Been hanging around with my 2003 H2 for some time now. Never posted so here goes. Don't pass judgement as I haven't made up my mind on this whole E85 thing yet and when I say that I mean it. I own 3 Gas/C-stores and am trying to decide whether to sell it or not as well as whether to use it or not. I am just beginning to educate myself on the product and it's benefits and its pitfalls. Any thoughts on it's use in H2's would be appreciated. I ran across this guys website and a product he installed on his H2 to make it compatible E85. The only thing I ask is if you are uneducated on the issue and your first thought is don't put that crap in your truck you are welcome to say it but say it nicely please, as I respect your opinion but if you back it up with fact I would appreciate it a great deal more as I am trying to learn more myself. I am not associated with this guy or this product at all so please don't think that. Thanks for your time. http://www.kicktheoilhabit.org/roadtrip/node/2130.

 

Happened to see a news story on this just the other day. Their take on it was that ethanol isn't the answer. Using corn to make fuel would drive the price for feed through the roof. It supposedly takes almost as much energy if not more to make the stuff than you get out of it as a fuel. For sure you won't get as good mileage from E85 as you will gasoline because of the lower heat content of the alcohol. Most materials/seals aren't compatible with it in the fuel system. Can lead to corrosion and leaks. My opinion is that it wouldn't be worth converting an existing vehicle to use it. If you have one that will run it, go ahead, but learn more about what the pros/cons of this fuel really are. I guess this whole issue will become more and more debated as time goes on and maybe I'm just a fence sitter, but so far, I'm not at all convinced. What does a fueling station need to go through to have this stuff available on site?? Are there any special precautions that are necessary? Doesn't alcohol burn with an invisible flame? Just wondered.

 

I agree..unless your car was engineered for E85 from the get go..you could harm the non compatible car.

 

Two answers: From the station owner stand point. This is what we are looking into at this point. 1. Do we need additional tanks in the ground or do we convert existing tanks (do we loose an existing product, i.e. diesel or premium fuel). 2. your point about safety concerns because it is flamable as gasoline is but at what temp and what are the fumes like. Answer #2 from the consumer end. Corrosion and wear and tear on rubber parts are my main concerns. I am not a tree hugger, hellooooo I own an H2, but I do live 12 miles from what Indiana has now named "Biotown" where they are producing E85 a rapid rate. I do understand the theory of costs to produce and lost crop yields to the fuel rather then to the food source and I don't disagree but now I feel I am getting into the political arena and I really don't want to go there as much as I want to want to look at the pros and cons of the fuel source rather then the political and economical outcomes of the world making a change away from an oil dependant society. Hope everyone understands this. Not trying to be shallow but rather just trying to see if anyone has looked at E85 in the H2. I know the 2007 tahoes and burbs can run on e85 and i think they have the 6.0 motor and that seems odd to me, but I don't know what changes have been made to allow this. Anyone have any info on this??

 

I talked to a guy who was filling up in front of me at the Kroger Gas station last month. He was parked in front of me with his new FlexFuel Tahoe. He said he loved it and that there was no difference in the performance that he could notice. He also mentioned that he could fill up with half a tank of regular and then fill up with E85 if he wished, and that the motor could take any mixture thereof. As we kept talking and I was filling up the H3 at 2.61/gal (and he was filling up at 1.80/gal) we both agreed that at least we were keeping money out of the arab's hands and placing it in American farmer's pockets.

So that was one consumer's view. I can't speak to the technicals involved in Ethanol production. But, it's cheaper to buy, and helps Americans more than it does Arabs. That's 2 in the "win" column for me.

 

Personally..I think Ethanol and bio-diesel fuelsis our answer or at least the safety net from foreign oil dependency...1. The farmers of our country can now produce food fuel at a profit for a change and become something more than a second class citizen..I salute our farmers[sm=usa.gif] And you being in the corn/wheat and soy bean belt should appreciate the hardships that theMa and Pa farmers have endured.

2. It will be a long time before all the cars on our roads will be able to burn E85...So the demand for dino fuels will be around a while longer yet...E85 is 85% ethanol..In it's vaporous state it has basically the same specific gravity as nitrogen (71 % of our atmosphere), so therefore it will foat easier and disipate faster, level low concentrations hanging around to be inadvertantly ignited is minimal...Whereas Gasoline vapor is heavier and will concentrate easier into an explosive mass..In reality, E85 is safer to handle and store than gasoline.

 

Amen Dennis. If it helps Americans and reduces our dependency, and thus our national security risk, on foreign dino-oil, then I'm all for it.

My wife is driving an '01 Accord coupe...I told her the next car we get her will be flex fuel, unless a more practical, cool-looking hybrid comes out in the next 2 or 3 years.