Does anyone use E15 instead of E10?
- Thread starter BigBuck
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I wasn't aware that they had gone ahead with the E15 due to separation issues. Haven't seen it here in Az so far....I know I wouldn't use it.
My Toyota manuals caution against it, including the '08.
None of my vehicles will run right on it. My owners manual for the Versa Note says not to run E15. Of course my F150 won't run with it either. E10 is all either will stomach. So if I am forced to use this stuff by the lawmakers being lobbied to get more distribution of E15 I will be having to buy the more expensive ethanol free fuel on my vehicles. Thanks for nothing DC and ethanol lobby group.
Time for some math. I think E10 has 110300 btu's per gallon and E15 is 108400 btu's per gallon. So 1900 less BTU's per gallon is about 1.722% less energy per gallon. That works out to about 3.6 cents per gallon plus you get the extra point of octane. So yeah, E15 is a better buy at 1.99 than E10 at $2.09 assuming your car can take E15.
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I wonder how many people hit the wrong button.
I bought it once just for fun in my company truck. It was approved for E15. It ran sluggish and got terrible gas mileage. It took about two tanks of regular gas before it ran the same. Irony, it's for the environment, yet it takes more energy to make you get worse fuel mileage. Wonder who came up with that idea. Terrible stuff.
Originally Posted By: Panzerman
I bought it once just for fun in my company truck. It was approved for E15. It ran sluggish and got terrible gas mileage. It took about two tanks of regular gas before it ran the same. Irony, it's for the environment, yet it takes more energy to make you get worse fuel mileage. Wonder who came up with that idea. Terrible stuff.
It's not true that ethanol is produced at an energy loss.
Corn based ethanol is now always better than 2 to 1 anywhere in the USA, and better than 4 to 1 in the midwest.
Sugarcane based ethanol is better than 8 to 1.
Sugar beet ethanol is better than 4 to 1.
I bought it once just for fun in my company truck. It was approved for E15. It ran sluggish and got terrible gas mileage. It took about two tanks of regular gas before it ran the same. Irony, it's for the environment, yet it takes more energy to make you get worse fuel mileage. Wonder who came up with that idea. Terrible stuff.
It's not true that ethanol is produced at an energy loss.
Corn based ethanol is now always better than 2 to 1 anywhere in the USA, and better than 4 to 1 in the midwest.
Sugarcane based ethanol is better than 8 to 1.
Sugar beet ethanol is better than 4 to 1.
Not even available here.
So now everyone with a 2001 and up that wants to save a few cents will be running this. There are lots of vehicles way past 2001 that warn not to use anything more than E10. My 2009 Frontier included.
I've never seen the minimum 51% ethanol label before, just E-85. Does that particular mix usually contain more than the 15% gas in E-85?
BigBuck, where in VA are you? We have a few Sheetz here, but I've never even seen E85, much less E15. Not that I want to... Just saying that is such an odd pump so close to home.
I can't think of any advantage of using E15. I like the label on the pump 'For 2001 or Newer Vehicles Only.' With the exception of Flex Fuel vehicles, how many 2001 and newer vehicles say 15% ethanol is ok? I'll wager a guess... None! So did the government just bypass the auto manufacturers and tell us what fuel is ok? It just seems odd.
I can't think of any advantage of using E15. I like the label on the pump 'For 2001 or Newer Vehicles Only.' With the exception of Flex Fuel vehicles, how many 2001 and newer vehicles say 15% ethanol is ok? I'll wager a guess... None! So did the government just bypass the auto manufacturers and tell us what fuel is ok? It just seems odd.
Originally Posted By: Digital2k2
So now everyone with a 2001 and up that wants to save a few cents will be running this. There are lots of vehicles way past 2001 that warn not to use anything more than E10. My 2009 Frontier included.
That's very true. There are even 2016 vehicles that say very clearly, no E15-E85. I'd suspect that the use of such fuels would instantly void the powertrain warranty. Many vehicles can determine ethanol content very accurately.
