The problem with running E85 in a stock car is WOT, Alcohol requires 2x+ the amount of fuel as gas. The car will run fine just cruising around since the o2 is adjusting the fuel mixture but at WOT the ECU is programmed to deliver a certain about given a few variables which isn't going to be enough to support Alcohol unless your car is already running pig rich and then will run slightly lean which it can get by with because alcohol burns cooler which is where alot of it's benefits come in. Spark knock is alot less likely and due to it's higher octane rating allows you to run higher compression (due to static compression or boost) and more timing. If you wanted your car to run it efficiently you'd have to replace your injectors and get a fuel computer to adjust for idle and WOT and change any fuel components that might be damaged by the fuel. A properly built setup running E85 will be more efficient and have more power than a properly built 93 ocatane Gas setup and should be more reliable less problematic since its cleaner and cooler not to mention the oil will not be as contaminated since it's cleaner and any blowby will evaperate.

FFV's suck since they have to compromise between running either. If they start producing E85 only vehicles definately expect better mileage, and will be power powerfull than either other alternative.

As for the comparison of 100 octane gas of 4.75 vs E85 for 2.22 that's about the same since it will take about 2 times the amount of E85 as 100 octane gas when it's burned.

 

Ethanol eats away at rubber seals and certain plastics, which is why people say that it can damage your fuel system. but sometime in the 90's when we switched to E10, all the cars being made since then (early 90's I believe), have been made with rubber and plastics in the fuel system that DO NOT DEGRADE when in contact with ethanol.

Most American cars run a compression ratio of between 8.75:1, and 9.5:1. the 4th gen maxima's run a 10.1:1, Higher compression engines are better with E85.

Yes E85 has less energy density, but it's almost $1 cheaper per gallon then 87 octane (87 is 3.70, 93 is 4.10, E85 is 2.98) here where I live. The E85 conversion kits (which I bought and installed one on my car) are basically a delay box that holds the fuel injectors open for a slightly longer time period, so you don't throw one of two codes:

Closed loop injector pulse width wider then expected.

or

Bank # rich adaptive limit.

if any of you ever do a fuel system cleaning, well most of that is alcohol, or dry gas, because of it's corrosive nature it eats away the BAD STUFF in your engine, making your engine HEALTHIER!!!!

Can you damage your engine at WOT, you could if you sat on it all day long, but the steel sleave that's inside the bore of our engines can handle it. after all, they don't call our engines one of the most overengineered for nothing!

My first tank of E85, my car ran smoother then it has ever run before. as for miliage, I don't know yet, but I'll let you know.

 

AMEN to that!

X 10000000

 

E-85 is 85% of Ethanol, there is nothing to do with octane.
our cars can't handle this amount of ethanol, the seals and pipes are gonna leak.

 

I would like to convert to a natural gas car. Natural gas is cheap as hell, but there aren't any within a decent range of me to pursue it more

 

I would be more worried about burning a valve than that.

 

you know I always forget about the valves

I have an A/F setup so I can watch as I drive. It is slightly lean, which is were it should be, but it's not anything out of the ordinary. I haven't really jumped on it yet, or looked at the WOT A/F. I'll do that later today and let you know how lean it gets.

Does anyone know what the temperature difference is of E85 burning and regular (E10) gas?