Hey guys Im from Nebraska but I have a question for you Iowa guys. Over here in Nebraska we have several E-85 pumps scattered throughout the state. Most every station has the 10% blend but very few have the 85%. I was wondering if Ford trucks can be set up to use E-85. A guy asked over in the forums an nobody responded. I dont know if Iowa has ethanol or not. Im just assuming you do. Can anybody help me out on this question? You guys have a nice forum over here. I check here once in a while to see whats goin on. Thanks for your input here.

 

Any response would be nice. Surly somebody knows something. Anybody

 

Does Iowa have ethanol... LOL!! Iowa is the #1 state in produce enthanol. Sorry, found that funny.
But to run E85, you need what is called a Flex Fuel Vehicle (FFV). Ford does make them, I think mostly tarus' and rangers. Ethanol burns a lot hotter and its dryer than regular gasoline, and it's a lot less fuel efficicent(e85). But it's a lot cheaper, so it might break even.
Here's a link with some general information, don't know if it'll help you much, but it's some interesting reading.
http://www.iowacorn.org/ethanol/ethanol_10.html

 

I know they must have some around the state vehicles mostly the taurus's are supposed to run on it. I will have to ask some of the DNR guys that drive ford trucks if they are setup to run on E85 since the state is promoting it so much I bet if ford makes it then they would have it on thier vehicles.

 

Actually, Munnesota has Iowa beat for ethanol production at this time. They have more production plants already going, and more pumps. The main difference between a flex fuel vehicle and a regular vehiucle is the computer mapping and the manifold heater for cold starts. As for efficiency, that debate is on going, because the ethanol is not less efficient, under the correct conditions, it is more efficient. The thermal efficiency does not accurately measure the power production, because it is based on BTU's. Ethanol burns more like a diesel, slow and steady, where gasoline is a a quick burst. I have experimented with a multitude of vehicles and put E85 in without modifying them, and had success with it. I did a cold start at 10 degrees below zero one morning, and my Trans Am fired on it. I did, however, find that a Dodge 3.0 minivan just did not run good on it. I have been told that non flex fuel Ford Taurus's don't get very good mileage on it. I haven't had the opportunity to try it on a Ford injection system yet, my success has been on GM injection. All except the minivan have had the same mileage as the regular fuel gave. You could experiment with mixing it to reduce the concentration. The stories about how the ethanol will damage your engine or fuel system are not accurate. Mainly what happens is the computer doesn't like the emmisions signature and throws a code. Some systems don't adapt the spark curve correctly and make for the efficiency troubles. The only way to find out is to play with it a bit.

 

I guess from my experience from talking with guys that have run vehicles that use E85, they told me mileage was horrible. But then I have to take into consideration that they were rangers that the ISU DPS used for the parking **** vehicles, so they putzed around town and sat a lot at idle, that probably doesn't help.

 

Thanks everybody for the responses. We need E-85 in V-10 an V-8s not the taureses an rangers. What burns the most fuel needs it the most. Ive heard a mile or two less for E-85. Hey farmBoy. That was a stupid question. About Iowa having ethanol. Were supposed to have higher corn prices because off it but sometimes I wonder at these prices. Cant even break @2.00. When corn was $5.00 a few years back. The plants were going broke. Us farmers make the plants rich an we go broke. My motto is if its good for the farmers it must be way better for somebody else. Sorry for being off topic there.

 

Explorers from the mid nineties on up I believe can automatically switch computer setup to recognize E85, but they were never given FFV designation. Don't quote me on that.

My girlfriend's dad STILL makes her use 89 no-ethanol fuel in her 91 Exploder. Makes me laugh.

 

WHY??? The prices I've seen, ethanol is $0.10 cheaper than regular, better for the environment, better for the vehicle, and better for us farmers. Why would anybody be against that??? I understand some old cars just don't run well on ethanol, but a '91 explorer should have no problem. The other day I saw a farmer filling up his truck with regular, while the ethanol pump was a foot away and cheaper, why not support your own economy??
It just baffles me sometimes.
Ford150, I don't think we'll see any big price increases in corn anytime soon. I think it'll be more of a gradual increase, as more and more plants get built and the demand for corn increases, hopefully the prices will follow. Now if they only could subsidize biodiesel like they do ethanol to make it cheaper than regular, I'd be one happy camper!!

 

The big reason given to me as to why people won't use ethanol is the claim that it damages the fuel systems, which is pure bull. The early days had methanol added, which is different than ethanol. Methanol is from wood pulp, and quite nasty. It will eat out seals and damage the system, ut with Ethanol, I have seen carbs that have been run for years with zero deposits. Anything built past 1982 was designed to handle 10% ethanol, so that makes it safe for that level and more as long as the rest of the motor and controls will accept it. To run on a carbed vehicle, anything stronger than 20% would need tuning the jets to the mix. The older vehicles weren't quite designed to use ethanol, so a simple carb rebuild would be necessary to get the carb updated. A bit of trivia, the original production vehicles produced by Henry Ford were designed to run on pure ethanol, not gasoline.

 

I've mentioned all that, minus going off on him about the farmer thing =P. Oh well, I've put the Ethanol-blend in a couple times to show her it doesn't matter. We'll see where it leads, he still pays for alot of her stuff so its alright by me. When we're living together I'll be making her claim her dime-per-gallon =).

 

Ive used ethanol in my 96 pickup an 88 car an have not had any issues whatsoever. 130,000 miles on pickup an 94,000 on the car. They run has smooth as they did new. In my older tractors I dont use it but Im sure I would be alright. Thanks for your replies here. An interesting subject

 

I had a chance to talk to a state DNR guy driving a V10 F250, and he said that the chevs are all E85 compatible, and he was sure the ford V8s were, but wasn't sure on the V10 cause it doesn't say either way but they are excpected to use it whenever they are in area that they can get it even in the V10

 

We put it into my mom's 02 Buick, and it ran fine, at least on the corn ethanol, but it threw an emissions code on the potato ethanol from Idaho, but it ran fine on it.