Ethanol E85

[landtoy80]

Many states have E85 (85%ethanol 15% unleaded gas) but Wi doesn't, yet. They are making some ethanol plants right now.
I don't know the $/gal of E85.
Can we convert our motor to run on E85?

 

[SteveLCetc]

Do you mean 85% gas and 15% ethanol? We use that around here in the winter (mandated). Ethanol doesn't give the same punch though, so mileage will drop some, and anyway it's highly questionable it does any good for the environment. Supposedly it's an ADM bs thing to increase their market.

 

[landtoy80]

E85 is 85% ethanol and 15% gas.
Right now it is used in fleets and on some new cars.
I think the $ is less than gas.

I was at a Perto starion in SE WI and they had CNG for $1.46 a gal.
The problem with CNG or LPG in the 80 is storage room. We don't havevery much extra room for the tanks.
With E85 it goes in the gas tank.
I am not sure how long it will be before there is a conversion(or cost effected) for older vehicles to use E85 but at some point we will no longer be able to afford to fill the tank with Arab oil.

 

[scottm]

I've heard several expert commentaries on the fact that all fuel prices go up when one does. When oil prices go up, demand for CNG and ethanol go up, prices rise. Even coal prices rise as the utilities and factrories switch to coal. Solar and wind power providers are able to raise prices and do, they have shareholders and desires to expand. Corn is a joke, even if we take all the food corn and use it for fuel it won't make a dent in the demand for fuel. It would dramatically increase food costs as corn is used in so many foods. I've looked into alternative fuels for my cruisers, they're all expensive to convert and not much cheaper. I've resumed bicycling to my local job when I can, saves maybe a couple bucks a day and a lot of wear on the truck. Let us know if you find a good alternative, I'll happily switch.

 

[SteveLCetc]

Not only is the price of oil going up, but the price of methanol is coming down. Ethanol is not a good choice because of its inefficiency. Conversely, the problem with methanol is that it eats seals in older cars. On top of that, though, plants grow much more efficiently with higher CO2 - that's what they eat, after all... Increased precipitation, increased CO2, cheaper methanol.

http://tinyurl.com/3hz6f

 

[Beowulf]

Hemp Harvesting? I'm startin' to wonder about hanging around with you.

-B-

 

[SteveLCetc]

It gets the 20th century "Pull the Wool Over the Eyes of the Public" award.

http://tinyurl.com/278br

 

[landtoy80]

I don't know much about ethanol or methanol but with race cars/bikes/monster trucks using it there must be a way to get good performance with it on a street/trail/mud/sand/walmart/rockclimber vehicle?

 

[PabloCruise]

This needs to be more places than the 80 thread...

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=37638&highlight=ethanol

Some things to note, a batch of E85 has an octane rating over 100, and you don't need to make it w/ corn. Although I'm sure farmers wouldn't mind making a buck or two after years of being on gov't subsidaries...