E85 Conversion Kit. Will It Work?

Micah · August 27, 2006

Has anyone had any experience with conversion to e85 ethanol? I was thinking about it for my car because it said it is 105 octane and should cost less and burn cleaner when introduced to my area. There is an adapter being sold on ebay that looks like it might work, but I'm not sure. Here's the link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...em=300007788615

Thanks!

Air Force Rascal · September 29, 2006

Has anyone had any experience with conversion to e85 ethanol? I was thinking about it for my car because it said it is 105 octane and should cost less and burn cleaner when introduced to my area. There is an adapter being sold on ebay that looks like it might work, but I'm not sure. Here's the link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...em=300007788615

Thanks!

You've got to be joking.....

Micah · September 29, 2006

You've got to be joking

Actually, I wasn't. I am interested in this b/c mainly of the oil companys' greed. Its not that I'm not willing to pay the 3 dollars a gallon they have been sticking the american public with, its b/c I don't want to support a cause that is only their own. I have researched this over the past few months and it seems to me that this e85 is a perfectly viable fuel (maybe even more stable than gasoline) and would do three things. It would help our farmers, it would make for a cleaner burning fuel, and it would save money in the long run. There is already a certain amount of this stuff in your gas to begin with (I believe that this is how they increase the octane of gas, but don't quote me on that. I thought I remember reading that somewhere). I would not have made the post if I didn't think it were possible or practical, but I'm still learning. It may be that this fuel should not be used in this car at all. I don't know. I just thought some other people had investigated this alternative. From my understanding, the injector harness merely changes the timing or something. Thank you for the comment, but please, lets be civil; I am not here to make enemies or to ruffle any feathers. It was just a friendly question. Thanks!

BTW, the person saling the adapter said that it would work with my car. It supposedly has been in use in Brazil (of all places). I'm a bit skeptical, though.

bartkat · September 29, 2006

Skeptical is good. Here's a guy selling a black box on Ebay and he wants you to plug some wires into your injector system so you can run a fuel that isn't even available in most places. I don't think I'd trust him or his black box. Besides, if everything worked perfectly you'd just be changing your allegiance from big oil to big corn. It's all big corporations that control the products from source to your gas tank.

Big oil = big corn.

Chevron Technology Ventures intends to work with CalTrans to provide E85 fuel and install the necessary refueling pumps in these locations. Pacific Ethanol, a California-based ethanol production and marketing company, intends to provide the ethanol to Chevron Technology Ventures for the project.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/01/gm...ious_abou_1.php

Micah · September 29, 2006

Good reply. I see what you're saying. Thanks for your honesty. I was thinking the same thing about the box; hence, the reason for this posting. Its not that I don't want to support big industry; I believe, though, it would reduce our dependence on overseas oil. That's all. I understand that big corn = big oil, but the corn (or sugar cane) would be produced here in this country meaning a stronger economy (I think, but I'm no economist). That's all. You gave me a straight forward answer that got me to thinking, which is what I was looking for. I shouldn't plug anything into the car unless it is designed specifically for the vehicle. I'll wait until someone else trys it on their car before I do it to mine. . .let someone else be the guinea pig. Again, thanks for your honesty and civility.

bartkat · September 30, 2006

I looked around trying to find out what GM has done to their dual fuel cars, but couldn't find any real explanation. I expect that since it takes more E85 to get equal power to gasoline, they modified the duty cycle of the injectors and probably the fuel/air ratios. Maybe this is what the guy is trying to do with his piggyback black box. It's an interesting idea though. Back in the 1970's and 1980's Brazil was running almost totally on Ethanol made from cheap sugar cane. This and the fact that oil was scarce and expensive made it economical for them. I always heard though that performance was way down on those particular cars.

Micah · October 2, 2006

I heard the same thing. The box reportedly corrects it. Its a mystery why the gm cars can use either. I don't think that it has a method of detecting the type of fuel in the tank, but I'm no engineer. I'm sure your right about the black box thing and air/fuel ratios. Sounds logical.