E85 Fuel for the 6L......Anyone using it? what are your thoughts??

[waynebatt]

Hey guys,

Just got a Series II SSV Ute and wondering if any of you guys are running E85 with the 6L's??? if so, how is it going?

Have you noticed much of an increase in fuel consumption? its about 35c/L cheaper than Premium so im wondering if its worth using it as i drive past a petrol station that stocks it every day on my commute to work.

Any info/advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

[bzr]

My advice would be to run at least 1/2 a dozen tanks of 98 & record the price of the kms you totaled with the 98. Do the same with the 85 & apply the same math, my guess is you will be about the same or more out of pocket with the 85. Plenty of tests have been done, I think Drive did the last one with 98 & E85, with the same results. For mine I wouldn't put it in my tank but thats just me as I like my fuel pumps & lines etc.

[waynebatt]

But with the series II's being designed for E85 surely they pump and lines are built to handle it?? might have to do some testing myself and see how it go's....

[one_and_only2004]

But with the series II's being designed for E85 surely they pump and lines are built to handle it??

Considering they market the car being able to run the stuff, I'd say you've got nothing to worry about.

[H4Z4RD]

I ran my SSV on E85 for a couple of weeks. It's nearly impossible to tell if there was any power increase at all, still getting used to a V8 as is. If E85 comes down in price it will be well worth it, but at the moment it's too much for the distance you get from a tank IMO. Hopefully when more servos start putting in E85 pumps the price will start to come down..


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=-33.906732,151.171722

[mkeman2009]

Just curious, how much does E85 cost at the pump? never seen it around my area.

[wortus]

The fuel system won't be damaged by the E85. I read that the fuel system in my VY can handle it, the only issue is the injector pulse is too short for the fuel and the oxygen sensor will indicate lean running and the ECU won't be able to inject enough fuel. Ethanol fuel has a higher fuel to air ratio and the ethanol has oxygen in it and also has a lower calorific value.

[bonners]

I have a mate using it. But he doesn't drive the car that often. But that smell. That oh so wonderful smell.... It's like being at the V8 Supercars

[H4Z4RD]

Just curious, how much does E85 cost at the pump? never seen it around my area.

When I filled up last with it, it was only about 10-15 cents per litre cheaper than 91 RON, from memory that is.

[waynebatt]

Just curious, how much does E85 cost at the pump? never seen it around my area.

Last time i saw it, E85 was about $1.25/L and 98 Vortex was about $1.60/L.....so yeah, pretty big difference. From what ive found out so far, the once you factor in frice difference and reduced economy it works out to be roughly the same usage for either fuel. Very dependant on how you drive it though. Only just finishing my first ever tank with this car, so will do a few more 98's then switch to E85 for a few and compare.....

[krylothe]

According to my local exhaust shop E85 f**ks up your plugs and o2 sensors much quicker then normal (got 58k on the clock and the o2 sensors look like they come out of some rust bucket that been sitin in the paddock for the last 10 years)So i guess its either E85 and replace plugs and sensors sooner or 98 ron and they last much longer!

[kyone]

There have been tests that show E85 is not worth it. Three cars were driven from Brisbane to Sydney and they found that in fact it was more expensive to use E85 because of the shorter distances the car would drive. Secondly E10 is also not worth it when the difference between the standard and E10 was only 2c which is common now. The only real saving is if E10 is 4c cheaper as it was when it originally came out. In this case E10 is the cheaper option.

[burleighboy86]

There have been tests that show E85 is not worth it. Three cars were driven from Brisbane to Sydney and they found that in fact it was more expensive to use E85 because of the shorter distances the car would drive. Secondly E10 is also not worth it when the difference between the standard and E10 was only 2c which is common now. The only real saving is if E10 is 4c cheaper as it was when it originally came out. In this case E10 is the cheaper option.

I would never put E10 into my car. So poor is its economy, and it is just a shit fuel. My sister works at a Coles Express, and reckons it blocks up their pump filters very regularly.

[tomholzy]

if youre tuned to E85 it makes a fair bit more power than 98RON, this is because its actually around 108RON

[bzr]

if youre tuned to E85 it makes a fair bit more power than 98RON, this is because its actually around 108RON

My guess is that at 10.4:1/V8 comp that wont make a bucket load of difference.

[one_and_only2004]

My guess is that at 10.4:1/V8 comp that wont make a bucket load of difference.

You'll still be able to get a few more degrees of timing into the thing though.

[bzr]

You'll still be able to get a few more degrees of timing into the thing though.

True but there goes the fuel economy.

[showxpony]

I've been using it in my Redline Sedan for about 3-4months now. Your choices are Caltex and United. There are slight differences between the two brands which i'll detail below:

Caltex (E-Flex): Is quoted to be 70-85% ethanol depending on the season (the colder it is, the lesser ethanol content in order to ensure perfect cold starts). The lower ethanol content is apparent as it burns a lot slower than the united blend. I average 12.8L/100km @ average of 62km/h.

