Gas mileage with Ethanol?

[19Cutlass94]

For those of you who have gas stations near you with the 10% ethanol, what are you getting for mileage? I would always get ~400 to a tank, and it would range from about 23-26mpg every time I checked it. Now that Ive been driving with the 10% ethanol, Im only at like 260miles and Im only at a 1/4 tank. So that would equal roughly 21mpg.

 

Just wondering if anyone else is loosing that much? Also when we datalogged my car, I noticed I was running somewhat lean. LTFT was 122. Still within the acceptable range, but Im also not sure if its from the larger exhaust or the ethanol.

 

Opinions?

[EviLette]

Don't put it in my tank. It screws up my gauge and my car doesn't like it.

[19Cutlass94]

Well its the cheapest at $3.37, but the mileage suffers... The next price is $3.45.

[GutlessSupreme]

You will get worse mileage with ethanol blended fuel. Ethanol has less energy per unit volume than gasoline.

 

Every station around here has a 10% blend for regular now.. as if it's going to save the world or something

[5speedz34]

Pretty sure most Michigan stations have 10% ethanol blended into all their pumps. It used to be a law saying you had to post it. I still see some stations with it posted, but I never noticed a change in any MPG, so I think all gas has 10% blended.

[Crazy K]

I started noticing it everywhere too. and my gas mileage in more than one of my cars has been suffering too. coincidence?

 

I am getting constant 24 mpg average in the 94 3100 sedan.

 

a year ago the car was getting 28-29 average!

 

the lumina always ran at 29mpg. the same drivetrain transfered into my 92 vert got 21mpg average...

 

the 95 3100 sedan is averageing 20mpg now. it used to get 26????????

 

 

I've been head scrathing trying to figure out what is going on!!!! the numbers don't add up!

[89SupremeCutty]

around here im not sure what places have ethanol. i remember reading in an article in the paper and online that the ethanol produces worse gas mileage than regular gasoline, but has less emissions. i have a lot to say about the whole ethanol thing but i won't say it here.

[93CutlassSupreme]

Don't know if this is in effect, but the Federal Government has passed laws requiring a certain amount of ethanol to be mixed in with gasoline. It's only going to get worse, as many lawmakers want to replace E10 with E20 and even higher concentrations.

 

 

If you can, I'd avoid ethanol mixes on older cars. Ethanol is corrosive and hard on the entire fuel system, especially fuel injectors.

 

 

Ethanol is a political cure-all to foreign (arab) oil. Too bad ethanol is a scam. Look at the price of a gallon of milk or a dozen eggs for proof.

[Pontiac6KSTEAWD]

I also noticed a fuel milage drop when using blended fuels. About 3-8 mpg city to highway. I also noticed a power drop. I try to run racing fuel in the TGP. But at 7 bucks a gallon, its a little to expensive. So now the TGP sits on jack stands, in a storage locker, waiting for me to hit the lottery.

[89SupremeCutty]

the u.s. gov't is a joke...

 

the way things are going it won't be guns or butter....but corn or gas.

[w-bodys_are_the_best]

I guess I haven't payed attention, here in Iowa, the E10 is kind of a standard thing, It is always the cheapest by at least 5 cents a gallon, I think it is subsidized or whatever by the state. Most gas stations have the regular at 87 octane, and E10 blend at 89 octane. I did notice my milage in my Z24 dropped from a constant 27 to a maximum of 24 or less when I quit working in MN (used to fill up in MN), but I figured it was because I wasn't driving it 70 miles each way anymore. I do know our new 99 Grand Voyager will run E85 ethanol, but after reading through the book, it's not even worth using besides the fact that it is coming from america instead of the arabs. First off you have to run a different type of oil, which is available through Chrysler (I have not checked to see if other companies make it, I'm sure they do), also you can't run it down to 1/4 and decide wel I'll just fill it with ethanol this time, you have to start slowly and ween it off gasoline, and vise versa if you switch back. It is not recommended for temperatures under freezing (harder to start) though I think the block heater it has would make it start ok. You also definatley lose 30% or more on your milage with E85, it even says so in the book, so after it's 20% price differnce, and you figure the extra cost of the special oil, it's actually more expensive to run. There is no reason for it to be as highly priced as it is, if it was say $1.00-$1.50 cheaper it might pay off to run it.

 

:EDIT: I'd also like to add that I've never had a problem with running it, all my vehicles run fine on it, and I've never had a problem with the fuel systems from running it.

[GutlessSupreme]

i remember reading in an article in the paper and online that the ethanol produces worse gas mileage than regular gasoline, but has less emissions.

 

less emissions from the car... but net emissions are far worse. I'm glad some of the major publications are finally starting to pick up on all the problems with ethanol, maybe (doubtfully) some people will start to change their mind. Only ethanol from sugarcane actually produces more energy than is consumed in making it, but hey that's ok lets make it all from corn anyway

 

You guys should pick up Time this month, there's a decent article on this.

[Addicted To Boost]

You will get worse mileage with ethanol blended fuel. Ethanol has less energy per unit volume than gasoline.

 

Every station around here has a 10% blend for regular now.. as if it's going to save the world or something

That is correct. I run regular gas that has a 10% mix in my SE, but in my TGP I always go to the local BP gas station, because their 92 octane is NON-ethanol. Running this fuel in the TGP, I typically get 22 MPG city, 25 MPG with 50/50 city/hwy, and 31 MPG on 100% highway with the original plugs and wires in the car (needs a tuneup!) Ethanol is pointless.. Running 100% gasoline is better for your car, allows you to get better gas mileage, and the car probably has more power to boot.

