Ethanol. Will it catch on. - Page 2 - Ford Forums

Redrum · 06-30-2006, 05:42

I don't know enough about it, but I will not put my pride and joy to risk until I am satisfied there is no risk.......

iluvford · 06-30-2006, 06:51

I don't know much about ethanol but I was watching a NBC or ABC news special and this one scientist said that IF automakers went to ethanol in vehicles it would take 96% of US fields to keep up with the corn demand, thus, impossible.
I work next to a ethanol plant in Portales, NM and I can't even find ethanol within 100 miles of here!?!?! They are planning to build the largest ethanol plant in the US about 15 miles from here in Clovis, NM.

Cronicus · 06-30-2006, 18:59

hey whats going on, im from ALbuquerque NM..
and yes it would bee corn on steroids and take maybe 10 years to build farms that can produce enuf ethanol to power even just NM population.

**Big Block Ford** · 07-04-2006, 16:13

It looks like Ford are getting involved too.

Ford, Verasun Open Nation's First Ethanol Corridor In America's Heartland

brenx · 07-12-2006, 05:29

I've ran E10 for about a year in a EL and a 02 Mazda Astina. Not a single issue. I actually get more k's from E10 in the Mazda than normal ULP.

As for not as much power with E10. That's only if you don't have a decent ignition to burn higher octane fuel. You also have to tune for it. Most late model cars will relearn and increase ignition timing etc. So you should see a power increase.

I don't run it in my carbed V8 as there is no access to 98ron E10 close to home. If there was, I'd tune for it and run it.

AUIIXpak · 07-14-2006, 23:09

I tried running E10 in my 1994 mazda 121, it ran better, smoother and longer than on ulp. The down side is that I am not supposed to run it on E10 and have gone back to standard ulp.
A shame really because E10 is 3 cents cheaper than ulp.
Am eager to see how it goes in my AUII though, if I can prise the missus out of it.

marketraise · 07-17-2006, 22:58

hi guys

i have crossed my fingers for this.
Commercial Ethanol contains 95 percent pure Ethanol and 5 percent Water by volume. Dehydrating agents can be used to remove the remaining water and produce absolute Ethanol. Much of Ethanol not intended for beverages is now made synthetically, either from acetaldehyde made from acetylene, or from ethylene made from petroleum.

Ethanol can be oxidized to form first acetaldehyde and then acetic acid. It can be dehydrated to form ether. Butadiene, used in making synthetic rubber, may be made from ethanol, as can chloroform and many other organic chemicals.
Regards

Chronis Tsempelis
Marketraise Corp.

Suite 200 and 400,
41-A East Merrick Rd.,
Valley Stream,
NY 11580
Cell: 516-398-0996
Tel: 516 887 1929.

BKL8008 · 02-13-2008, 15:49

I ran some tests on my 2004 Sport Trac, and I am totally turned off of E85.
My reasons are here:
E85 Ethanol Cold Start Problems?

I don't see any difference with 100% gas vs. E10 though.
Idle seems the same smoothness, mileage is about the same.
Power is the same, I think.

E85 is a sick joke, though, at least in MY truck.

**360ci** · 04-26-2008, 19:51

I hope not. E85 lowers mileage as well giving you 30% less traveling distance per fill up. It's not even available in most Canadian provinces yet vehicles are sold with the E85 engine option!

I agree with the fact that we have to ween ourselves off of imported fuel, but at the same time, the corn it takes to produce a tank of E85 for the average SUV could feed one person for an entire year. With the price of rice in China (lol) going up 40% in the last few quarters alone it's not a laughing matter, and it'll hit here just as hard as it hit the easterners.

I did some business in China earlier this year and it's a booming place. Most middle class bike or use scooters. Upper class drive premium marque cars (MB, BMW Cadillac etc), and with so many smaller cars being introduced for cheap the middle class are moving up to personal family transportation. It's so bad for fuel right now that trucks (big rigs) that move freight aren't guaranteed to get fuel on any given day because the demand outweighs the supply! It's only going to get worse. Let alone the fact that E85 is priced the same, if not close to 87 octane fuel and gets less mileage. There are better ways to produce energy, but none of which are affordable for the average consumer.

kaboom10 · 05-10-2008, 04:54

It's hard to find in the metro detroit area. The only alcohol the stations want to sell here is beer, wine and liquor. That's where the money is they say. Some party stores have gone as far as opening up a gas station since they already had a liquor license.