I have a 2007 Chevrolet Impala Flex Fuel that I inherited with only 30,000 miles so I have been driving it and just recently started to use the E85 Fuel as I receive a nice discount as part of my work if I fill up with the E85. Currently I am paying about 89 cents per gallon for the use of Flex Fuel. My question is does the use of Flex Fuel require more frequent OCI or can I stick with my current every 5K oil change.
Using E85 Flex Fuel does it require short OCI
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You should be fine. If the fuel system has been using something with booze in it then you should not have to worry about the fuel system either. Booze burns very clean but the btus are a lot lower. Ran it fine in my now deceased 08 Chevy HHR 2.2 . Timing chain tensioner issue.
We only get about a 60 cent discount over using regular and I can see the vapor from 3 ethanol plants on a cold clear day from my house
We only get about a 60 cent discount over using regular and I can see the vapor from 3 ethanol plants on a cold clear day from my house
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Yeah, using up to E85 you will be fine with 5K OCI's. I have used E85 off an on for several years and have run multiple oil samples and never seen a reason to be concerned. If you were trying to stretch intervals out, then I would say run oil samples and verify. But you are doing the same as I generally do and are using 5K intervals. Rest easy and save the money you are at the price you are paying for E85. That is a killer situation I would be very happy to be in.
Sure, mpg's will be lower with E85, but with the lower cost per mile you will be winning big time.
Sure, mpg's will be lower with E85, but with the lower cost per mile you will be winning big time.
My sister's 09 caravan is flex fuel, and it's owner's manual says to do shorter OCI's if regularly using e85. ( The ethanol will actually clean out the fuel system) because of that, she won't run e85 in it if it's available.( Only 1 pump in the county, just went in within the last year....)
Your Impala should have an OLM, which may be able to account for E85 usage
Follow the OLM, it won't steer you wrong.
harvey
harvey
Originally Posted By: JR
Follow the OLM, it won't steer you wrong.
harvey
Really? Then why did GM have to go in and flash the ECM on cars like my 2006 Cadillac CTS because the OLM was taking the oil changes out too far and some folks had experienced catastrophic timing chain failures? They had to cut the OLM calibration to take the oil changes to 1/2 their previous settings. No thanks. I won't trust my oil changes to a set of algorithms that might generally be good, but could very likely be in error.
Follow the OLM, it won't steer you wrong.
harvey
Really? Then why did GM have to go in and flash the ECM on cars like my 2006 Cadillac CTS because the OLM was taking the oil changes out too far and some folks had experienced catastrophic timing chain failures? They had to cut the OLM calibration to take the oil changes to 1/2 their previous settings. No thanks. I won't trust my oil changes to a set of algorithms that might generally be good, but could very likely be in error.
Originally Posted By: mctmatt
I have a 2007 Chevrolet Impala Flex Fuel that I inherited with only 30,000 miles so I have been driving it and just recently started to use the E85 Fuel as I receive a nice discount as part of my work if I fill up with the E85. Currently I am paying about 89 cents per gallon for the use of Flex Fuel. My question is does the use of Flex Fuel require more frequent OCI or can I stick with my current every 5K oil change.
On my new Tundra, which is FF, the owner's manual is crystal clear: the oil change interval must be cut in half if E85 is used. It even states the OCI directly. It presumes the use of TGMO.
So, for normal use it's 10,000 miles. For normal use with E85, it's 5,000 miles.
For severe service (frequent towing, off-road, etc.) the OCI is 5,000 miles.
Use E85 in severe service, it's 2,500 miles.
For your Impala, what's the normal OCI? What kind of oil are you using?
I have a 2007 Chevrolet Impala Flex Fuel that I inherited with only 30,000 miles so I have been driving it and just recently started to use the E85 Fuel as I receive a nice discount as part of my work if I fill up with the E85. Currently I am paying about 89 cents per gallon for the use of Flex Fuel. My question is does the use of Flex Fuel require more frequent OCI or can I stick with my current every 5K oil change.
