I understand e-85 is 110 octane; this may not be true, but the stuff is way less expensive and a "greener" fuel than gasoline.

Can it be run in the Mini ('03) succesfully?

Any way to convert if it will not?

As I see it rubber is the only real problem to deal with.

Any suggestions?

 

cost savings?

 

E-85 is a mixture of 85% Ethanol and 15% gasoline, and yes, it does have a high octane rating (attractive because it would allow for more boost while resisting pre-ignition or detonation). However, gasoline needs an air to fuel ratio of (I believe) about 12:1, while straight alcohol (which ethanol is a type of) has an air to fuel ratio of about 9.5:1. This means that an alcohol motor needs more fuel per unit of air because of the combustion traits of the fuel. E-85 fuel would have a ratio somewhere between these two fuels, being a mixture of both. As I understand it, engines capable of running both E-85 and gasoline are equipped with a fuel management computer that can determine which fuel is being used and then compensate by telling the fuel injectors to release the proper amount of fuel. I don't believe that the MINI's fuel injection system is E-85 compatible (unfortunately). That being said, anything can be done with enough money, time, and initiative. Perhaps a custom aftermarket fuel management computer could be adapted to the system to allow it's use.

 

Thanks for the info. I know in an carborated ethenol motor the jets need to be quite a bit larger than normal jets would need to be...so maybe there would not be any fuel savings...but the fact that ethenol is a renewable source...that may be a reason to persue it. Just a thought...the farmers that grow the corn to make the ethenol would appreciate it also,ey?

Jim
WWJD

 

One problem the farmers don't tell most people though, although corn is a renewable energy source, the production of ethanol from corn takes up more energy than it produces. Where does that energy come from to produce it??? Coal or natural gas powered power plants. So, really we are only transferring the location of where the power and pollutants are produced, not reducing any at all. People need to focus on the potential of truely renewable energy and not versions that are a product of politically biased initiatives to satisfy the farm states.

 

To answer your question...NO

It will destroy your fuel system to use E-85. 10% ethenol is ok. But E-85 will damage your car

 

True, and the only reason it is cheap is because of the lack of taxes and incentives to producers from the govt.

Besides, Go to your local store and price a gallon of corn! It costs more per gallon than gasoline......So does most everything.

And just some food for thought.... .....plastics and other petrochemical derevitives are SO CHEAP because of the high demand for fuel. If fuel consumption dropped to the point that plastics became the leading demand item...all those cheap plastic items we buy would get alot more expensive.

 

Which parts of the fuel system will be destroyed?

 

I keep seeing different arguements on both sides of this debate. I guess it really depends on what your goal is. Deducing emissions, reducing oil consumption, economy of scale when burning oil...

The production of ethanol has moved along so that the waste products of corn production can be used to produce it (not just the corn which one might argue puts higher demands on corn, raising the price). So an up side is that you can use something that would have been trash anyway.

The fact that you need to use energy to produce and distribute ethanol is interesting, because no one has ever told me how it compares to gasoline production and distribution, other then saying that it takes "more". What about the millions of gallons of fuel oil that must be used to move those tanker ships from the middle east? Are they counting that? I'm not sure.

I hear that ethanol produces far fewer emissions then gasoline. Makes sense, even if you have to burn oil and coal in a central power plant to produce power, I would hope that the centralized nature of power plants produces a net lower emissions then 10 of millions of poorly tuned cars. Don't have any hard numbers, so I don't know. I did hear once that your lawn mower produces far more emissions then your car does (maybe just converting small engines to a cleaner fuel would help?)

The pros on enthanol are that we can produce it here. We already have a distrubution network that wouldn't have to change very much to handle it (can't say that about fuel cells), and at least at the point of combustion, it is a very clean fuel. Oh, and the parts to make a car run E85 only add $200 to the cost of the car (at the factory) meaning that we don't have to make a technological leap to switch over (can't be said about fuel cells or hybrids).

The cost of oil is going up, so it really just comes down to where those two lines on the graph cross. Right now E85 costs less, but you get fewer MPG with it. I'd rather have the choice to run E85 if it was available. In fact I would likely consider a conversion but there aren't any fill up stations near me at this point. Certainly a flexible alternative which is likely to be our next step.

 

Well...E-85 FFV's (flexibile fuel vehicles) have a sensor for the propr fuel/air ratios. If you are not very careful you will burn up your valves. Besides that, Alcohol is corrosive, any part of your fuel system that is not designed to come in contact with alcohol will degrade very quickly. You will begin to have problems after a year or two. Designed in mind means stainless steel fuel tank and tubes, and teflon coated hoses

Go to this site
http://www.e85fuel.com/e85101/flexfuelvehicles.php

If your car is not listed, It is not compatible.......The MINI is not listed!