DanW
Well-Known Member
One more quick thing....If there is no downside to E85, then why wouldn't we
I've seen oil analysis where the oil was sheered down significantly on 7k to 8k run. I've yet to see oil shear down like that on 7k-8k runs on my JL, or any of my vehicles, with the exception of my Ecoboost. The 5w30 there shears down pretty quickly to a 20 weight. The reason is somewhat related. In the case of DI, it is fuel diluting the oil. But I have seen Ecoboosts with 300k or more. But those owners changed the oil at 5k or less.
Typically the folks who really want to run it all the time are going for performance. They don't plan on those engines going that long.
I'd be very very surprised to see a Pentastar or any engine run all or mostly on E85 hit 300k miles. If it did, I'd bet on 3k oil changes and driving like a grandma.
But I said before, I could be wrong. I've not run more than 2 to 4 tankfuls of it.
Condensation will happen in storage, particularly in winter, even with a tight gas cap. I am a pilot and you have to drain a small amount of fuel off the bottom of the tank before every flight. The only time I ever saw zero water was if I just topped off the plane after a flight leg and was readying to go again. Any and every time an aircraft sat overnight there was water in it. E85 would likely break up that water to a point. But once it hits that point, the ethanol is overwhelmed (I don't remember the word for it) and the fuel is then bad. It is rare to see it in piston powered aircraft. Almost non-existent. I refrain from saying never because there is always some dude or crowd out there that wants to try something like that.
Ethanol is alcohol. Almost identical properties. Same as Methanol. The difference is in how they are made, one from corn or grain, the other from wood. E85 has 15% gasoline, as you know. But it is mostly alcohol. Ethyl alcohol. E85 would be easier on oil than 100% alcohol, for sure, but not by much. The racing fuel would just affect the oil a little quicker. So I've been told. I'm no chemist, though. Just getting it from folks who have experience, as I've said.
I've seen oil analysis where the oil was sheered down significantly on 7k to 8k run. I've yet to see oil shear down like that on 7k-8k runs on my JL, or any of my vehicles, with the exception of my Ecoboost. The 5w30 there shears down pretty quickly to a 20 weight. The reason is somewhat related. In the case of DI, it is fuel diluting the oil. But I have seen Ecoboosts with 300k or more. But those owners changed the oil at 5k or less.
Typically the folks who really want to run it all the time are going for performance. They don't plan on those engines going that long.
I'd be very very surprised to see a Pentastar or any engine run all or mostly on E85 hit 300k miles. If it did, I'd bet on 3k oil changes and driving like a grandma.
But I said before, I could be wrong. I've not run more than 2 to 4 tankfuls of it.
Condensation will happen in storage, particularly in winter, even with a tight gas cap. I am a pilot and you have to drain a small amount of fuel off the bottom of the tank before every flight. The only time I ever saw zero water was if I just topped off the plane after a flight leg and was readying to go again. Any and every time an aircraft sat overnight there was water in it. E85 would likely break up that water to a point. But once it hits that point, the ethanol is overwhelmed (I don't remember the word for it) and the fuel is then bad. It is rare to see it in piston powered aircraft. Almost non-existent. I refrain from saying never because there is always some dude or crowd out there that wants to try something like that.
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