FFV engine (if equipped)

If your vehicle is flex fuel capable, it is designed to use Fuel Ethanol
(Ed75–Ed85), “Regular” unleaded gasoline or any mixture of the two
fuels.
Use of other fuels such as Fuel Methanol may cause powertrain
damage, a loss of vehicle performance, and your warranty may be
invalidated.
It is best not to alternate repeatedly between gasoline and E85. If you do
switch fuels, it is recommended that you add as much fuel as
possible—at least half a tank. Do not add less than five gallons (18.9L)
when refueling. You should drive the vehicle immediately after refueling
for at least 5 miles (8 km) to allow the vehicle to adapt to the change in
ethanol concentration.

If you exclusively use E85 fuel, it is recommended to fill the fuel tank
with regular unleaded gasoline at each scheduled oil change.

Fuel quality
Unleaded gasoline engines
If you experience starting, rough idle or hesitation driveability problems
during a cold start, try a different brand of “Regular” unleaded gasoline.
“Premium” unleaded gasoline is not recommended for vehicles designed
to use “Regular” unleaded gasoline because it may cause these problems
to become more pronounced. If the problems persist, see your
authorized dealer.
FFV engines
If you experience starting, rough idle or hesitation driveability problems
during a cold start, try a different brand of E85 fuel. If the driveability
problems continue, fill the vehicle with regular unleaded gasoline and
drive vehicle normally until gasoline is used. See your authorized dealer
if the problem persists.

87 (R+M)/2 METHOD

Maintenance and Specifications
394

2011 F-150 (f12)
Owners Guide, 2nd Printing
USA (fus)



Don't believe everything you hear from a car salesman...

 

Fuel prices are starting to make the E-85 worth considering here in Iowa.

This morning on my drive for work through central Iowa:

E-85 $2.55
E-10 $3.47 (89 octane)

Another $0.10-0.15 difference and I'll try a few thousand miles of E-85 to compare average fuel economy. Here in Iowa this winter, I've been averaging 13.83mpg for the last 4500 miles. As long as I average over 10.16 mpg on the E85 my operating cost should drop. We'll see...

IowaAndy

 

If they resist tying the price of E85 to reg gas, the savings should already be there. I just wonder if E85 prices will start to creep up as the demand creeps up too.

 

Not to split hairs, but it would actually be E47.5.

 

 

I'm pretty sure they are raising E-85 prices slowly but surely behind the fuel prices. They are up since the last time in January when I checked pricing.

IowaAndy

 

It has to go up some, because it *IS* 15% gasoline.........and ethanol refining/delivery costs go up when the price of oil goes up.

 

Just seems like they keep straddling that line of cost/benefit, not making it obviously more attractive. If they were smarter, they would keep it low enough to be noticeably cheaper per mile than reg gas.

 

The only reason E85 is as cheap as it is is because of government subsidies on ethanol production. If there were no subsidies, ethanol would cost MORE than gas. With the dangerous financial condition of the government now, the last thing they should be doing is increasing the subsidies.

 

Ethanol has been a proven failure but has been continued because of Iowa primaries and the fear of losing votes.

Taken from http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Ener...Snake-Oil.html

"Ethanol is the greatest bust in the history of this country joining the ranks of the Edsel, New Coke, the USFL and Ishtar -- all are great names in failure, but none can compare to the sweeping and encompassing flop that is ethanol. Ethanol disappoints functionally, economically, socially, and, perhaps worst of all, ecologically."

 

Agreed no one messes with Ethanol because the biggest US producer is Iowa from corn, if you loose the straw polls in Iowa chances are you will have a hard time getting funding from your party and constituents for the real election ahead. So politicians who someday want the oval will always vote for it even though many know or think it's a waste. Pork barrel politics is alive and well, or at least corn barrel politics... (Or corn ball, you decide)

Now there are some ethanol production methods and plants that are much more efficient and produce it from biomass or sugar cane especially down in Brazil where E85 is the norm vs regular gas. We are nowhere near there yet and in the part of MD where I live you cannot find E85 or "Gasohol" anywhere. I think we have a better chance of seeing rapid charge stations or Hydrogen for fuel cell fill ups around here before we see E85 at every pump.

Gas should be cheaper than it is no doubt, why for example has it gone up an average of $.33 in the past 2 weeks? Speculation of what *might* happen, not the actual conditions of the market itself. Sometimes I feel they are just testing us to see what the market will bear, they oil companies are definitely not loosing money any way you look at it.

 

Yeah, I realize all of that. My point is, if they are going to subsidize it, why not make it an obviously cheaper alternative to gas? As it stands, the cost benefit is nearly even. I guess the obvious answer, as you hinted, is that they really don't want to sell very much of it.

As far as the political side of the issue, subsidizing it in itself is not an inherent evil IMO. Electricity, water power with dams, the internet... etc etc etc etc... were all once subsidized technologies. They all make huge amounts of money now and are central to society running. The reason you pay now for ethanal tech is that you can reap the rewards later when gas finally runs out or ethanol actually becomes cheaper to produce. My only gripe with it is that they are going too slowly with it stopping with corn. I want to see it use ditch weed and all other sorts of source material. Using only corn does seem like some special interest deal to the farming lobbies.

 

keep in mind its like the gas companies claim thay have to raise prices to keep up with cost! (what cost?) chevron posted a 14.7 million doller profit, profit for 4 months, last quarter! 14.7 in 4 month of pure profits? so i tell you we the people are getting bent over and no reach around!!!!

 

i run e85 all day long... better performance ftw

 

I wouldn't use that E85 garbage on principal alone, even if it were cheaper than regular. The EPA can collectively cornhole itself to it's little heart's content for all I care. I'm sure one of these days, someone is going to come up with a better biofuel solution, but E85 isn't it. Sorry.