[clancaster23]

Will our cars run E85? If so, has anyone? I heard, although cheaper, you don't get as good mileage with it.

 

[93'DET]

It's difficult to switch from gasoline to E85 because the tank needs to be completely free of gasoline before switching over. The cars that can do it from the factory have sensors that can tell when there is Ethanol in the tank so it can change the tuning, so no the Forte cannot take E85 without some parts swapping...

You have to change over all of the rubber gaskets that come in contact with fuel, including intake manifold gaskets depending on their type. Also you need to make sure your gas tank itself is compatible with E85. You can't just "rebuild" your current fuel lines, they need to be replaced from front to rear.

If you want a fun project, converting your car to run E85 would be a good one.

 

[tcope]

If a vehicle is designed to run on E85, you can mix and match as you want (i.e. you can mix regular gas and E85). However, you do not want to use E85 if the engine is not designed for it. It will eat through normal rubber parts on the engine. Also, as mentioned, it does have less power... about 20% less. So unless you can buy it for about 30% less, it's really not worth it. If you live in the middle of Nebraska it can make sense.

 

[ForteGT2]

E85 is specifically addressed in your owners manual under "Fuel Requirements"!

Kia does not recommend using more than 10% ethanol or engine/fuel system damage can occur.

 

[corytate]

why e85, anyway? you have to burn almost twice as much of it to run a proper afr.

 

[my forte koup]

One answer no!!

 

[tcope]

why e85, anyway? you have to burn almost twice as much of it to run a proper afr.

Not twice as much... about 20% more. If E85is 30% less... it's worth it. Plus, less imported crude oil is used.

Right now E85 is about 26% cheaper then E15.

 

[ForteGT2]

Not twice as much... about 20% more. If E85is 30% less... it's worth it. Plus, less imported crude oil is used.

Right now E85 is about 26% cheaper then E15.

If you damage your engine, Kia won't cover the engine warranty...so it's not worth it.

 

[elecblue06]

i know in other applications e85 rarely will hurt your engine.. it's not nearly as corrosive as it's made out to be.. that being said.. honestly e85 it's good for what you're looking at .. basically people that run e85 have alot of performance done to their car because it works out to like 108 octane lol

the price difference is usually negated by the fact your fuel economy is adjusted roughly the same amount lol

 

[weedhopr]

I had a flex fuel Dodge Grand Caravan. I found the cost/mile for regular unleaded and E-85 equaled out, if I could get E-85 for $.55/gallon less than regular unleaded. Less than $.55 difference, and regular was less expensive. Engine started harder in cold weather using E-85 than with regular also. I didn't burn E-85 in winter. I live in Southern MN.

 

[tcope]

If you damage your engine, Kia won't cover the engine warranty...so it's not worth it.

I'm not recommending that it be used in a Kia at all. The engine needs to be made to accept E85. Kia engines are not.

 

[93'DET]

I'm not recommending that it be used in a Kia at all. The engine needs to be made to accept E85. Kia engines are not.

Almost all modern cars can run on E85.

The biggest problem with cars running E85 is that they don't have the control software to manage the air fuel mixture as well as having sensors to detect the amount of ethanol.

Many Evo guys who convert there cars over to E85 just use a safc, don't know if there is one for the Forte but there gotta be somethin'.

 

[elecblue06]

Almost all modern cars can run on E85.

The biggest problem with cars running E85 is that they don't have the control software to manage the air fuel mixture as well as having sensors to detect the amount of ethanol.

Many Evo guys who convert there cars over to E85 just use a safc, don't know if there is one for the Forte but there gotta be somethin'.

this.. you need to be able to tune for it .. unles you have a flex fuel put it this way.. stoich for gas is 14.7:1 stoich for e85 is about 10:1 soooo you have to be able to fix that lol .. the lines are able to handle it .. the fuel pump is.. long as you're not leaving it just sitting in there for ages there wont be a problem. cobalt, ion, honda, evo, subaru, VW guys have been doing this for a long time.. for when they're looking for more power (yes e85 gives you the ability to make more power, it's approximately 108 octane and burns quite a bit cooler)

unless you have flex fuel you can't just put it in the tank and drive

 

[tcope]

Almost all modern cars can run on E85.

E85 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"The E85 flexfuel vehicles have been designed to run more efficiently than vehicles running on standard E10 or E20, but many drivers report satisfaction with using E85 in their vehicles which are ethanol proofed and designed for E20 efficiency."

"There are a few major differences between FFVs and non-FFVs. One is the elimination of bare magnesium, aluminum, and rubber parts in the fuel system. Another is that fuel pumps must be capable of operating with electrically conductive ethanol instead of non-conducting dielectric gasoline fuel. Fuel-injection control systems have a wider range of pulse widths to inject approximately 40% more fuel. Stainless steel fuel lines, sometimes lined with plastic, and stainless-steel fuel tanks in place of terne fuel tanks are used. In some cases, FFVs use acid-neutralizing motor oil. For vehicles with fuel-tank-mounted fuel pumps, additional differences to prevent arcing, as well as flame arrestors positioned in the tank's fill pipe, are also sometimes used."

"There have been many rumors going around that E85, which is biodegradable in water, can corrode a vehicle's fuel system, including the fuel tank. Although E85 is corrosive, it is not much more corrosive than regular gasoline. The chemical properties of E85 are not what causes the corrosion; it is the water in E85 that may cause rust and block up the fuel system. In fact, gasoline also contains water, which is why vehicles' fuel systems are built to resist and prevent corrosion.
Vehicles today (mid-1980s and later) are built to withstand and resist corrosion, which means E85 is very unlikely to harm or corrode a vehicle's fuel system in any way."

 

[93'DET]

^Agreed,

though bigger fuel-pump and 1000cc injectors would help with injecting the much more needed E85 into the cylinders.

If you have the time, I'd say it would be a fun project. Wouldn't be too hard any your not really throwing in a lot of money.

 

[Help]

What happens if your wife accidentally uses 85% ethanol flex as fuel and filled up the gas tank to full from a almost empty? Will it ruin our car?

 

[Help]

What happens if your wife accidentally uses 85% ethanol flex as fuel and filled up the gas tank to full from a almost empty? Will it ruin our car?

It's difficult to switch from gasoline to E85 because the tank needs to be completely free of gasoline before switching over. The cars that can do it from the factory have sensors that can tell when there is Ethanol in the tank so it can change the tuning, so no the Forte cannot take E85 without some parts swapping...

You have to change over all of the rubber gaskets that come in contact with fuel, including intake manifold gaskets depending on their type. Also you need to make sure your gas tank itself is compatible with E85. You can't just "rebuild" your current fuel lines, they need to be replaced from front to rear.

If you want a fun project, converting your car to run E85 would be a good one.