Ethanol E85

K

Khkjhkj K

New member
So there has been a lot of hype lately about the ethanlol blend of E85 and a lot of new vehicles are starting to be capabe of using it instead of gas.

So I wanted to know if you could run it in a motorcycle? and if so can you just do it or what modifications would you need to make? Also what would be the pros and cons of using it, any damage to the bike, etc.?

Just curious since I noticed it at a local gas station the other day and the E85 was about 10 cents cheaper a gallon.

Thanks
 
working in the automotive rubber industry, I can tell you the most damage will occur in the rubber fuel lines, and possibly, the seals in the carb.

Ethanol over time will dissolve rubber not made to that specification; which is a different specification than that for regular gas.
 
I have a flex fuel vehicle, but no ethanol around here that I have seen. I did see a 10% blend somewhere, but I don't remember if it was on a trip or local.
Aren't most regular motors capable of running a 5-10% blend w/ no damage?
 
If I check the facts of your post, I'll have to do all of them. I should probably get something useful done today. :-)

Yeah, most vehicles are fine with E10. Around here we have "nonoxygenated" fuel that's legal only for collector or off-road vehicles. Everything else is mandated to use E10.
 
A couple of things I quickly pulled off other sites.....some is a little technical but it explains what the adding the ethanol does.

What is the range of a flexible fuel vehicle?

Response:

Ethanol has less energy content than gasoline. However, E85 also has a much higher octane (ranging from 96 to 105) than gasoline. FFVs are not optimized to E85, so they experience a 10-15% drop in fuel economy. This will vary based on the way one drives, the air pressure in the tires, and additional driving conditions.

E85 is actually E70 in the winter months as to assist in cold starting problems. A listing of when the fuel blend should change is located in the Handbook for Handling, Storing and Dispensing E85.

For comparison purposes, aggressive driving habits can result in a 20% loss and low tire pressure can reduce mileage by 6%. Research indicates Ford FFVs experience a 5% horsepower gain on E85. The range of any particular vehicle is dependent on the size of the fuel tank and driving habits. Current Ford Taurus FFVs have an 18-gallon fuel tank and will normally travel 350 miles between refuelings.

From another site about octane boosters:



One of the basic measures of energy-content is BTU/gallon or Calories/gal. The amount of heat released by any given volume of fuel is directly related to the number of Hydrogen and Carbon atoms in that gallon. Oxygenated fuels that use MTBE or alcohols to have extra Oxygen onboard deliver much less energy per gallon because the oxygen atoms are simply HUGE compared to a hydrogen or carbon. Such fuels tend to deliver less mileage per gallon than non-oxygenated fuels. BUT, they do not deliver less power, because that's more of a function of air-mass ingested into the engine per 4-stroke cycle than fuel (air is tough to cram in, fuel is simple to inject).
 
I see you have a VS800 (S50). The owner's manual specifically tells you not to use it. I don't think saving 30 cents per fill up is a good enough reason to ignore that warning, espcially considering your MPG will drop and erase that savings.
 
Yes absolutely.........unless it's over 20 years old and then there may be a problem with the aforementioned rubber parts.

Ethanol is high octane equivalent because it doesn't detonate as easily as gasoline. It is not likely to "hurt" any engine make in the last 5 years or so but it might run like crap in one not designed specifically to use more than the standard 10% mix.

Also, E85 contains about 10-15% less energy than plain gas so if it does not cost 10-15% less, then it's not a good value. At $4 a gallon, that difference should be at least 40-50 cents.
 
You were doing great ......'til you got here! :roll:

This paragraph is mostly crap.

The mileage and power are both directly related to the amount of energy available in the fuel.

The bit about the size of the atoms...........complete crap.

:ooops:
 
The motor in the VS800 dates to 1986. That's why the VS manual warns against oxygenated fuels, while the newer models do not. Mine runs like crap even on the 5-10% I am forced to buy sometimes when I travel. I was forced to put some 10% mix in my shovelhead the other day, and the darn thing barely ran.
 
Not completely! It also has a lot to so with the amount of oxygen in the burn mix. Even though I didn't write that paragraph I think it is correct, the amount of hp power produced by an engine is more than just the BTU's of it's fuel.
 
Let's not lose site of the original claim.

Kindly explain to me what causes the decrease in mileage if it is NOT less energy (power) contained in the fuel. ????

This is not magic. The total energy IN must equal the total energy OUT.......and oxygen does not add to the total energy, it merely varies the rate at which it is produced.

A given unit volume of alcohol contains less energy than the same unit volume of gasoline. WITHOUT ANY CHANGES IN ENGINE OPERATING PARAMETERS, this results in less power and less mileage.
 
Go to:

National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition

E85 is not designed to be less expensive or provide better mileage. It's purpose is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote independence from foreign fossil fuels.

So, if you're looking for better prices or more fuel efficiency with E85, you're barking up the wrong tree.
 
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