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

[Caddywhompus]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:

fordrocks wrote:
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

You will loose right at 30%. So if you get 10 on gasoline you will get 6.5 to 7 on E85. It won't work out if you want to save $$$.

I see this misinformation ALL the time. True, you lose some mileage, but 30% is not the number.

Last summer, right after I bought our Expedition, we traveled from our home in SE Wisconsin to Door County with it. At the time, this was about 500 miles of mixed Interstate, county road and low speed stop-and-go driving. We averaged 16mpg combined, running regular 87 octane unleaded.

Last weekend I took the same trip with the same truck and tanked up with E-85 because I figured I would never get as close of a comparison again. Same route netted 14.8mpg running a full tank of E-85.

By my math, that is a loss of 7.5%.

And here's the kicker, last summer the temp was around 75-80 degrees, and we ran the AC the entire time. Last week the temp was 15-20 degrees, and we ran the defroster the whole time. Most people will agree that the temperature drop alone could explain 1-2mpg of lost mileage due to the denser cold air needing slightly more fuel to maintain the A:F ratio.

True, there is less energy available in E-85, but an engine managment system capable of utilizing it will alter the injection and spark timing to make the most out of the 100+ octane rating E-85 carries. In other words, the engine will run leaner and spark will stay closer to TDC because pinging will not occur. (On a typical gas engine, knocks and pings will be detected LONG before a human can hear them, causing the spark to come earlier and the fuel mixture to get rich to protect the engine.)

Think about that.

-Jim

[Buck50HD]

You may want to check your manual but I think you are supposed to try to keep your mix as close to 100% e85 or 100% gas. Don't do the 50/50 thing.

Honestly, I'd try premium for increased performance/mileage before e85. The eco wakes up on it but not sure about the 5.0.

[APT]

Less energy content means more fuel to go the same distance, or lower fuel economy. The price of E85 would have to be less than 3/4 of E10/regular unleaded to break even, along with the lower driving range. Last I noticed, E85 hovers around 85-90% of RUG.

[goducks10]

I think you'll find that with the weight your pulling and the length of your TT (wind drag, forget about the slopped front) that even punching the gas pedal with E85 it's not going to rocket anywhere. Just getting a few more HP/TQ isn't going to drasticaly change your accelleration factor. I went from a 310 hp-360TQ gasser to 350 hp-800tq diesel and yes I have tons more power but it's not like I can all of a sudden light up the tires when doing 55mph with the trailer in tow. I can go faster up hills/ merge into traffic, etc but I still have to be conservitive with my actions. Theres still other cars out there that determine my actions. I garrantee if you have to punch the gas for any reason and have 7000lbs behind you, E85 gas isn't going be the determing factor for your results. If you can save $$$ then go for it.

[fordrocks]

Ok thanks everyone. You may of new all this, but I didn't. This is my first e85 vehicle and camper. Had truck for about 5, 000 miles only. Haven't even got the camper yet. I just thought a more powerful truck gets better gas mileage pulling. Vs less powerful truck struggling to pull. Thats what my granmpa told me. So I thought e85 would play a role in that. Thanks.

[enblethen]

Here we go again!
Most vehicles cannot handle E-85. This is 85% ethanol and 15 % petroleum products. E-85 is designer for Flex Fuel engines not standard engines like in most gas MHs.
The majority of the vehicles can handle E-10 and somewhat less can handle E-15.
Yes, your right foot gets heavier with E-10/E15.

[M_GO_BLUE1]

The 20%-30% drop in mpg will more than overshadow any cost savings you might get from using E85...

[agesilaus]

fordrocks wrote:
Really that's crazy. I'm still going to try it, but not what I expected. I have good luck mixing 50/50. Are you guessing or have you towed with it and got these result? You always lose 30 percent? Different trailer weight has nothing to do with it? I would get about 510 miles a tank with regular and 460 with e85 regular driving. That's not 30 percent is it? Thanks

There is less energy in ethanol than there is in gasoline. Diluting gasoline with ethanol will always give you less energy. And less energy means you have to supply more fuel to go the same speed. Thus you get lower miles per tank. It's plain and simple physics.

[fordrocks]

Thanks turtle. Hope e85 gets cheaper then that sucks. I rather have my money stay in US thoo. I will use it just too get truck specs up and have money stay around US for busting even, but can't if I will lose money. Thanks again.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

fordrocks wrote:
Really that's crazy. I'm still going to try it, but not what I expected. I have good luck mixing 50/50. Are you guessing or have you towed with it and got these result? You always lose 30 percent? Different trailer weight has nothing to do with it? I would get about 510 miles a tank with regular and 460 with e85 regular driving. That's not 30 percent is it? Thanks

No haven't towed with it but it's easy math to do. You have right at 30% less BTU's with straight E85 so you will loose that and even a bit more because of the tune. The more gas you use the better mileage you will get.

I race against people that use alky. Straight meth not eth. On a hot day they will wax us with the same engine on alky. It makes a big difference on a hot day. On a cold day we can run right with them so not much difference in power.

Here is some math for you. It will show you why you won't come out by towing with E85.

Or you can just keep on using E85 and make the corn farmers rich and happy in the US. Your choice. :B

[fordrocks]

I was thinking of money savings. Thats why run it.Have to stop every 2 hours anyways to let someone go to the bathroom. Lol.More hp and torque is always good what if you need to pass? What about if ya pull out in front of someone by accident better get on it or get rear ended. What about merging in too 75mph traffic. You didn't even talk about your experience towing with e85! Have ya? What did I learn from you?:h

[fordrocks]

Really that's crazy. I'm still going to try it, but not what I expected. I have good luck mixing 50/50. Are you guessing or have you towed with it and got these result? You always lose 30 percent? Different trailer weight has nothing to do with it? I would get about 510 miles a tank with regular and 460 with e85 regular driving. That's not 30 percent is it? Thanks

[goducks10]

Why run E85 when you can only tow the speed limit with either fuel? Over the long run on a trip the non E85 guy will keep going past you cause you have to stop for gas more often. I have 350 hp and 800lbs TQ but in a line of cars going down the road we are traveling at the same speed. Only place where I would pass you is in a passing lane going up hill and latter on down the road we would be behind another group of cars. Happens all the time. Only reason for more HP/TQ is to tow a heavier load. If your running E85 and the guy behind you with the same exact setup is running reg, what are you gaining?

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

fordrocks wrote:
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

You will loose right at 30%. So if you get 10 on gasoline you will get 6.5 to 7 on E85. It won't work out if you want to save $$$.