United (E85 by CSR): Is always 85% ethanol (and has been rumoured to have a little more from time to time). You can 'feel' the difference between this and Caltex's E-Flex; United feeling like it has more power. This would probably be accurate as it also burns faster. I get on average 14.2L/100km @ an average of 60km/h. I've also run my car on a fair dyno with only a VCM OTR and united E85 in the tank and it made 232rwkw with an A6.

A little pros and cons list:

Pros:
- Smells amazing (as noted by Bonners).
- Definitely a power increase (however can be slight depending on the grade/level of ethanol).
- Much cheaper at the bowser.
- Exhaust tips don't get dirty! (That's my favourite part )
- Emissions have very little carbon in them (environmentally friendly)

Cons:
- Burns faster.
- Can be inconvenient to find.

From my basic calculations, assuming E85 costs $1.20 and PULP98 Costs 1.55 (a 35c difference):

E85 from caltex:
costs $1.20 x 70L (a full tank) = $84.
It burns at 12.8L/100km, thus 70L gets you [(70/12.8)x100]= 540km.
$84/540km = 15.5c per km.

PULP 98:
costs $1.55 x 70L (a full tank) = 108.5.
It burns at 10.1L/100km, thus 70L gets you [(70/10.1)x100]= 693km.
$108.5/693km = 15.6c per km.

As you can see, at these prices, E85 is cheaper by 0.1c per km.

Conclusion: It costs exactly the same to use E85 as it does to use PULP 98.



* ALL FIGURES HAVE BEEN QUOTED USING A A6 6L SEDAN WITH AFM ENABLED, A VCM OTR AND A KPM CATBACK. NO TUNE *

[one_and_only2004]

I do wonder how some of this stuff would go in a VZ...

[waynebatt]

I've been using it in my Redline Sedan for about 3-4months now. Your choices are Caltex and United. There are slight differences between the two brands which i'll detail below:

Caltex (E-Flex): Is quoted to be 70-85% ethanol depending on the season (the colder it is, the lesser ethanol content in order to ensure perfect cold starts). The lower ethanol content is apparent as it burns a lot slower than the united blend. I average 12.8L/100km @ average of 62km/h.

United (E85 by CSR): Is always 85% ethanol (and has been rumoured to have a little more from time to time). You can 'feel' the difference between this and Caltex's E-Flex; United feeling like it has more power. This would probably be accurate as it also burns faster. I get on average 14.2L/100km @ an average of 60km/h. I've also run my car on a fair dyno with only a VCM OTR and united E85 in the tank and it made 232rwkw with an A6.

A little pros and cons list:

Pros:
- Smells amazing (as noted by Bonners).
- Definitely a power increase (however can be slight depending on the grade/level of ethanol).
- Much cheaper at the bowser.
- Exhaust tips don't get dirty! (That's my favourite part )
- Emissions have very little carbon in them (environmentally friendly)

Cons:
- Burns faster.
- Can be inconvenient to find.

From my basic calculations, assuming E85 costs $1.20 and PULP98 Costs 1.55 (a 35c difference):

E85 from caltex:
costs $1.20 x 70L (a full tank) = $84.
It burns at 12.8L/100km, thus 70L gets you [(70/12.8)x100]= 540km.
$84/540km = 15.5c per km.

PULP 98:
costs $1.55 x 70L (a full tank) = 108.5.
It burns at 10.1L/100km, thus 70L gets you [(70/10.1)x100]= 693km.
$108.5/693km = 15.6c per km.

As you can see, at these prices, E85 is cheaper by 0.1c per km.

Conclusion: It costs exactly the same to use E85 as it does to use PULP 98.



* ALL FIGURES HAVE BEEN QUOTED USING A A6 6L SEDAN WITH AFM ENABLED, A VCM OTR AND A KPM CATBACK. NO TUNE *

Thanks for the great reply mate. Appreciate it......Will have to give the E85 a try next tank, keen to smell the difference hahaha

[bonners]

If you have been to a round of V8 Supercars recently you have smelt it ;-)

[waynebatt]

If you have been to a round of V8 Supercars recently you have smelt it ;-)

Unfortunately no i havent.....Ive been overseas for a couple of years and have only just got back recently. Before going away i did 10 Bathursts straight haha. Will be makin the trip west again this year for sure. Couldnt think of anything better than driving my new SSV to Bathurst! cant wait....

[TraidMarc]

Well if it smells better and works out the same price & gives you more power, well just if it smells better I'm on to it I heard that the engine note is better as well..........

[showxpony]

Well if it smells better and works out the same price & gives you more power, well just if it smells better I'm on to it I heard that the engine note is better as well..........

There doesn't seem to be a notable difference in the exhaust note (I have an aftermarket exhaust so it's loud enough to pick up differences in). There could be a slight difference on a louder system?

[Cruzer]

I would be happy to give it a workout, but havent yet come across a servo who has it in my travels, but if there is a bit more kick for the same overall price, could be worth it everynow and then.