Need help with E85 fillup.

[HappyHyundai]

I just found an E85 gas station near my home. After living in my city for 20 years, this was the first time I went there. It's Mobil; the pumps have corn pictures all over them.

My car is not compatible for E85, but it runs really wel with E10. I have a 14.9 gallon tank. How many gallons of E85 and 100% gasoline will be needed to make E10?

 

[hillclimber]

Lord, somebody break out an 8th grade math book...

Actually, since I'm bored I figured it out this way:

Let's say you have a 15 gallon tank to fill (I'm rounding to make this easier on my feeble brain). If you want that 15 gallon tank to contain 10% ethanol then you want 1.5 gallons of ethanol in it, right? And a gallon of E85 contain .85 gallons of ethanol. So, 1.5 / .85 = 1.76 gallons of E85.

I think that's right. Another way to look at it is to say 1.76 x .85 = 1.496. Close enough.

Now, as to why you would want to do this... well, that's over my head. If you're happy with less energy per gallon, go for it.

 

[HappyHyundai]

Thanks for the quick reply. I've asked many students from University of Michigan Math department, and they were stumped. I asked my professor just in case.

 

[hillclimber]

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Thanks for the quick reply. I've asked many students from University of Michigan Math department, and they were stumped. I asked my professor just in case.

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Why does this not give me confidence in our education system??

 

[HappyHyundai]

ahahahh!!! USA ranked 25th in education

 

[rshaw125]

The saddest part is we're number one in the amount of money spent on education per student.Not exactly value for money.

 

[Dark Jedi]

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The saddest part is we're number one in the amount of money spent on education per student.Not exactly value for money.

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just because you pour money in to a problem. doesnt mean it will fix it.

 

[oil pan 4]

25th in edumacation.
1st in arms sales.

 

[OriginHacker21]

HappyHyundai - what state are you in? When I drove through Nebraska there were E85 pumps all over. I was tempted to stop but my car isn't E85 approved. I don't know bout everyone but I'd rather buy ethanol (made in USA) than gas (made in _________) (censored for political reasons).

I've compared my car with ethanol vs non-ethanol and I got the same MPG - maybe a hair less with ethanol. Some cars just don't like the ethanol I guess.

 

[hillclimber]

Your car isn't E85 approved but you get the same MPG with ethanol?? How does that work?

 

[HappyHyundai]

Wait wait,, didn't you help me with the simple math question? Maybe you forgot? I wanted to calculate on how many gallons of E85 I should mix with regular gasoline to get E10 gasoline. My car is E10 compatible.

Results: Better cold starting, same MPG and better idle.

 

[HappyHyundai]

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Wait wait,, didn't you help me with the simple math question? Maybe you forgot? I wanted to calculate on how many gallons of E85 I should mix with regular gasoline to get E10 gasoline. My car is E10 compatible.

Results: Better cold starting, same MPG and better idle.

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Oh sorry, You werent' talking to me.

 

[2oldtommy]

A word of caution here--do you know if the 10% allowable ethanol blend is by weight or by volume? I beleive that the major suppliers are blending by weight, not vol. Any experts comments please.

 

[tmorris1]

Be careful because a lot of Midwest states have 10% blends (E10) by law in all fuel sold unless specifically stated on the pump. The reason I say this is that you may already have a 10% blend in your so called 100% gasoline.

 

[WishIhadatruck]

Minnesota requires 10% by law. Michigan eliminated the required labeling of it at the pumps a few years ago so now you can only tell by smelling it (so I hear). Make sure you know what you're buying when you buy regular gas. I hear Minn. is going to push for E20 as the mandatory fuel within a few years.

How does the Ethanol get you better cold starting? It might absorb the water in your gas and keep your lines from freezing but I was under the impression that 100% Ethanol doesn't start well at all in low temps. so it seems that adding 10% wouldn't be a help at all.

 

[tmorris1]

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Minnesota requires 10% by law. Michigan eliminated the required labeling of it at the pumps a few years ago so now you can only tell by smelling it (so I hear). Make sure you know what you're buying when you buy regular gas. I hear Minn. is going to push for E20 as the mandatory fuel within a few years.

How does the Ethanol get you better cold starting? It might absorb the water in your gas and keep your lines from freezing but I was under the impression that 100% Ethanol doesn't start well at all in low temps. so it seems that adding 10% wouldn't be a help at all.

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I think pure ethanol is odorless, so you can't smell it. Moonshine doesn't smell until you taste it... Anyone that can smell 10% ethanol has got a better nose than me. I think you are right about ethanol not starting well in the cold. That is the reason they use 85% instead of 100% ethanol.

 

[psudaytona]

Yup just like hillclimber said, I was bored so I played with the numbers as well.

E85 = 1.75 gallons
Reg = 13.15 gallons

Another way to break this down to figure out a mixture is you need to find your target volume, in this case 10% ethanol in your gas.
E85 is 85% alcohol. 128oz per gallon .85 * 128 = 108.8 oz of ethanol per gallon.
For a 10% mix of eth you want .1 * (14.9 * 128) = 190.72ozs of ethanol in the tank.
190.72/108.8 = ~1.753 or 1.75

 

[beanoil]

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Results: Better cold starting, same MPG and better idle.

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Wrong, wrong, and wrong. Sorry, but eth does nothing for any of the above.