| Re: E85 |
Subject: Re: E85 by jhammons01 on 2009/6/21 1:35:44 http://flexfuelus.com/E85-FAQ Will I hurt a gasoline-only vehicle if I use E85? No, as long as you have an EPA certified flex fuel conversions system installed. All vehicles produced after 1995 are required by law to be ethanol resistant. Some car dealers are spreading rumors and charging $300-$3000 for cleaning out one tank of accidental E85 use. One tank full may cause misfiring and a rough ride. Your check engine light will come on. If you should accidentally or on purpose put E85 in your vehicle, drain the tank, put in regular gas and all will be well. If you use E85 without a conversion kit or non-Flex Fuel capable vehicle for an extended period, you can damage your engine or the emission components. If I have a gasoline vehicle and convert it to alcohol, am I going to damage the engine? No, there have been no reports of engine damage due to conversion with proper technology. In fact, The Flex Box Smart Kit is the only system that uses an alcohol sensor and a microprocessor. Beware of conversion systems that do not use an alcohol sensor. Burning alcohol instead of gasoline has been shown to decrease engine oil contamination and extend engine life. Alcohol burns cooler than gasoline providing additional benefits in terms of engine life and performance. In the early 1980's all auto manufacturers started using parts that were not harmed by ethanol. Today's vehicles are built to withstand the corrosive effects of water in ethanol and gasoline. Any vehicle built since 1985 will have no ethanol related issues. Older vehicles that used more steel in the fuel systems or cork gaskets may have issues from long term exposure to water. Will E85 corrode my fuel system? No, for corrosion to develop high levels of moisture are required. E85 is produced from dry-milled ethanol, which contains less than 0.5% moisture, which is required by law based on ASTM E85 fuel standard. Corrosion requires minimum moisture levels of at least 4% or greater. It is not the corrosive properties of ethanol that can cause damage to your vehicle; it is the water which can rust a vehicles fuel system from the inside out. Todays vehicles (since mid 1980s) have fuel systems which are made to withstand corrosive motor fuels and rust from water. Because most states have gone to E10 or gasohol, we no longer experience moisture buildup in fuel delivery systems. |
