E85 Vs 89
10-06-2012, 10:45 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
E85 Vs 89
Hey guys since i got the truck i had been wondering how the truck would do with E85 compaired to 89oct that I normaly use. The past two weeks Iv had to Drve to Jefferson City for training for the week. I figured id give it a shot compareing the two.
Before i left to head up there i stopped at the gas station to top the truck off with 89. The Roads on the way there very from flat to very curvey and hilly. Mostly two lane roads where i would occasionaly Punch it to pass someone. I drove anywhere from 55-70 MPH depending on the road. I would say mostly in the 65MPH area. I didn drive trying to get good MPG's, I just drove like I normaly would. on the 200 highway miles it takes to get there i was seing just shy of 19 i was getting 18.9 according to the computer. I was pretty happy with that seeing how hilly and curvey the roads where up there. I was there for a Week driving to the armory and back to the hotel, to eat, to the movies, to the mall, really just where ever i really wanted to go just drove around in the city. My milage had dropped to 16.1 on the truck computer with the city driving. On Friday morning i left to head back home. Once I go home I went straight to the gas station to fill it back up. the Trip was right at 600 miles all together, and the truck computer said 22 miles to empty. I hand calculated and my average MPG's for the whole trip was 17.2. Not to bad i dont thinking seeing how the roads where and how i drive.
When I filled up after getting home I filled it up with E85 and drove around that week end. Sunday i had to leave and head back to Jeff City so i stoped back at the gas station and topped it off with E85. Took the exact same roads and drove the exact same way. on the way up there i was getting 15.9 on the truck computer. after driving around all week pretty much everything the same as the week before my milage dropped down to 13.2 on the truck computer. when friday came around and it was time to head back I stopped and filled up with E85 before heading home. I had useed more fuel then before and there where no E85 stations between there and home and i wanted the test to be right. anywasy drove back and filled up again as soon as i got home. Hand calculated the MPG's it was 14.2 for the average of the whole trip on E85.
So with E85 It was pretty much a constant 3 MPG's worse then with 89.
Now onto the power part. I did notice an improvement on not so much power but the way the truck drove. The computer seemed to be more aggresive with the E85. The throttle response was amazing with the E85. No lag at all. down shifted without hesitation. seemed to hold the gears better and not upshift as soon as it hit 2K RPM. On 89 I cant get the truck to downshift to first ever really. on the E85 i could hit the gas and it would instantly down shift into first. I was actualy very happy rolling between 15-20MPH i punched it and instant down **** and the tires broke lose. then at the top of first around 5200RPM startd to break lose again. then when it shifted into 2nd broke lose again. the truck would do this just about anytime i would try it. I didnt really notice more power, but the truck was way more agressive. Also iv heard people say that E85 makes the truck sound better? I didnt notice any difrence at all in sound.
For me if im going to be going on a longer highway trip i will use 89. For the way i drive most of the time (in town) I will probably use the E85. Its cheaper, and the way the truck drives is just way better with it. plus with 89 on my normal drving rout i get around 13-14 and so far wih the E85 on my normal driving rout im seeing 12-13 so its not enough diffrence in MPG's to not justify useing the E85.
Hope this is clear enough. just figure id do a write up on my experince with E85 vs 89
Also my Truck is 100% stock. 2012 SCab 4X4 5.0 3:55 gear.
Before i left to head up there i stopped at the gas station to top the truck off with 89. The Roads on the way there very from flat to very curvey and hilly. Mostly two lane roads where i would occasionaly Punch it to pass someone. I drove anywhere from 55-70 MPH depending on the road. I would say mostly in the 65MPH area. I didn drive trying to get good MPG's, I just drove like I normaly would. on the 200 highway miles it takes to get there i was seing just shy of 19 i was getting 18.9 according to the computer. I was pretty happy with that seeing how hilly and curvey the roads where up there. I was there for a Week driving to the armory and back to the hotel, to eat, to the movies, to the mall, really just where ever i really wanted to go just drove around in the city. My milage had dropped to 16.1 on the truck computer with the city driving. On Friday morning i left to head back home. Once I go home I went straight to the gas station to fill it back up. the Trip was right at 600 miles all together, and the truck computer said 22 miles to empty. I hand calculated and my average MPG's for the whole trip was 17.2. Not to bad i dont thinking seeing how the roads where and how i drive.
When I filled up after getting home I filled it up with E85 and drove around that week end. Sunday i had to leave and head back to Jeff City so i stoped back at the gas station and topped it off with E85. Took the exact same roads and drove the exact same way. on the way up there i was getting 15.9 on the truck computer. after driving around all week pretty much everything the same as the week before my milage dropped down to 13.2 on the truck computer. when friday came around and it was time to head back I stopped and filled up with E85 before heading home. I had useed more fuel then before and there where no E85 stations between there and home and i wanted the test to be right. anywasy drove back and filled up again as soon as i got home. Hand calculated the MPG's it was 14.2 for the average of the whole trip on E85.
