BUSTED: why some of you complain about you car's performance on E85

HoosierRon · 08-06-2008, 05:54 PM

Today in World Opinion: “We are not getting gas that starts out as 87, 89, or 92 [octane]…it is obviously bad for the consumer who doesn’t know any better.”

Quote:

He informed me that in many cases the oil companies are blending the ethanol with gas that is 85 or even 83 RON. We are not getting gas that starts out as 87, 89, or 92 RON and then ethanol added, which we know should improve performance. This would explain why motorists are reporting a greater than expected loss in MPG’s; especially at E85. While this is clearly a way for the oil companies to cut corners and make more money it is obviously bad for the consumer who doesn’t know any better”

davidlane · 08-06-2008, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HoosierRon

Today in World Opinion: “We are not getting gas that starts out as 87, 89, or 92 [octane]…it is obviously bad for the consumer who doesn’t know any better.”

These same consumers, "who don't know any better" are probably the same ones that vote for legislators that "don't know any better" and force junk science/bad solutions on those of us that have a clue. Trusting a free market to work would be far to simple and reduce the possibility of buying votes from the uninformed while keeping their cushy jobs!

jpm100 · 08-06-2008, 08:53 PM

I'm more concerned about what we are really getting with E10. Ethanol is great stuff for making for smooth combustion. Even a little bit can cover up crap gas.

Generous Motors · 09-11-2008, 04:17 PM

Consumers are complaining of lower MPG, and the writer is contributing it to the base gas being of 83 RON??? This is another case the uninformed internet experts, lowering the octane will not effect the MPG, beside ethanol will raise the octane of that base stock 83 RON to well over 93 when it is E85. The loss of MPG is due to the lower BTU's of ethanol over gasoline.

Smaart Aas Saabr · 09-11-2008, 06:50 PM

Yeah octane loss? That doesn't make sense.

**nailhead425** · 09-13-2008, 02:40 AM

While true, 10% ethanol can boost bad gas to 87 octane, in the midwest most of the cheap-gas is either 89 or 90 octane and 10% ethanol.
87/88 octane gas is midgrade, and 91-93 is premium.

If all things are right, about a 5% loss in mileage when using Ethanol blend.
About 30% mileage loss with E85.

vsd · 09-13-2008, 06:23 PM

Lower octane doesn't lower mpg, just as higher octane doesn't increase it. All it would do is cause the engine to knock, and eventually break.

08-06-2008, 08:53 PM	#3 (permalink)
jpm100 Walking Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 9	Re: BUSTED: why some of you complain about you car's performance on E85 I'm more concerned about what we are really getting with E10. Ethanol is great stuff for making for smooth combustion. Even a little bit can cover up crap gas.

09-11-2008, 04:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
Generous Motors 3.5 Liter V6 Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: The Peoples Republic of California Drives: 1968 Malibu 1971 Monte Carlo 1974 C10 Posts: 202	Re: BUSTED: why some of you complain about you car's performance on E85 Consumers are complaining of lower MPG, and the writer is contributing it to the base gas being of 83 RON??? This is another case the uninformed internet experts, lowering the octane will not effect the MPG, beside ethanol will raise the octane of that base stock 83 RON to well over 93 when it is E85. The loss of MPG is due to the lower BTU's of ethanol over gasoline. __________________ If I must walk in another mans shoes to judge him, won't my feet just smell like his ??? Why do the Drive-up ATM's have braillie instructions?

09-11-2008, 06:50 PM	#5 (permalink)
Smaart Aas Saabr 7.0 Liter LS7 V8 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Montréal, Québec Posts: 8,706	Re: BUSTED: why some of you complain about you car's performance on E85 Yeah octane loss? That doesn't make sense. __________________ What will destroy our country and us is not the financial crisis but the fact that liberals think the free market is some kind of sect or cult...That’s not what the free market is. The free market is just a measurement, a device to tell us what people are willing to pay for any given thing at any given moment. The free market is a bathroom scale. You may hate what you see when you step on the scale. ‘Jeeze, 230 pounds!’ But you can’t pass a law making yourself weigh 185.

09-13-2008, 02:40 AM	#6 (permalink)
nailhead425 GMI Staff Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: 85541 Drives: '01 Dodge, '88 3/4T Sub, 3-Nailhead Buicks, Monte Posts: 2,360	Re: BUSTED: why some of you complain about you car's performance on E85 While true, 10% ethanol can boost bad gas to 87 octane, in the midwest most of the cheap-gas is either 89 or 90 octane and 10% ethanol. 87/88 octane gas is midgrade, and 91-93 is premium. If all things are right, about a 5% loss in mileage when using Ethanol blend. About 30% mileage loss with E85. __________________ "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds."-Ralph Waldo Emerson

09-13-2008, 06:23 PM	#7 (permalink)
vsd 6.2 Liter Vortec V8 Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,912	Re: BUSTED: why some of you complain about you car's performance on E85 Lower octane doesn't lower mpg, just as higher octane doesn't increase it. All it would do is cause the engine to knock, and eventually break.

Remove Advertisements Sponsored Links
GM Inside News Forum Advertisement

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode