| Re: E85 |
Subject: Re: E85 by bogus on 2009/6/20 21:54:42 John, I am not sure I agree with your contention. Ethanol has been added to fuels for about the last 10 years as an oxygenate. This is for emissions reasons. The stuff added PRIOR was MBTE - Methyl-Butal-Terciary-Ether. A real nasty substance that leached out of gas, out of the underground tanks and into the ground water, causing all sorts of havoc. MBTE did contain Methanol, but it was mixed up with isobutylene or something like that. Either way, the specific density was about 10%; still not enough to do damage. As it stands, modern fuels are using about 10% ethanol... where as E85 is 85% ethanol!!! That is a HUGE difference. Also, in nations that used lots of ethanol - think Brazil - they have had a native auto industry for a number of years now. Hense, not so many imports for a market that small, at least imports from the USA. Ford, GM, AMC, Mopar have all had divisions down there. Please note that Ford continued to make the US developed 1966 Galaxy in Brazil until 1983 or so! Interesting, eh? I am not so sure about the 2000 up thing on E85. I have never heard that. Technically, that means all modern cars are FlexFuel compliant. Why don't they advertize this fact? It seems like a good idea... Regardless, his Vette is NOT a 2000 or newer, so putting E85 in it could result in all sorts of issues. |