So now everyone with a 2001 and up that wants to save a few cents will be running this. There are lots of vehicles way past 2001 that warn not to use anything more than E10. My 2009 Frontier included.
That's very true. There are even 2016 vehicles that say very clearly, no E15-E85. I'd suspect that the use of such fuels would instantly void the powertrain warranty. Many vehicles can determine ethanol content very accurately.
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I have been using E15 for over a year now. Offers virtually the same mpg as E10 in my vehicles, yet is typically priced 5 to 10 cents a gallon cheaper. When prices fluctuate seasonally, I change blends relative to the price spreads. I have used E10, E15, E20 E30, and E85 over the last several years. E85, the price spread hasn't justified its use in my area for a while.
While I have no issues with using ethanol in fuel, I will freely admit that a lot of this stuff is a quid pro quo between government and various interest groups. And not just some corn lobby thing. The greenie crowd and others have a vested interest also. And there is a lot of money that flows from K street to politician pockets over this issue. Both parties.
While I have no issues with using ethanol in fuel, I will freely admit that a lot of this stuff is a quid pro quo between government and various interest groups. And not just some corn lobby thing. The greenie crowd and others have a vested interest also. And there is a lot of money that flows from K street to politician pockets over this issue. Both parties.
Originally Posted By: bvance554
BigBuck, where in VA are you? We have a few Sheetz here, but I've never even seen E85, much less E15. Not that I want to... Just saying that is such an odd pump so close to home.
I can't think of any advantage of using E15. I like the label on the pump 'For 2001 or Newer Vehicles Only.' With the exception of Flex Fuel vehicles, how many 2001 and newer vehicles say 15% ethanol is ok? I'll wager a guess... None! So did the government just bypass the auto manufacturers and tell us what fuel is ok? It just seems odd.
Northern VA. This particular one is in Manassas VA. A couple others by me and I havent been able to check those if they have a similar setup.
I filled with E15 in the Hyundai.
BigBuck, where in VA are you? We have a few Sheetz here, but I've never even seen E85, much less E15. Not that I want to... Just saying that is such an odd pump so close to home.
I can't think of any advantage of using E15. I like the label on the pump 'For 2001 or Newer Vehicles Only.' With the exception of Flex Fuel vehicles, how many 2001 and newer vehicles say 15% ethanol is ok? I'll wager a guess... None! So did the government just bypass the auto manufacturers and tell us what fuel is ok? It just seems odd.
Northern VA. This particular one is in Manassas VA. A couple others by me and I havent been able to check those if they have a similar setup.
I filled with E15 in the Hyundai.
Originally Posted By: mkosem
Never seen it at the pump, buy my car's manual explicitly forbids >10% ethanol.
Our new 4Runner has a E15 and a E85 with a circle and slash through it on the gas cap
Never seen it at the pump, buy my car's manual explicitly forbids >10% ethanol.
Our new 4Runner has a E15 and a E85 with a circle and slash through it on the gas cap
I have been running E85 in our 2011 GMC Acadia with no issues. It seems to run smoother. It is also a DI engine. I also run E85 in my 2002 Silverado 5.3. Basically it has a 26 gallon tank and iput 10 gallons of E85 and then fill up with 93. It likes it as well.
Also run E15 straight in our 2012 Cruze with the 1.4 turbo. Runs great, no issues.
Been using E85 and E15 for over a year now. It also didn't effect my UOA's if anything they improved some.
Also the Sheetz here in eastern NC labels both E85 and E15 for flex fuel vehicles only. It did list the E15 for 2001 and newer but changed it about 7 months ago.
Also run E15 straight in our 2012 Cruze with the 1.4 turbo. Runs great, no issues.
Been using E85 and E15 for over a year now. It also didn't effect my UOA's if anything they improved some.
Also the Sheetz here in eastern NC labels both E85 and E15 for flex fuel vehicles only. It did list the E15 for 2001 and newer but changed it about 7 months ago.
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