E85 gasoline?

I see there hasn't been much discussion for over a year or so on the
use of E85 gasoline? Just wondering what are the most recent
experiences with it? My vehicle (a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.8L V6 w/
@ 65K miles) is supposedly capable of using it according to the manual
but I have been a little leary of trying it. In our area it is about
$.30 a gallon less than regular ethanol. Do I need to be concerned or
cautious or should I give it a try? Mix half and half?
Thanks!
Steve

Steve wrote:
> I see there hasn't been much discussion for over a year or so on the
> use of E85 gasoline? ... My vehicle (a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.8L V6 w/
> @ 65K miles) is supposedly capable of using it according to the manual
> but I have been a little leary of trying it. ...
>

I'm a little leery that the manual says it'll run on E85. E85 is 85%
ethanol. Your car will probably run on 10-15% ethanol but I'd be
surprised if it'll take E85.

Than again, I've been wrong before...

In article . com>, Steve wrote:
> I see there hasn't been much discussion for over a year or so on the
> use of E85 gasoline? Just wondering what are the most recent
> experiences with it? My vehicle (a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.8L V6 w/
> @ 65K miles) is supposedly capable of using it according to the manual
> but I have been a little leary of trying it.


If does say it is a flex fuel vehicle, capable of running on E85, it
won't do any harm. However keep in mind, E85 is 85% ethanol. Most modern
cars are not set up to tolerate anything above 10-15% ethanol. If you have
the percentages backwards you might be misunderstanding what the manual is
saying.

A crude google search does turn up flex fuel 2000 caravans, but only with
the 3.3L V6. quick and dirty, might not be right.

Just be very sure the vehicle is meant to run on it, otherwise you might
find yourself draining the fuel tank to get it going again.

Steve wrote:
> I see there hasn't been much discussion for over a year or so on the
> use of E85 gasoline? Just wondering what are the most recent
> experiences with it? My vehicle (a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.8L V6 w/
> @ 65K miles) is supposedly capable of using it according to the manual
> but I have been a little leary of trying it. In our area it is about
> $.30 a gallon less than regular ethanol. Do I need to be concerned or
> cautious or should I give it a try? Mix half and half?
> Thanks!
> Steve

I drove a vehicle recently that was running e85. It burned about 10%
more fuel than with regular gasoline but performance seemed ok. This
was a new vehicle though.

In my area e85 isnt that much cheaper so the milage difference makes it
marginal at best and there are not many e85 stations .

There is also E20 which might be a good way to try out a higher alcohol
gas . Make very sure though that your car takes the E85 fuel.

Steve Wrote:
> I see there hasn't been much discussion for over a year or so on the
> use of E85 gasoline? Just wondering what are the most recent
> experiences with it? My vehicle (a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.8L V6
> w/
> @ 65K miles) is supposedly capable of using it according to the manual
> but I have been a little leary of trying it. In our area it is about
> $.30 a gallon less than regular ethanol. Do I need to be concerned or
> cautious or should I give it a try? Mix half and half?
> Thanks!
> Steve

As said make sure it is a flex fuel engine.
What is the engine code?
All reports I get on it it drops gas mileage some.
So you may not save much in $. :grinyes: :lol:
But if it is flex fuel try it and see what it does.


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Brent P wrote:
> A crude google search does turn up flex fuel 2000 caravans, but only with
> the 3.3L V6. quick and dirty, might not be right.

Thank you! I mistakenly said 3.8 but it IS a 3.3L V6, it is stamped
right on the engine.

Anyway, I'm still not sure if I want to use E85 but what if I mix half
a tank of regular Ethanol with half a tank of E85?

Thanks again!
Steve

"Steve" > wrote in
ups.com:

>
> Brent P wrote:
>> A crude google search does turn up flex fuel 2000 caravans, but only
>> with the 3.3L V6. quick and dirty, might not be right.
>
> Thank you! I mistakenly said 3.8 but it IS a 3.3L V6, it is stamped
> right on the engine.
>
> Anyway, I'm still not sure if I want to use E85 but what if I mix half
> a tank of regular Ethanol with half a tank of E85?
>


If the manual says it's OK for use with E85, then it's OK for use with E85.

The problem with E85 is that the amount of alcohol in it is extremely
damaging to the rubber components used in the fuel system of a car made for
the usual maximum of E10.

E85 cars use a different kind of rubber that *is* compatible with E85.

--
Tegger

We have a 1999 Plymouth Gr. Voyager with the flex-fuel engine and we had the
same hesitation about trying the E85 fuel. But you don't need to worry.
Other than some loss of mpg, you probably won't notice any difference. The
engine automatically senses the E85 and adjusts itself to the fuel. Our van
ran just fine on it.

"Steve" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>I see there hasn't been much discussion for over a year or so on the
> use of E85 gasoline? Just wondering what are the most recent
> experiences with it? My vehicle (a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.8L V6 w/
> @ 65K miles) is supposedly capable of using it according to the manual
> but I have been a little leary of trying it. In our area it is about
> $.30 a gallon less than regular ethanol. Do I need to be concerned or
> cautious or should I give it a try? Mix half and half?
> Thanks!
> Steve
>

Steve wrote:
> We have a 1999 Plymouth Gr. Voyager with the flex-fuel engine and we had the
> same hesitation about trying the E85 fuel. But you don't need to worry.
> Other than some loss of mpg, you probably won't notice any difference. The
> engine automatically senses the E85 and adjusts itself to the fuel. Our van
> ran just fine on it.


Hey thanks!

This gives me alot better feeling to try it now.

Steve

Steve wrote:
> I see there hasn't been much discussion for over a year or so on the
> use of E85 gasoline? Just wondering what are the most recent
> experiences with it? My vehicle (a 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.8L V6 w/
> @ 65K miles) is supposedly capable of using it according to the manual
> but I have been a little leary of trying it. In our area it is about
> $.30 a gallon less than regular ethanol. Do I need to be concerned or
> cautious or should I give it a try? Mix half and half?
> Thanks!
> Steve
>

If you meant a 3.3 engine you MAY have a flex fuel vehicle. That was the
ONLY engine in the vans offered with the flex option.

Take a look at the VIN number. If the 8th character in the VIN is E , G
or 3 It has a flex fuel engine in it and can run E85, It should also
have a gas cap labeled as E85/Gasoline.

If it doesn't have these items DON'T USE E85, it WILL damage the
converter and the engine by running lean.

Oh and if you do run E85 expect to lose mileage and use more fuel.

From an article called the Top ten facts about Flex Fuel vehicles.
By Brian Chee
http://snipurl.com/15apq

Simply put, a flex-fuel vehicle using gasoline travels farther, at a
clip of about 3 miles per gallon. That’s what we discovered while
driving a 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche with flex-fuel capability. We clocked
an average fuel economy of 13.4 miles per gallon using regular grade
unleaded – not so hot, but much better than E85. A tank of E85 gasoline
registered just 10.4 miles per gallon under virtually identical driving
conditions. This makes the use the E85 more expensive, by around $20
more per tank. And while that may seem like chump change, it’s exactly
the opposite of what people are currently looking to accomplish.

--
Steve W.