E85 Fuel

[Kneejerk Bombas]

It doesn't take a 1.5 gallons of gas to make a gallon of ethanol. There was one major article stating this and he left out other energy benefits you get from making ethanol.

Like what? Huge government subsidies?

 

[Patrick62]

e85 is equivelent to 103 octain gas not the gallon and an half. The problems are it burns faster and hotter than gasoline.

I am not sure about the hotter part, but it burns way faster. Neet part is that it brings a little oxygen with it.

And what do you suppose they run in funny cars on the drag strip??

-Pat

 

[bwalker]

[And what do you suppose they run in funny cars on the drag strip??/QUOTE]
Not ethanol. More like nitro/methanol.

 

[bc_vickers]

There is bookuu documentation on the internet about this fellas so their no reason to argue the fine points. The basics are that the large ethanol plants are most certainly subsidized by the govt.. IMO it's so that they ultimately can control them. Also, if cars, or engines actually, were built to burn ethanol or even shine (180 proof) they would use app. 110% more of it but with less smog causing emissions (I can't remember the exact gases!) Probably about the same amount of C02 but you'll have that as long as you're burning anything. This is why it's in almost all gasoline! The main reason why the engine will burn more fuel is that by its very nature alcohol contains a lot of oxygen. The issue comes in when you're trying to "flex fuel" a vehicle, neither purpose is served to it's fullest. To make use of the extra oxygen you need to bump the compression way up (like someone mentioned previously). With that the power will be very similar to straight gasoline. You can also run a turbo with much higher boost pressures if that's your cup of tea.

Is it a net energy loss producing ethanol? That mystery has been throughly debunked after the writer of the sole report was found to have not included key information on the byproducts of production and the increases we've been seeing in yields vs. inputs. Over 200bu./acre across southern MN this fall. Has anyone ever done a similar study on gasoline and whether or not it's a net energy gain? I suspect not as it's heavily subsidized as well. How bout tobacco, how come that's still being grown if we're not supposed to be smoking it? The tobacco farmers are getting more govt. money now than they were before the lawsuits. The truth of the matter is that the government is running both ends of the market in some cases. They've got their hand stretched out waiting for consumers to buy cigs and gas and then take a small portion of that and pay the producers to keep making it. WTH?

What's the solution? Folks that are able or willing should distill some on their own and power one of their vehicles with it. Same idea as small scale solar/wind electric production. Take a car "off the grid" so to speak. It may not have a very high pay back or break even but in the end it'll make me feel better that I'm not supporting some countries harem. After I wrap up my current house projects I plan on taking a crack at this sort of deal. I've already ran E85 through my old D-17 Allis. I just turned the main mixture screw out until she ran nice. A little gunk accumulated in the sediment bowl and that was it.

I forgot, ethanol and biodiesel are solvents that eat certain seals and such. Expect a few issues here and there but it isn't anything that can't be remedied. On a positive note, after you run them for a while your engine and fuel system will be spanking clean.