[per0781]

fuck ethanol

[BIGBULS]

E10 will usually make you lose 3-4% of your fuel econ.

 

So really, you are only looking at 1 to maybe 1.5 mpg.

 

 

 

I would suggest that other factors may be at work in your guys' fuel econ drops (weather being a HUGE one).

 

 

 

That being said though, *I* do NOT use it. Because, as mentioned, Ethanol IS corrosive to some elements of older fuel systems............not to mention that my GP is my only car that'll even run on NON Premium gas anyway (even my NX [when running] needs more octane due to it's timing advance).

[ismellrealbad]

I haven't seen 1 station in NJ yet that doesnt have 10% ehtanol. Guess I can't complain we have the cheapest prices in the country by far.

[xtremerevolution]

So far as I can tell, the fuel economy when using ethanol is so much worse that its not worth the price.

 

I get typically 2MPG worse using 10% ethanol, which sets me at 21MPG with my city driving since I rarely get a chance to hit the highways anymore from my place to work. I can get 23MPG with using a 100% gasoline fuel.

 

The price difference is about 5 cents here, which at $3.45 over $3.50 is a 1.4% increase in cost. However, when I get a 12.5% decrease in fuel economy, its not the least bit worth it.

 

I have this same argument with people who look all shocked when I tell them that I use Premium in my Bonneville GXP because that's the recommended fuel. They look at me and go "but isn't that insanely expensive?!?!?!" What, 20 cents extra per gallon? So I pay $3.72 per gallon instead of $3.50, which at that price point is a 6% increase in cost. I don't find the point of getting my panties in a bunch because of 6%. The Bonneville will take 87 octane and run just fine, but the fuel economy is so much worse that Premium (92 or 93 octane) would have to be at least $0.40 more expensive for it to be worth it.

 

The point I'm trying to make is that at the current price of $3.50 (here in Chicago) or even $3.25 out of Chicago, 5 cents on the gallon really won't save you as much as it costs you to run it given the decreased fuel economy.

[olds cutlass]

I have noticed a drop but more so with who I buy gas from. I have a mom and pop store just down the street, and a 66 on up the road. Gas from the mom and pop I get about 360 to 370 per tank, and gas from the 66 I get about 380 to 400, both are blended fuels but it is obvious that one is a better grade than the other. The mom and pop is about 4 cents cheaper.

 

I have also noticed that the mom and pop gas will make my Dodge Ram 5.9L ping like crazy. It burns so much gas that I dont even bother to check it. Its hard not to hammer the gas pedal on the 5.9 with the duals out back. She sounds sooo good and is such a treat after setting behind the v6 all week. I can only afford to drive it on the weekends however.

 

Whatever the government does, lets not pump our own oil. We'll let China pump it out from under us just off the gulf coast. Saw something on the news a few weeks ago where they purchased drilling rights from Cuba. I'm sure they'll be concerned about the environment, look how clean their environment is over there.

[EviLette]

This subject just makes me madder than a wet hen.

 

Ethanol is b/s. Just like a lot of the other crap that the government is feeding us, but the people go ALONG with it because most of them are too ignorant, unaware, or just don't care. As long as they can watch their college sports and drink their beer in front of their TV at home, none of this matters.

 

 

[Fleeingpepper]

I haven't seen 1 station in NJ yet that doesnt have 10% ehtanol. Guess I can't complain we have the cheapest prices in the country by far.

 

I haven't seen many/any ethanol signs down in Tulsa. Which is great.

2nd lowest prices by city and on its way down. I sure get spoiled with gas.

[1990lumina]

Every station here has an ethanol for a number of years now. I have noticed a 3-4mpg drop with it in the Lumina, but the newer cars in my family don't seem to care at all. Premium fuel here doesn't have any ethanol apparently, but it's 10 cents mroe perliter.

 

We're already at $1.24/liter. Not sure the conversion to gallons because I forget how many US gallons in a liter. I'm guessing it's 3.7 or something...so that's like $4.58/gallon I'm paying, or something close to that - for fucking regular!

[93CutlassSupreme]

I haven't seen 1 station in NJ yet that doesnt have 10% ehtanol. Guess I can't complain we have the cheapest prices in the country by far.

 

 

What are you paying in Jersey?

[19Cutlass94]

I just paid $3.45. No one around here can find a place without it. I got 19.8mpg on my last tank! Thats a drop of 6-7mpg!

[Brian P]

I just paid $3.45. No one around here can find a place without it. I got 19.8mpg on my last tank! Thats a drop of 6-7mpg!

 

hurry up with that OBD2 swap and I'll show you how to crank up the MPG's

[19Cutlass94]

I just paid $3.45. No one around here can find a place without it. I got 19.8mpg on my last tank! Thats a drop of 6-7mpg!

 

hurry up with that OBD2 swap and I'll show you how to crank up the MPG's

 

That wont come until I buy another car and have money to mess around with. many yrs from now. Besides, I didnt even get the motor in!

 

Although Ive been meaning to ask you... is there a place or some info where I can learn more about the terms and maps and such of GM OBDII? I have a decent understanding of everything, but have no idea how I would go about tuning and creating/modifing maps and terms used etc etc