Has anyone installed an E-85 conversion kit?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 9,770
Likes: 0
From: Sahuarita AZ
Has anyone installed an E-85 conversion kit?
I'm wondering if anyone here has tried installing one of the E-85 conversion kits in their C5s. E-85 gas is easily 70 to 80 cents cheaper than regular, and I hear that the octane levels are boosted, resulting in a pretty noticeable difference.
Has anyone tried doing this conversion, and if so, what were your thoughts? Which kit did you install?
Thanks.
Has anyone tried doing this conversion, and if so, what were your thoughts? Which kit did you install?
Thanks.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 9,770
Likes: 0
From: Sahuarita AZ
I guess they are still hit or miss. I have a station about 1000 YARDS away from me that sells E-85. But the nice thing about these conversion kits is they don't require E-85, so if you can't find that type of fuel, then using what you'd ordinarily put in will work just fine.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 577
Likes: 6
From: The Woodlands Texas
Sounds like the Gov't EPA has not approved the kits yet???
http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...s_debated.html
I would be concerned about the corrosive nature of the alcohol. Does the kit include new fuel lines, gas tank, etc...
http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...s_debated.html
I would be concerned about the corrosive nature of the alcohol. Does the kit include new fuel lines, gas tank, etc...
Last edited by mjmc1273; Jun 29, 2008 at 09:14 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 8
From: Belleville Il
No Way would I do it!! #1 Not a lot of it around here #2 The little you saved at the pump would be burned many times over as in a stock car you'd burn almost twice as much. It would be great if you built a special motor for a track car! In a carburetor car to run E85 you have to run jets about 30% larger compared to gas! We are getting about 7 to 10% poorer mileage now due to the 10% ethanol now. No thank you!
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 10,179
Likes: 2,306
From: Wesley Chapel, FL Las Vegas, NV
I put a tank full in my 07 Flex Fuel Avalanche
It was 51 cents a gallon cheaper then 87
My mileage dropped from 16.9 to 11.9 (and I was driving to conserve fuel)
$91 for 26 gal of E85 got me 312 miles.
$104 for 26 gal of 87 gets me 442 miles.
It would cost me $128 with E85 to go the same distance as $104 with 87
So it cost me approx. 23% more per mile then using 87.
So unless they drop the cost to around 30% less then 87 I will not run it again.
btw. No noticeable difference in performance either
It was 51 cents a gallon cheaper then 87
My mileage dropped from 16.9 to 11.9 (and I was driving to conserve fuel)
$91 for 26 gal of E85 got me 312 miles.
$104 for 26 gal of 87 gets me 442 miles.
It would cost me $128 with E85 to go the same distance as $104 with 87
So it cost me approx. 23% more per mile then using 87.
So unless they drop the cost to around 30% less then 87 I will not run it again.
btw. No noticeable difference in performance either
Last edited by Vega$Vette; Jun 29, 2008 at 08:24 PM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 9,770
Likes: 0
From: Sahuarita AZ
I put a tank full in my 07 Flex Fuel Avalanche
It was 51 cents a gallon cheaper then 87
My mileage dropped from 16.9 to 11.9 (and I was driving to conserve fuel)
$91 for 26 gal of E85 got me 312 miles.
$104 for 26 gal of 87 gets me 442 miles.
It would cost me $128 with E85 to go the same distance as $104 with 87
So it cost me approx. 23% more per mile then using 87.
So unless they drop the cost to around 30% less then 87 I will not run it again.
btw. No noticeable difference in performance either
It was 51 cents a gallon cheaper then 87
My mileage dropped from 16.9 to 11.9 (and I was driving to conserve fuel)
$91 for 26 gal of E85 got me 312 miles.
$104 for 26 gal of 87 gets me 442 miles.
It would cost me $128 with E85 to go the same distance as $104 with 87
So it cost me approx. 23% more per mile then using 87.
So unless they drop the cost to around 30% less then 87 I will not run it again.
btw. No noticeable difference in performance either
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Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 668
Likes: 35
From: Lantana, TX
We don't have E85 around me (that I'm aware of at least), so pardon the question. Does it take a few tanks for the car to switch over, or does it recognize immediately when E85 is being used. What happens if you fill the tank half way with both types of fuel? Always have been curious about those questions, not enough to google it but enough to ask when I saw your post 
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 27,141
Likes: 228
From: Lake Michigan's South Shore IN
Here is a quick 2 cents worth on E85:
Reg Unleaded 4.05 gal this week.
E85 at ( readily available at .50 less a gal in my area, however one outlet has had E85 priced at 2.99 gal for the last 2 months )
Have an '07 Tahoe LTZ that has always run on E85. 12.5 mpg reading on the DIC always. Gas milage does suffer, however, paying a dollar less a gallon now, and the idea of a locally grown, renewable, re-growable, product as a fuel source satisfies.
Reg Unleaded 4.05 gal this week.
E85 at ( readily available at .50 less a gal in my area, however one outlet has had E85 priced at 2.99 gal for the last 2 months )
Have an '07 Tahoe LTZ that has always run on E85. 12.5 mpg reading on the DIC always. Gas milage does suffer, however, paying a dollar less a gallon now, and the idea of a locally grown, renewable, re-growable, product as a fuel source satisfies.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 18,401
Likes: 3
From: Retired but working
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Indy cars and drag cars have been using combination alcohol fuels for year, but they are limited a 1/4 mile or 500 miles round and round and after each run they are basically rebuilt.
They do not care about gas milage (for some strange reason).
Brazil (Wh just found massive oil rich areas) have been running PURE alcohol since 1977. Everything that is sold there, including American cars, has been designed to run pure alcohol. With the new oil finds and the fact that they are going to build more refineries means that they will be swappping to gasoline. Why, according to all I have seen and read the alcohol gets way less milage for the money and less bang for the buck. They do use gasoline when they go into the backcountry because alcohol lacks the power they need to get from A to B back there.
They do not care about gas milage (for some strange reason).
Brazil (Wh just found massive oil rich areas) have been running PURE alcohol since 1977. Everything that is sold there, including American cars, has been designed to run pure alcohol. With the new oil finds and the fact that they are going to build more refineries means that they will be swappping to gasoline. Why, according to all I have seen and read the alcohol gets way less milage for the money and less bang for the buck. They do use gasoline when they go into the backcountry because alcohol lacks the power they need to get from A to B back there.
