time I restart the vehicle.
In the end, it is really a bottom line issue. Which is cheaper to run per mile?
Bruce
Bruce

[goducks10]

E85 is not wide spread enough to make any impact on the price of crude. China is one of the biggest drivers of the price of crude. Doubt they even know what E85 is.

There are only 7 E85 stations in Oregon. I wanted to try it just for the heck of it when I had my Flex fuel 5.4 but there were no stations near me. Not sure if having more power was worth dropping my mpg below 8.5 would've been worth it.

If you have that many stations I'd definately try it.

[fordrocks]

Yeah your right! It has created some jobs here and more money stays in the US. No free lunch thoo on e85. Just a thought.

[lbrjet]

Have you ever thought that to produce corn you need diesel in the tractor, pesticides and herbicides that must be manufactured using energy, diesel to transport the corn and energy to produce the ethanol? And then more transportation costs since ethanol can't be piped because it is too volitile. And the lower supply of corn raises the price which flows through to many food products and feed corn which in turn raises the price of beef. There is no free lunch here.

[Jarlaxle]

Yes, it's still out there.

[fordrocks]

In MN were Surrounded by corn so almost all co-ops have it in every town. Something else to think about is e85 uses less oil then regular gas to make. Oil will eventually run out! The less there is and more the demand. The higher prices will go. E85 might not save us money or costs us anymore, but it could help slow the rise in oil prices. Which effects gas, groceries, ext This is one reason synthetic oil is a plus too. Use a little crude rest is additives and it lost longer. Thus saving oil?;-)

[Tystevens]

Do they still sell E85? The few stations I knew of here in SLC stopped selling it over a year ago. I'm not sure if there are any left ...

[Buck50HD]

fordrocks wrote:
I looked in my manual. No warnings about mixing the fuels. Thanks for all the advise!

OK, must have been in the manual for my old 5.3 GM.

[Jimbee]

I have a 2011 GMC Sierra with a 5.3 and it's flex fuel capable. I burn both E85 and reg gas depending on the season. I've found that here in the Northeast (Long Island) E85 is more of a 3 season fuel,as it just doesn't run well when it's 15 degrees out. As I am typing this E85 by me is $3.19 vs $3.84 reg. When I gas up it's typically about a $15 to $20 dollar difference, depending on the price spread at the time of fill up. When I tow I notice only about a 1 to 3 MPG difference with the E85. My only gripe is that there aren't many stations that carry E85 in the Northeast. I also think I remember reading somewhere on the GMC website that horsepower is a little higher when using E85 (335 E85 vs 315 reg.)

[2manytoyz]

My F150 is a flex fuel vehicle, rated for E85. It's hard to find in FL, but we have it on base. It's MORE expensive than E10 fuel here.

I decided to try it. Ford claims a loss of 4 MPG, on hwy, or in town. That's directly from their literature (2010 F150 brochure). My truck has a 5.4L 3V V8, which develops 310 hp and 365 lb.-ft. of torque (Regular gas) ... or 320 hp and 390 lb.-ft. of torque (E85 fuel). A gain of 5 HP, and 25 lbs. -ft of torque, but a significant loss in economy.

I can detect a little more get up and go on the E85. Normally, the engine has a slight hesitation (common). Not so on the E85.

The van at work runs exclusively on E85. Little harder to start in colder weather (in the 30s), but runs fine. The exhaust definitely has an alcohol smell.

According to this website (EPA fuel #s), the F150 does lose 4 MPG in town (10 vs. 14), and up to 6 MPG on the HWY (14 vs. 20): http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymodel/2010_Ford_F150_Pickup.shtml

A 29% loss of economy in town on E85. A 30% loss on the hwy.

In my real world testing, I noticed my fuel economy had dropped from the normal 17 MPG, down to just over 12.

I've not towed with E85. Not readily available here, costs too much initially, and the poor fuel economy makes it a poor choice.

And as far as blending the fuel, this is what Ford has to say: "The 5.4L is also Flex Fuel (FFV) capable, so you can run it on E85 (85% ethanol/15% gasoline), straight gas or any blend of the two." This information also from the 2010 F150 brochure: http://www.ford.com/services/assets/Brochure?make=Ford&model=F-150&year=2010&postalCode=

[JIMNLIN]

fordrocks wrote:
I looked in my manual. No warnings about mixing the fuels. Thanks for all the advise!

Remember we have to run several tanks of E85 to get actual results of 100% E85.

I use my wifes '06 5.3 chevy 1500 flex fuel pulling a 7400 lb work trailer.
On 100 percent E85 it gets 9 mpgs pulling the trailer and 10-10.5 on 100 percent gas.

Not towing out on the highway on E85 = 12 mpgs vs 18 mpg on 100% gas.

What will your vehicle get ??? no one knows till you make your own tests.

I live out so we put lots of miles on a vehicle. I run several tanks to make a mpg average. One tank tells me nothing.

[fordrocks]

I looked in my manual. No warnings about mixing the fuels. Thanks for all the advise!

[BenK]

X2 what Jim said