E85?

That's forced induction. These motors would lose power, even with the necessary programming.

I'm pretty sure the energy density on e85 is lower, but the octane is higher. That's why you need the larger injectors, and why the turbo/sc cars can make so much power with it.

 

I thought higher octane=less ethanol? Is it backwards? I have always heard the higher grades like 93 called "high octane"

 

Typically all gas station have upto 10% e in all grades here anyway, some stations ive seen have a lower % as u go up in grade, but e85 is about 105 octain due to the alcohol content. Alcohol is used as an octain booster more or les in gas but is not the only additive used to increase octain

 

If you would have seen the inside of the carb on my hotrod with only 10% ethanol in the fuel, you wouldn't want to be anywhere near that stuff!

Ethanol is cheaper, produces less mileage, and will cause a lot of problems in your fuel system. Corn is meant to be grilled and eaten, not run as fuel in your truck......Just say no to corn fuel!

 

Exactly.

 

Oh okay, thanks.

So someone earlier posted E85 was more powerful with turbo and supercharged engines? Well you can put a blower on a Taco so is is harmful then? With necessary modification

 

I dont know all the science behind it but alcohol is a detergent and overtime will deteriorate rubber, but with the proper injectors and fuel pump and lines, benifits can be had. Alcohol is denser than gasoline and also requires more fuel grams per grams of air for detonation, almost twice as much actually. Which means it should run cooler when u pump more fuel in, which helps since turbos and sc produce heat. And premium fuel is needed in most F/I motors and alcohol is higher octain and $1 cheaper a gal than premium around here.

 

Okay, so it really depends on your setup I guess. As for me and most other Tacoma owners I feel the best option is 93.

 

Yeah i run 87 in mine actually with no complants but have plans to turbo soon and since i have to upgrade the fuel system anyway im getting ethonal rated parts. In the long run ill save a dollar a gal with higher octain and only lose 25% fuel economy which still nets me a slightly better fuel cost.

 

So you're going the E85 route? And sweet yeah that dollar is just over 25% of the cost of fuel. Be sure to make a thread!

 

Some do not understand what the Octane Rating number actually is:

Definition: Octane number is a value used to indicate the resistance of a motor fuel to knock. Octane numbers are based on a scale on which isooctane is 100 (minimal knock) and heptane is 0 (bad knock).

The Octane Rating has nothing to do with the energy stored in the fuel. It just defines how much you can pressurize the fuel before it ignites from the pressure.

 

Corn does make for a poor biofuel. Growing and processing switchgrass for ethanol would be far more efficient.

 

It is my understanding that even switchgrass ethanol requires two gallons of diesel to be burnt (tractors, harvesters, transport, etc) for every gallon of ethanol produced. That's not as bad as corn, but why not cut out the middle and just run diesel to begin with? I know, I know, it's not as "green" or something.

 

Ethanol only allows the engine to make more power because more timing can be added. The other drawbacks from it are not worth it.

 

Do not even think about it.

Even if your vehicle CAN use E85, do not even think about it.

$1.80/gallon gets eaten up very quickly because ethanol has 20% less energy content than gasoline. Worse power, worse fuel economy... and maintenance.
Toyota requires 2500 mile oil changes on vehicles that run E85.

Ethanol is nothing more than a political shell game. When the government subsidies dry up, it won't be $1.80/gallon. It costs more energy to produce than you get out of it.

 

Ahem....

 

I believe the estimate was 13:1 for output verse input once the grass is established. Since it's perennial, it only needs to be tended rather than replanted every harvest like with corn. That estimate could drop depending on seasonal rains though.

If you are using an engine optimized for ethanol the only drawback, aside from energy density, is the same as with diesel in the winter. FFVs are only designed to accommodate E85, not to optimize its use.

When the government subsidies dry up we'll finally stop seeing so much HFCS in our food as well. I wouldn't recommend holding your breath waiting for corn subsidies to dry up...

 

Check out the documentary "Pump" available on Netflix. Here's a link to a review of the film that explains the main points if you don't have access to the movie. http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/article...ocumentary-takes-on-u-dot-s-dot-oil-addiction

 

Another item - Toyota (on Tundra) specifies a 2500 mile oil change interval if e85 is used.