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E-85 anybody using it?

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NWICY

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Sep 2, 2012
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Had to get a different work truck a while back, just realized it's a Ford 2013 E85 flex fuel. Has anyone been using E85 and what are your experiences with it?
Read the owners manual seems that your supposed to make a blend of the 1st tank.

Have you had any problems plugging fuel filters/ fuel pumps etc....
The truck runs good now and I would hate to mess it up if switching causes problems. TIA.
 
Did you consult with the prior owner to see if they used E85 in it and how it responded to it? Otherwise, my vehicles aren't eligible so I'm not any help
 
8bitnes said:
Did you consult with the prior owner to see if they used E85 in it and how it responded to it? Otherwise, my vehicles aren't eligible so I'm not any help
Click to expand...

No but I could give them a call. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
NWICY said:
Had to get a different work truck a while back, just realized it's a Ford 2013 E85 flex fuel. Has anyone been using E85 and what are your experiences with it?
Read the owners manual seems that your supposed to make a blend of the 1st tank.

Have you had any problems plugging fuel filters/ fuel pumps etc....
The truck runs good now and I would hate to mess it up if switching causes problems. TIA.
Click to expand...
Your message reminded me of the test that the WHO "Big Show " did with ethanol vs. gasoline at the old State Fair race track. I believe they were surprised by the low mileage of ethanol. They tried to spin the story but they didn't bring it back up often. That said, look for a significant reduction in miles per gallon.
 
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Tried it February. 2018 Ford Explorer 3.5L V6. Ran fan for about half a tank and then couldn't get my car started for a couple days. Think it gummed up the injectors. When I did get it started filled it with regular and put SeaFoam in it. Haven't used it since.
 
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My old truck (Chevy) was a Flex Fuel Vehicle. And I used E85 quite a bit in it. I was told with GM that the vehicle's computer would adjust everything required, but they recommended at least a 7 mile drive for all that calculation to take place.

I'm generally pro-ethanol, but I'd be a little wary about putting E-85 in a 10 year old vehicle that never has used it. I'd think you'd want to ease your way into it.

My wife's old car (also a Chevy) had issues with E-85, something to do with the fuel pump. The mechanic recommended to stop using it, and her problems went away. My truck never had that problem. At the time, for my driving habits and routes, I'd need about 40 cents savings to break even.

Neither of our vehicles now are FFV, mainly because they weren't readily available at the time.
 
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I drove work vehicle that required us to use E85. Gas mileage was terrible using E85. Probably enough it offset the cheaper price at the pump.
 
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NickTheGreat said:
My old truck (Chevy) was a Flex Fuel Vehicle. And I used E85 quite a bit in it. I was told with GM that the vehicle's computer would adjust everything required, but they recommended at least a 7 mile drive for all that calculation to take place.

I'm generally pro-ethanol, but I'd be a little wary about putting E-85 in a 10 year old vehicle that never has used it. I'd think you'd want to ease your way into it.

My wife's old car (also a Chevy) had issues with E-85, something to do with the fuel pump. The mechanic recommended to stop using it, and her problems went away. My truck never had that problem. At the time, for my driving habits and routes, I'd need about 40 cents savings to break even.

Neither of our vehicles now are FFV, mainly because they weren't readily available at the time.
Click to expand...

I've been seeing a spread close to a buck sometimes so I was thinking about it, but I really don't want to mess up what is a good running vehicle the good thing is when I would do it I'd burn up 3-400 miles all in one day.
 
buf87 said:
I use it whenever they price it accordingly. Sometimes you can & should find it $1 plus cheaper
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Switching back and forth do you see about a 20% reduction in mileage? My owners manual says 15% so I'm guessing closer to 20.
 
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Right or wrong, I've always been under the impression that any $$ saved at the pump with using ethanol is offset by the reduced gas mileage. Never bothered to actually calculate it out though.
 
I put it in a 2017 Pacifica and it ran terrible. According to the dealer (I took it in for an engine warning light due to the fuel) the computers thought the fuel was too lean.

I’m never buying E85 again; one and done!
 
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nfrine said:
Your message reminded me of the test that the WHO "Big Show " did with ethanol vs. gasoline at the old State Fair race track. I believe they were surprised by the low mileage of ethanol. They tried to spin the story but they didn't bring it back up often. That said, look for a significant reduction in miles per gallon.
Click to expand...
That was my experience.
 
NWICY said:
Switching back and forth do you see about a 20% reduction in mileage? My owners manual says 15% so I'm guessing closer to 20.
Click to expand...
The biggest concern you would have is fuel filters most likely. Ethanol will suck all the water and cut any crap in the bottom of your tank, so if you have a shaky place you buy gas, you will get it all at once.
 
I’ve been told to use E30 in my FFVs. Not much reduction in mileage and a cheaper blend. That’s all I’ve ever used in my ‘19 F150. Traded it for a ‘22 F250 in March but have no idea when delivery will happen, plan on E30 in it unless I can get away with a little more E blend. Sometimes I blend my own concoction with pumps that have several rates. Bought wife a ‘22 Buick & was surprised it isn’t set up for E blends. I’ve never had any problems with E in FFVs.
 
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NWICY said:
Switching back and forth do you see about a 20% reduction in mileage? My owners manual says 15% so I'm guessing closer to 20.
Click to expand...
I dont know how the newer models are but some of the earlier models it was closer to 35-40% reduction in mileage. I looked at using it for a while when things first started coming out with it. But for it to pencil out it needed to be nearly half the price of regular.

I am guessing things have gotten better in recent years with flex vehicles but I still wonder if the price difference is really making up much of a difference when you figure the reduced mileage. Even if it was only a 20% reduction in mileage, at current prices the cost of E85 would need to be at least $1 less just to break even.

So at more than $1 reduction in price for E85 at $4.50+ per for regular/E15, assuming you are seeing around that 20% or less reduction in mileage you may see some benefit. But how much it pencils out to really depends on just how much savings/mileage reduction and the amount of miles you drive.

Just not sure it is worth it, although it may be getting to the point there is some benefit, in past years there just was not enough savings to offset the loss of mileage.

Im curious if someone has real world experience the actual mileage difference in a newer model car, Highway vs City/combined. It would be interesting to know what the current break even point is.
 
NWICY said:
Had to get a different work truck a while back, just realized it's a Ford 2013 E85 flex fuel. Has anyone been using E85 and what are your experiences with it?
Read the owners manual seems that your supposed to make a blend of the 1st tank.

Have you had any problems plugging fuel filters/ fuel pumps etc....
The truck runs good now and I would hate to mess it up if switching causes problems. TIA.
Click to expand...

It's been a while. My 2003 suburban can burn it all. I used E85 for a while. You will get less miles per gallon. DUH! It has less energy in it. At one time I did the math. There was a % cut off where I would buy E85 and when I would stick with E10. I'll say for about a year around here, maybe 5 years ago, the E85 was beating the heck out of E10 and regular for cost / mile. Then something happened and the cost / mile kind of evened out so I went back to E10, because I didn't have easy access to E85. I looked the other day at the prices, in now the closest station to me and it seemed like the cost differential might be large enough to do that math and try it again. I'll see if I have time later this evening to find my spreadsheet on that and give you the numbers I got. someone should be able to give you the equations pretty easily before then. It looks like there are some regular users that don't think it is stupid to do. that makes me feel better.
 
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