Anyone tried or use E-85 in their gassers?

E-85?? what is this? some info?

It's 85% ethenol made from corn. Doesn't work very well in autos, not sure why anyone would want to use it in their plane.

On the contrary, it works very well in autos designed for it, Race engines love the stuff. High octane, cheaper price when compared to race gas. Supercharged and turbocharged engines love it. Carb needs to be modified to flow more fuel and to withstand the high level of alky. Of course the fuel system has to be upgraded as well. Wish we had a pump here in town. My '70 Monte would be running it. Car Craft, Hot Rod, etc. have had numerous articles on it over the last couple of years.

We have it here in Colorado and the fuel milage with it drops in half. Right now it's more expensive than unleaded( not sure how long that will last). It might run great in race engines, but I wouldn't classify our airplane engines as racers, or not the average flyer anyway.
Those 70 monte's are bad dudes when set up right, must be lots of fun!

Decreased fuel mileage with E85 is to be expected. True, it is not as economical to burn as 87 octane pump gasoline.

One's car must be of the Flex Fuel type in order to burn E85 properly. Should the Iranians shut down that Hormuz (sp?) Strait, preventing oil tankers from transiting the area, E85 will become extremely popular.

I'm going to try using E85 in my OS 1.60FX after I add a C&H spark ignition system. It should run just fine with the proper amount of Klotz Techniplate oil in the mix (15 to 20% oil per gallon). In fact, E85 should work just fine in any modern glow engine with the proper amount of lubrication. And using the stock carbs to boot.


Ed Cregger

I'm running E-85 cut with 1/3 gas and some glow fuel. The final ratios mix to get my oil at 33:1 (3%). I'm running a 42cc poulan conversion w/glow plug and turn 7300 rpm with a APC 20X8. Fuel consumption is 80% of gas.

I've run E85 with spark ignition in small four strokes. It runs fine. I see slightly less power when compared to methanol. I plan to fly on it next year after I burn up the methanol I have. It's a cheap fuel and I can get it at the pump down the street.

That's the problem main with the stuff- less Miles per Gallon. Everybody that I've talked to that has ran the stuff, didn't keep using it. The Monte is alot of fun. The 454 has turned the back tires into slicks so I'm going to have to get a new set this spring.

I have used over 200+ gallons of E85 in my 06 suburban that is a flex vehicle. and the milage drops by ~1/3 to ~1/2.
15 to 22 with regular and 7 to 15 with E85. Pulling a trailer it goes down to 7mph verses 15-18.
Kept hoping it was a fluke, the weather changes, etc. Power and accelaration stinks also.
With the current price difference of 10-20% I will not use it anymore unless the price delta is 50%.

My old 69 Camero 302Z was 4-6MPH light to light.
A set of slicks lasted one night at the strip at best.
Less than a month of street use. Trying to decide what type of hot rod to build around the engine.
Wish I never sold the body.

I'm thinking of trying a 50/50 mix. E85/Premium mix... In my gasser.

Ethenol is 113 octane you don't need preminum gas. Just use regular.

If your Monte starts loading up, check the float.

Early Gasohol use (I was in Iowa, at the time) resulted in butyl rubber floats absorbing mass from the fuel, becoming heavier, then sinking. They finally changed the compound to be compatible, by now yours is probably okay.

I must've sold a hundred floats (QJ & other Rochester, some Carter) and a similar number of Chrysler accelerator pumps back in the 70's & 80's, many attributed to gasohol. GM & Ford would adjust okay to it, but there were certain early year Chrysler products that I couldn't get to run during warmup on gasohol.

There was a Kohler engine (IH Cub?) that had a pingpong ball looking float, it would swell up in the presence of alcohol and stick in the float chamber. Boy did that cause talk at the coffee shop.

Best wishes,
Dave Olson

I think I'd use regular gas for the lower flash point.

CR

What is the octane of E-85? Thanks