So with E85 It was pretty much a constant 3 MPG's worse then with 89.
Now onto the power part. I did notice an improvement on not so much power but the way the truck drove. The computer seemed to be more aggresive with the E85. The throttle response was amazing with the E85. No lag at all. down shifted without hesitation. seemed to hold the gears better and not upshift as soon as it hit 2K RPM. On 89 I cant get the truck to downshift to first ever really. on the E85 i could hit the gas and it would instantly down shift into first. I was actualy very happy rolling between 15-20MPH i punched it and instant down **** and the tires broke lose. then at the top of first around 5200RPM startd to break lose again. then when it shifted into 2nd broke lose again. the truck would do this just about anytime i would try it. I didnt really notice more power, but the truck was way more agressive. Also iv heard people say that E85 makes the truck sound better? I didnt notice any difrence at all in sound.
For me if im going to be going on a longer highway trip i will use 89. For the way i drive most of the time (in town) I will probably use the E85. Its cheaper, and the way the truck drives is just way better with it. plus with 89 on my normal drving rout i get around 13-14 and so far wih the E85 on my normal driving rout im seeing 12-13 so its not enough diffrence in MPG's to not justify useing the E85.
Hope this is clear enough. just figure id do a write up on my experince with E85 vs 89
Also my Truck is 100% stock. 2012 SCab 4X4 5.0 3:55 gear.
10-07-2012, 10:35 AM
#5
One Bad MoFoMoCo Owner
Yeah, this engine sure does wake up on E85! Better than a tune IMHO, but it cost ya more than the price difference. I reported a comprehensive test of 87, 93, and E 85.
87 will get you between 17mpg and 18mpg city, 93 will get just over 20mpgs city, and E85 just over 13mpgs. Highway will be a little better for each.
It's roughly 8% cheaper to full the tank with E 85, but that tank takes you 20 to 25% less in miles, so it's costing you 12 to 15% more than regular to run E85.
87 will get you between 17mpg and 18mpg city, 93 will get just over 20mpgs city, and E85 just over 13mpgs. Highway will be a little better for each.
It's roughly 8% cheaper to full the tank with E 85, but that tank takes you 20 to 25% less in miles, so it's costing you 12 to 15% more than regular to run E85.
10-07-2012, 10:52 AM
#6
Yeah, this engine sure does wake up on E85! Better than a tune IMHO, but it cost ya more than the price difference. I reported a comprehensive test of 87, 93, and E 85.
87 will get you between 17mpg and 18mpg city, 93 will get just over 20mpgs city, and E85 just over 13mpgs. Highway will be a little better for each.
It's roughly 8% cheaper to full the tank with E 85, but that tank takes you 20 to 25% less in miles, so it's costing you 12 to 15% more than regular to run E85.
87 will get you between 17mpg and 18mpg city, 93 will get just over 20mpgs city, and E85 just over 13mpgs. Highway will be a little better for each.
It's roughly 8% cheaper to full the tank with E 85, but that tank takes you 20 to 25% less in miles, so it's costing you 12 to 15% more than regular to run E85.
10-07-2012, 12:14 PM
#7
One Bad MoFoMoCo Owner
If you are getting 14% less miles and it's 14% cheaper, then you're breaking even, and getting better performance, so that if a no brainer.
Unfortunately, not the same here...
Just be aware that the owner's manual said to run a tank of regular gasoline at least few tanks of ethanol.
Unfortunately, not the same here...
Just be aware that the owner's manual said to run a tank of regular gasoline at least few tanks of ethanol.
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10-07-2012, 12:26 PM
#9
Member
Thread Starter
I was just comparing it on the trip since all the driving was the exact same. I wasnt really after good MPG's Just wanted to see what the diffences would be. For me E85 is the bettter choice, On how i normally drive (pretty much all town drive with a little highway im only losing 1-2 MPG's but the agressiveness of the truck is so much better with the E85 Its worht it for me. I can drive the same amount before i fill up (i dont let it get below half a tank) and actualy save a little bit when i do fill up. its a 75 cent diffrence from 89 to E85 here.
10-07-2012, 12:30 PM
#10
Originally Posted by O2brich
Just remember the only reason E85 is cheaper is because tax payers subsidize it.
Regardless I've seen as low as 12mpg on my 3.7 all city, terrible.
I suppose our leaders want us to be like Brazil. You'll end up with a little gas primer tank to get the engine going then run 100% ethanol.