On my new Tundra, which is FF, the owner's manual is crystal clear: the oil change interval must be cut in half if E85 is used. It even states the OCI directly. It presumes the use of TGMO.
So, for normal use it's 10,000 miles. For normal use with E85, it's 5,000 miles.
For severe service (frequent towing, off-road, etc.) the OCI is 5,000 miles.
Use E85 in severe service, it's 2,500 miles.
For your Impala, what's the normal OCI? What kind of oil are you using?
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Astro14 is correct - rule of thumb for E85 OCI is twice as often as E10. Ethanol is harsh and I wouldn't use it in anything if I had a choice. On the bright side, we don't have to buy the drygas additive in winter anymore - E10 solved that.
Originally Posted By: Kuato
Originally Posted By: bigt61
Astro14 is correct -
As usual!
Yep, 2,500 miles and the TGMO is ruined... RIGHT!
Originally Posted By: bigt61
Astro14 is correct -
As usual!
Yep, 2,500 miles and the TGMO is ruined... RIGHT!
Sometime I think these engineers are lazy, as they just use info. from else where rather than test themselves. And then we are supposed to believe them over anybody else which I heard on here many times. A good exmaple, in my 2003 Chevy Blazer, GM says to change oil every 7500 miles or 3000 miles for severe service. I seen GM used that since the 70's, despite the fact that oil improved a lot since. Consider what the API SN with resource Conserving says: The Resource Conserving supplemental category requires further properties. The former supplemental category, which was called Energy Conserving required only fuel saving properties from the oil. Resource Conserving requires further properties like:
emission system protection
turbocharger protection
compatibility with engines operating on ethanol containing fuels, up to E-85
So use a API SN resource conserving oil and follow the OLM.
emission system protection
turbocharger protection
compatibility with engines operating on ethanol containing fuels, up to E-85
So use a API SN resource conserving oil and follow the OLM.
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Originally Posted By: bioburner
We only get about a 60 cent discount over using regular and I can see the vapor from 3 ethanol plants on a cold clear day from my house
With those vapors heading east, no wonder those Wisconsin Yoopers I've run into lately, are acting strangely these days.
We only get about a 60 cent discount over using regular and I can see the vapor from 3 ethanol plants on a cold clear day from my house
With those vapors heading east, no wonder those Wisconsin Yoopers I've run into lately, are acting strangely these days.
I appreciate everyone responding to my post. Just to provide everyone with more information I am not using the OLM as I just stick with 5,000 mile OCI as I currently have all 3 of my cars on this current regime as it is much easier for me to follow this routine. I use 5W30 Full Synthetic and currently it has the NAPA Full Synthetic from the December end of year sale. Mix use of short trips of 5 miles or less most time with a once a month hwy trip of 300 miles. Still trying to learn more about the use of E85 and how long term use will effect the engine.
Originally Posted By: mctmatt
Still trying to learn more about the use of E85 and how long term use will effect the engine.
My father in law put many miles on vehicle hauling Amish. He bought a Dodge Ram 4.7L V8 Flex Fuel in 2007 brand new and last year he got it to 300,000 miles and retired it. It ran on E85 over 90% of the time. He also did 10,000 mile oil change. The engine was still the original engine in it when he retired it. The problem with trying to learn about E85 is there is a lot of biased anti-ethanol information out there. Don't let anybody tell you that you are depriving poor people of there food, that simply is not true.
Still trying to learn more about the use of E85 and how long term use will effect the engine.
My father in law put many miles on vehicle hauling Amish. He bought a Dodge Ram 4.7L V8 Flex Fuel in 2007 brand new and last year he got it to 300,000 miles and retired it. It ran on E85 over 90% of the time. He also did 10,000 mile oil change. The engine was still the original engine in it when he retired it. The problem with trying to learn about E85 is there is a lot of biased anti-ethanol information out there. Don't let anybody tell you that you are depriving poor people of there food, that simply is not true.
