E85?

[Normy]

Has anyone converted a 928 to run on E85?

There's a thread over on the Off-Topic section where people discuss converting Porsches to run on this stuff. Apparently the octane is 100+, and it is about $1 per gallon cheaper than typical 93 octane dinosaur juice!

[true, you do burn a hell of a lot more E85 than gasoline so the price difference per mile is probably negligible, but the octane could come in handy. It was 98 degrees in Fort Lauderdale today....]

DMRK goes on to state that all he had to do to run this in his 944 was increase his fuel pressure. I'm not sure how the injectors are mounted on a 944, but on my 928S2 there is a short section of rubber hose that connects the rails to the injector nipple. Ethanol proof? I wonder.

N?

[Danglerb]

BrendanC is planning on E85 last I checked.

[rhjames]

Normy----

I think you should ask yourself, "Where am I going to buy E85", not if it will work.....

Perhaps you've got that answered, but I seem to remember that most of the E85 in the US is in the corn belt (Oklahoma and northward). Having just blasted back and forth across the top end of Florida this weekend, I can tell you there is no E85 being sold on I-10. Perhaps there is down state---I am not aware of it if that's the case.

The engineering answer is E85 is no bargain, octane rating or not, so I am told.

Knock sensors, cut back on the timing, octane additive......maybe those are better solutions.....maybe?

--R

[MPDano]

Looks like there in all states (at least the ones I clicked on), but just not a lot of them.

http://www.e85refueling.com/

[Danglerb]

This station is a member of the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition
Pearson Fuels
4067 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92105
619-521-2469

Thats not far for Leo, but I didn't find anything close to me. When is the big roll out anyway?

[MPDano]

I need my ride to just work on any gas for that matter

[Herr-Kuhn]

The octane is about 106 and you have to spray 30% more fuel. The real issues is availability in all states.

[Danglerb]

If the fuel is scarce and hard to find I don't see how that will cause worldwide famine, and vice versa. Rather than take a political position, or try to predict the future as in what will happen if, my view is if and when its available to me I may consider it.

Same for the car, if and when repairs need to be made related to E85 compatibility, I'll consider it.

Anybody know what you get with a partial tank of E85 and the rest normal pump gas?

[rhjames]

well, as I said, the engineering says E85 is a bad idea.

the political consequences are that corn farmers are still getting subsidies, paid to not grow crops, and are making hoards of profits now that the speculators have driven the prices through the roof........

If you are going to convert to a different fuel--agriculture based, you must put into production land that is either idle or not easily farmed. You do not want to interrupt the normal level of grain (foodstuff) production for the sake of fuel production.

as for widespread availability, that remains to be seen. Here in the Houston metro area, there is pretty much one source--HEB grocery stores that offer fuel sales.

Doesn't say much for E85 use.......

The rest of the food price run-up is due to the cost of diesel fuel (Ag equipment and trucking) and chemical fertilizers.....

--R

[rhjames]

Originally Posted by Danglerb

If the fuel is scarce and hard to find I don't see how that will cause worldwide famine, and vice versa. Rather than take a political position, or try to predict the future as in what will happen if, my view is if and when its available to me I may consider it.

Same for the car, if and when repairs need to be made related to E85 compatibility, I'll consider it.

Anybody know what you get with a partial tank of E85 and the rest normal pump gas?

The fuel itself is limited, but that has nothing to do with current pricing and shortages of food worldwide. It is an alternative to oil, but not a great one.

Removing anything that is the building block for the food chain (corn) is asking for trouble down the line.

They made the conversion in S America some decades ago, but their's is sugar cane based. It was their way of telling OPEC to eat the desert oil--hence no dependency on imported, often turbulent sources.

-R