E85 conversion.

[4x4wagon]

searched "e85" came back with "No Results" sooo, I'm asking. anybody ever done the dirty? or in this case, clean?? I want to convert my '83 wagon to run on E85. It is readily available here, as most every (probably 90%) of our gas stations have E85. Seems to be a lodgical thing to do, bump the power slightly while bettering emissions and reducing carbon waste. Also being a carburated car, a fairly simple install. Just rebuild the carb (I see Weber carbs seem to be a popular upgrade) to handle the new fuel. Looking into it as an alternative fuel than just plain old fuel. and with this Hypermilling I have been hearing about, the Tercel should be a good daily driver for the winter with its more than capable 4WD.

[splatterdog]

I would say don't do it. The cheaper fuel also get's worse mileage. Your entire fuel system whould need to be upgraded too. No plastic or stainless steel to found on a terc's fuel system.

And it's not as green as you may think. Ethanol plants consume lots of water and emit polution.

[Neu]

there was a pretty impressive study that was also done. If all of Los angeles cars switched to an ethanol blend of any kind, smog emissions would be 5 to 20% worse then they are now.

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/04 ... tudy_.html Not the same study but it pretty much says the same thing.

Ethanol produces more smog forming emissions, gets worse mileage, needs upgrading, causes erosion in older vehicles.

Bright side? It has a cooling effect when it burns, so some super cars use ethanol...but really there's no point. Oregon actually passed a bill a few weeks/or a month ago that took Ethanol OUT of premium gas.

[Petros]

you would have to rejet the carb, the weber has lots of different size jets available. but I would not do it either, ethanol has about 10,000 BTU per pound, gasoline about 19,000 BTU per pound. So unless the E85 cost about half as much it will cost you more, and the water reteinsion means corrosion in the gas tank, fuel lines, fuel pump and carb. Not a good trade off even it it did not cause more pollution.

[4x4wagon]

currently 89 octane is $2.41, E85 is $1.63, that was today when I went to get gas. at any rate, I have to do some work in my fuel system. its not getting any fuel to the engine.. but that I will take up in another thread. I just figured if I was doing work, I would just go ahead with a conversion. but I think I will just keep it on regular pump gas..

[takza]

Ethanol made $ for a few big ag companies...and that's what it's all about...corporate profits. So there were food riots here and there around the world...that's free trade for you...free for the corps that is....

[teranfirbt]

don't forget that E85 tends to eat aluminum, as in carburetors. To run E85 effectively, you'd have to bump compression to ~12:1 at least, completely rejet the carb, and then figure out how to make the stuff not eat the carb from the inside out.

[Petros]

To save the carb trouble just switch to EFI. or even adapt a TBI set up.

[takza]

On the other hand...an engine designed to run on ethanol would likely be more efficient that current engines due to the high octane rating for ethanol.

[4x4wagon]

^not really. ethanol burns faster than fosil fuels, so you actually get less or about the same mpg. With my friend's '02 Taurus the city mileage is a few mpg short of when using 89 octane rating fuel (with 10% ethanol). As the case with my sister's '00 Dodge Grand Caravan, her highway mpg is one or two grater, and city around the same with E85 vs 89 grade.

the obvious upside to E85 is that it is much cheaper than regular fuel, and has a good power increase for still being pump gas.

[Ron B.]

How many years and miles driven will it take to break even with a conversion of any kind? Suggestion...save your time and money.