MPG with E85 vs. gasoline?

[E.B. Cornburner]

Just curious how many FFV Explorer owners consistently use E85 instead of gasoline in their vehicles, and what your opinions of it are.

So far, I'm still on my first tank since I picked mine up today. Cheap suckers at the dealership never filled the tank, so I filled it with E85 on my way home. Can't beat $1.999/gallon when gas is $2.879! Cost me $36 to fill it from ~1/8 tank! I'm still doing the happy dance about that.

My MPG has been impressive so far I'm averaging 17 MPG in mostly highway driving. Bear in mind I just got rid of a Dodge Durango that had a hard time averaging 17 MPG downhill with the wind to its back, so this is monumental for me.

Performance seems great...No difference noted whatsoever. Only thing is a bit of a wierd exhaust smell. Kind of reminds me of stewed tomatoes!

If I can maintain this kind of mileage on E85, I see no reason to use gasoline. I'm plenty happy with what it's been getting so far.

 

[AMMO_HOOAH]

Just curious on what the conversion involves, and how it affects older ('96) engines.

 

[daprez1963]

no conversion needed on the ones that are FFV.

now, as for the use of E85, I am on the side for it. Anything to get people to start demanding an alternative to crude oil gas. Corn, switch grass, sugarcane etc...whatever it takes.

When i bought E85 on a trip, I used E85 99% of the time. When I found it that is. It was easy for the most part traveling thru the Midwest. I would average 15-17 in the city or 20-22 on the highway with regular gas and when I used the E85 on a 3,000 mile trip, I got 14 in the city and 19 on the highway. Not much of a drop in mpg but I saved a lot in the price. At the time, reg gas was $2.50 and E85 was $2.00. So I lost 10% in mileage but gained 20% saving with E85...so I came out ahead with E85. It did seem to have extra get up and go power going up hills and ran very smooth. I was totally impressed with it. Too bad once I got back home, I had to go back to reg gas and pay the near $3 a gallon. Cant wait till it is sold around here soon.

 

[Kryptonite.]

mpg

I have a 95 Explorer Eddie Bauer And I get about 21 city and 29 highway. no lie. I love my explorer lol gas here in houston is about $2.75 right now

 

[daprez1963]

I have a 95 Explorer Eddie Bauer And I get about 21 city and 29 highway. no lie. I love my explorer lol gas here in houston is about $2.75 right now

odd...ours is $2.71 and we dont live near any refineries....lol

 

[BWilliams]

According to the owner's manual, you can see up to 20% reduction in MPG. I'd like to test that out myself... with 13MPG on 87 regular, I'd like to see if I'd get any savings on E85.

Unfortunately, there are no E85 stations anywhere around here. There are plans to put a refining plant right in downtown Buffalo, but all sorts of groups are opposing it, so it looks like it'll be a no-go. ::thumbdwn::

 

[rrgone]

E. B. Cornburner

Hey, I just got your handle!

Welcome aboard.

 

[daprez1963]

According to the owner's manual, you can see up to 20% reduction in MPG. I'd like to test that out myself... with 13MPG on 87 regular, I'd like to see if I'd get any savings on E85.

Unfortunately, there are no E85 stations anywhere around here. There are plans to put a refining plant right in downtown Buffalo, but all sorts of groups are opposing it, so it looks like it'll be a no-go. ::thumbdwn::

the loss is closer to 10%...the 20% they are talking about depends on the person's driving I guess and also road, tire conditions etc. That is a ballpark figure but after seeing several other people who use E85 and have gotten the same results as mine, I think the 20% is an over-exaggeration, especially from groups that oppose E85...eg oil companies and their goons. I have even seen some get the same or better mpg with E85. Its all a matter of choice. Its hard teaching an old dog new tricks.

 

[E.B. Cornburner]

According to the owner's manual, you can see up to 20% reduction in MPG. I'd like to test that out myself... with 13MPG on 87 regular, I'd like to see if I'd get any savings on E85.

Unfortunately, there are no E85 stations anywhere around here. There are plans to put a refining plant right in downtown Buffalo, but all sorts of groups are opposing it, so it looks like it'll be a no-go. ::thumbdwn::

Your '05 Sport as far as I can tell isn't a FFV. Only the '02-05 4-doors, and the '04-'05 Sport Trac had the FFV option.
Therefore, using E85 in it will make MPG drastically worse and/or may set a Check Engine light for a too lean fuel condition.

Only way to make sure you can use it is to verify the 8th VIN character which should be a "K" if it's a FFV. Anything else means it's not, and E85 shouldn't be used.

 

[BWilliams]

Your '05 Sport as far as I can tell isn't a FFV. Only the '02-05 4-doors, and the '04-'05 Sport Trac had the FFV option.
Therefore, using E85 in it will make MPG drastically worse and/or may set a Check Engine light for a too lean fuel condition.

Only way to make sure you can use it is to verify the 8th VIN character which should be a "K" if it's a FFV. Anything else means it's not, and E85 shouldn't be used.

My '05 isn't the 2-door version, it's a 4-door XLT with the "XLT Sport Package" (Order Code 320A-XLT Sport V6)... to my knowledge, there isn't a 2-door '05. It is an FFV, according to the window sticker on the truck.

(EDIT: information)

(EDIT 2: VIN confirms it... 'tis an FFV)

 

[E.B. Cornburner]

My bad. I haven't perfected all the model year differences yet. Give me about a week on that.

 

[mikeh44]

when i ran e85 mine dropped 2 mpg from 15 to 13

 

[BWilliams]

My bad. I haven't perfected all the model year differences yet. Give me about a week on that.

Heh... quite understandable. I don't get it right half the time when it comes to model years.

 

[E.B. Cornburner]

I'll get there eventually...When I joined the Durango Owner's Club, it wasn't too long before I could spot a Gen I Durango going down the road, and just from minor exterior details, be able to tell what year it was.

I do have a quick question though. When you pop your gas cap off, is there some sort of little metal flapper door in there, or just an open hole? Mine has no flapper door, and I thought that was kind of strange. Did something break on mine, or is that the way they are?

 

[geto]

I have a 95 Explorer Eddie Bauer And I get about 21 city and 29 highway. no lie. I love my explorer lol gas here in houston is about $2.75 right now

I find this hard to believe you get almost 10 MPG better than I did on my 1996 Explorer.

Are you always driving downhill?

 

[briwayjones]

I have a 95 Explorer Eddie Bauer And I get about 21 city and 29 highway. no lie. I love my explorer lol gas here in houston is about $2.75 right now

Did you have your 95 converted over to run on E85?

 

[dkchrist]

Has there ever been a 4.0 flex fuel ranger? How to identify it?

 

[briwayjones]

Has there ever been a 4.0 flex fuel ranger? How to identify it?

Yup, some of them have the FFV badge on the back.

 

[KRAM1]

I have a 95 Explorer Eddie Bauer And I get about 21 city and 29 highway. no lie. I love my explorer lol gas here in houston is about $2.75 right now

My '05 is not even close maybe even going downhill.

 

[BWilliams]

My '05 is not even close maybe even going downhill.

No kidding... I can't even get 15 highway on my '05. How he's managing that is beyond me.