I found this gas station down the street that sells E 85 Ethanol and its thirty cents cheaper! The only thing i'm wondering is if it will screw any major components up
Thanks all

 

I had a friend who ran it in his car, he said that it ran fine on the highway, but around town it ran like crap

 

NO!!!!!!!

Not in a bone stock motor, you'll burn up the valves. I took someones advice, someone that I thought knew what they were talking about and I ran it in mine. It cost me dearly. A complete set of valves, another 3 angle valve job, reset the stem height....OUCH!!

Can you run it in a 4.0L that has been properly modified? Yes you can.

Wide band 02 sensors, and a piggyback module for the PCM that can accept inputs from the new O2 sensors and properly control the injection system.

 

The cost savings are offset by reduced fuel economy. Definately don't run it in an 18 year old vehicle not designed for it.

 

Dang alright. Good i asked.
THANKS!

 

Yeah don't run E85 in any motor not designated by the manufacturer as a Flex Fuel motor specifically for E85. When one runs E85, there is a slight gas milage pentalty...The ONLY reason that my mom runs E85 in her vehicle, is because the family has a farm and the majority of their corn goes to a local ethanol plant; she feels she is supporting our farm and surrounding farms.

 

Man that's awful, Frank...Glad you were able to fix it though.

 

don't forget that the e85 will eat the rubber components(fuel lines, injector o-rings, pressure regulator...) if they aren't compatible.

zedpapa

 

I was just gonna say that...

The alcohol will eat any rubber.
Also, E85 is ~106 octane and is 15% lower on energy. You will lose alot of MPG.

 

Exactly the same. Used E85 without modification and, after a few months, the valves started failing. Now cylinder 2 has no compression. Estimate to have it fixed: $1,200.

The rubber is not a problem, though. If I am not wrong, manufacturers stopped using rubber in the early 90s...

 

e85 can be run like said above with proper mods, but again like said above not really worth it as you need ruffly 30% more e85 to equal normal gas, thats why the valves go because engine is running even leaner then amc/chrysler made them already, I run it in my 240sx just because its better with my turbo setup but i also run 1000cc injectors

 

That stuff is pure crap.

 

True. I live in the middle of farm country and much of the production of corn is going to an ethanol plant in Marysville, MI about an hour away.

But there are bigger issues...like all the local farmers are cutting down what remains of standing timber to plant corn to feed the ethanol plant...that uses MORE energy to produce a gallon of ethanol that the ehtanol provides.

Second, the gas mileage penalty is not "small", it's 15%. So, if a $3 gallon of gas gets you 20 MPG, a $2.70 gallon of E85 gets you 17 MPG. Basic arithmetic will tell you that the mileage PENALTY is 50% greater than the savings.

Ethanol is a very bad deal for everyone. It is a political gesture and, in Michigan, it is particularly bad because it is causing farmers to move out of other more important cash crops (soybeans, beets, wheat, barley, and even alfalfa). The only good ethanol has done is to make some brainless politicians feel like they "left their mark". They did...but it's a skidmark.

 

This.

 

So I finally decided to bite the bullet and have the engine fixed.

To my surprise, when we opened it, it turned out that the valves where perfectly fine. The lack of compression was due to a cracked head gasket (between cylinders 2 and 3).

I still blame E85, but it is interesting that the valves were not warped at all. FrankZ, did you have any problem with your head gasket?