Originally Posted By: Astro14
On my new Tundra, which is FF, the owner's manual is crystal clear: the oil change interval must be cut in half if E85 is used. It even states the OCI directly. It presumes the use of TGMO.
Yes, I think that's industry standard. I know of no OLMs in North America that are calibrated with the expectation that one is using E85.
Ohle: I know you think that E85 is some divine gift and means exceedingly long OCIs and clean everything and magically generated esters in the sump, but none of that, unfortunately, has manifested.
On my new Tundra, which is FF, the owner's manual is crystal clear: the oil change interval must be cut in half if E85 is used. It even states the OCI directly. It presumes the use of TGMO.
Yes, I think that's industry standard. I know of no OLMs in North America that are calibrated with the expectation that one is using E85.
Ohle: I know you think that E85 is some divine gift and means exceedingly long OCIs and clean everything and magically generated esters in the sump, but none of that, unfortunately, has manifested.
Originally Posted By: Garak
I know of no OLMs in North America that are calibrated with the expectation that one is using E85.
GM's OLM can probably account for it, especially since they're so big on flex-fuel, moreso than any other automaker. In fact, dexos was specifically designed for E85 protection
I know of no OLMs in North America that are calibrated with the expectation that one is using E85.
GM's OLM can probably account for it, especially since they're so big on flex-fuel, moreso than any other automaker. In fact, dexos was specifically designed for E85 protection
Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
Sure, mpg's will be lower with E85, but with the lower cost per mile you will be winning big time.
Are you in 'The Tall Corn State' by any chance?
B-I-L is a agricultural economist professor with the Cyclones. He is well aware of the boondoggle subsidies. They've made him and his ilk quite comfy.
E85 definitely does not result in a lower cost per mile in my FF GMC around our 'hood.
I use it because its tailpipe aroma is more pleasant, KR is dramatically reduced, the sexy yellow nozzle is unique and has no evaporation recovery bellows.
OCIs are ~6500 intervals regardless of fuel per OLM.
Sure, mpg's will be lower with E85, but with the lower cost per mile you will be winning big time.
Are you in 'The Tall Corn State' by any chance?
B-I-L is a agricultural economist professor with the Cyclones. He is well aware of the boondoggle subsidies. They've made him and his ilk quite comfy.
E85 definitely does not result in a lower cost per mile in my FF GMC around our 'hood.
I use it because its tailpipe aroma is more pleasant, KR is dramatically reduced, the sexy yellow nozzle is unique and has no evaporation recovery bellows.
OCIs are ~6500 intervals regardless of fuel per OLM.
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: Astro14
On my new Tundra, which is FF, the owner's manual is crystal clear: the oil change interval must be cut in half if E85 is used. It even states the OCI directly. It presumes the use of TGMO.
Yes, I think that's industry standard. I know of no OLMs in North America that are calibrated with the expectation that one is using E85.
Ohle: I know you think that E85 is some divine gift and means exceedingly long OCIs and clean everything and magically generated esters in the sump, but none of that, unfortunately, has manifested.
Lol, show some tests, mine is based in reason and evidence, hehehe.
Are you still looking for that pic of a completely sludge up internals from an E85 engine right?
Originally Posted By: Astro14
On my new Tundra, which is FF, the owner's manual is crystal clear: the oil change interval must be cut in half if E85 is used. It even states the OCI directly. It presumes the use of TGMO.
Yes, I think that's industry standard. I know of no OLMs in North America that are calibrated with the expectation that one is using E85.
Ohle: I know you think that E85 is some divine gift and means exceedingly long OCIs and clean everything and magically generated esters in the sump, but none of that, unfortunately, has manifested.
Lol, show some tests, mine is based in reason and evidence, hehehe.
Are you still looking for that pic of a completely sludge up internals from an E85 engine right?
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