Does E85 Clean?

[Nick1994]

This is for my grandmother's 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT (Flex-Fuel) w/ 36k miles. It's been sitting since the end of October 2017, was not started or touched until the end of August and it's back on the road now. She got into an accident and we just now got it fixed (minor accident that caused a lot of front end plastic damage, she wasn't hurt).

The van sat with just over 1/4 tank. I poured in a 12oz bottle of Techron and told them to run it down low before filling up.

I don't think they've filled it up yet, was wondering if a tank full of E85 might do some good? I doubt it's ever ran E85 before. It is a flex fuel van. There's a Valero station here with it for $2.36 a gallon, decent price.

 

[Linctex]

That's a pretty well sealed fuel system - anymore, all of them are these days.

I doubt there's any concern for her fuel system.

E85 will strip away some "lighter" varnishes, but not do much for heavy deposits.
That said, there's no harm in filling the tank with E85 - just don't expect much difference.

Keep her tank filled with Top-Tier gasoline, and as long as she never gets a check engine light, there's nothing to be worried about.

 

[Chris142]

Dont worry about it.

 

[Timo325]

Nothing to worry about. Fill the tank to the top and drive on.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted by Timo325
Nothing to worry about. Fill the tank to the top and drive on.

+1

 

[ZZman]

It can do some cleaning.

 

[beast3300]

Originally Posted by Nick1994
This is for my grandmother's 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT (Flex-Fuel) w/ 36k miles. It's been sitting since the end of October 2017, was not started or touched until the end of August and it's back on the road now. She got into an accident and we just now got it fixed (minor accident that caused a lot of front end plastic damage, she wasn't hurt).

The van sat with just over 1/4 tank. I poured in a 12oz bottle of Techron and told them to run it down low before filling up.

I don't think they've filled it up yet, was wondering if a tank full of E85 might do some good? I doubt it's ever ran E85 before. It is a flex fuel van. There's a Valero station here with it for $2.36 a gallon, decent price.

I'm glad your grandmother is ok. As for the van, it's business as usual...just drive it.

 

[jhellwig]

Just drive it. It wasn't sitting long enough to matter.

 

[dave1251]

Was it in Phoenix? If so even with the "wet" year we had there is nothing to worry about.

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

Quote
This is for my grandmother's 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT (Flex-Fuel) w/ 36k miles. It's been sitting since the end of October 2017, was not started or touched until the end of August and it's back on the road now. She got into an accident and we just now got it fixed (minor accident that caused a lot of front end plastic damage, she wasn't hurt).

With that history, there is nothing to clean. The whole fuel system is "hardened" against every possible fuel related issue. I have the same van, (my 8th.). Best one yet. Nothing to worry about, just fuel and go.