E88 gasoline also known as E15, at 70 cents less per gal

[Yardbird]

From what I have read, 88, or 15% ethanol, is recommended only for flex fuel vehicles. I just finished reading two long articles about it yesterday after Sheetz had their $194.9 per gallon sale.

My Pentastar is a flex fuel and can run 88 and E-85, but I still filled up with Shell regular for $1.00 more per gallon.

 

[pacofortacos]

I've been seeing this at various stations in the last year and was tempted to try in my 2016 5.7 HEMI.

Most discussions about alternate ethanol fuels talk about lower mpg so I hadn't tried any.

Today I found this from an apparently solid source mnfuels.com or Minnesota:
"The energy density of Unleaded 88 or E88 and regular unleaded are very similar, and it’s unlikely you’ll notice any difference in fuel economy. In fact, one study conducted by the University of California showed some vehicles achieve slightly better miles per gallon with Unleaded 88 than regular unleaded."
And further," It’s good for your engine. Unleaded 88 burns cleaner and slower than regular unleaded, which has an octane rating of 87. The higher octane level helps boost horsepower and efficiency."

At the large savings per gallon, curious to know if others have tried E88. Seems worth a try.

I have tried it in my wife's Mazda 3. While the mpg was close (slightly less) than normal 87 octane, the power loss was noticeable and consistent - anything over a 50/50 mix with this fuel and 87 octane resulted in a performance loss. Car just felt lazy. Mpg was within 1-2 mpg of the 87 usually lower than the 87.

Real life test.

 

[Wmjohn]

Here's this, "research conducted by AAA and others indicates that using E15 reduces efficiency by approximately 2% compared to regular. For example, a vehicle with a fuel economy rating of 25 mpg would be expected to deliver 24.5 mpg while running on E15."

 

[turkeybird56]

yas I'm riding less and less in my old age. I also have a 2009 ultra classic that is injected. we do some cruising on that one. after I bought the wide glide my wife decided she would like to go too so I bought an ultra and later a newer ultra and we have traveled many miles on it. our favorite trip is from ft. worth to durango co. and the many roads around durango and taos n.m. and then back to DFW. we have done the hill country many times too.

That a lot of miles on either Ultra or Wide Glide. As U are aware, unless real new, U be a banging and a banging on that V Twin. I do not ride far anymore. The only reason I have a Trike was for wife to ride better and no vibration/banging. But alas, she only got 2 rides till I lost her. But since paid off, no reason to get rid off. Just MX and friggin expensive insurance.

 

[kurek]

It's wild how everyone pretends there aren't any petroleum subsidies when the topic of alcohol is present.

 

[MRFREEZE57]

yas I'm riding less and less in my old age. I also have a 2009 ultra classic that is injected. we do some cruising on that one. after I bought the wide glide my wife decided she would like to go too so I bought an ultra and later a newer ultra and we have traveled many miles on it. our favorite trip is from ft. worth to durango co. and the many roads around durango and taos n.m. and then back to DFW. we have done the hill country many times too.

Since buying a 2021 Road Glide Limited the comfort is fantastic compared to the 2014 Dyna, have done Sturgis twice along with several other 2 to 3k mile trips on it. That is some fantastic riding around Durango, the Million Dollar Highway is beautiful in the fall.

 

[caulk04]

I'm not going to argue or debate anything relating to this fuel, I'll simply add that I've been using it exclusively in two different Hemi vehicles for somewhere north of 100k miles. Running average of 17.5mpg my ram.

It is 88 octane, 15% ethanol

 

[mdc1990zr1]

Here's this, "research conducted by AAA and others indicates that using E15 reduces efficiency by approximately 2% compared to regular. For example, a vehicle with a fuel economy rating of 25 mpg would be expected to deliver 24.5 mpg while running on E15."

So the government makes these crazy CAFE rules that require manufacturers to some kind of cylinder deactivation, heating p.i.s.s. water transmission fluid and requiring 0W16 and 0W20 motor oils all to increase fuel economy 0.005 percent, then kill all the practically unmeasurable gains by force-feeding a gasoline that produces less fuel efficiency. Oh, I forgot to note, that corn-fed gasoline comes via the lobbing industry. At least they're fat and happy.

 

[Wmjohn]

I'm not going to argue or debate anything relating to this fuel, I'll simply add that I've been using it exclusively in two different Hemi vehicles for somewhere north of 100k miles. Running average of 17.5mpg my ram.

It is 88 octane, 15% ethanol

Ok. That says it worked for one member for 200k miles giving him a reported 17.5 mpg.

The information that some inquiring minds might want now, is what would be the corresponding mileage on the same vehicle in the same conditions with regular gas, and have there been any fuel related issues?

Would it be a 1 mpg difference?

 

[crackerjack1957]

the compression ratio of your engine determines the octane rating for the gas you should use for your truck. The higher the compression ration of your vehicle, the higher the horsepower. This is why high-performance engines require more octane.
If you have the HEMI V8 engine, you should use the 89 octane, if you have the base V6 engine, then it is okay to use the 87. Just never use higher than 89!

. Mid grade is recommended. Premium is a waste of money. This assumes it is a Hemi. If it’s a V6, anything other than regular is a waste of money.

They say 87 acceptable, 89 recommended and DO NOT USE E85.,
If i remember correctly, in your Owner Manual, it reads
that you could use 10% ethanol.
It never reads that you could use 15% ethanol

My 3.2 Cherokee V6 is tuned for 93......LoL

 

[Wild one]

My 3.2 Cherokee V6 is tuned for 93......LoL

Chris's tune is still in play by the sounds of it,lol

 

[crackerjack1957]

Chris's tune is still in play by the sounds of it,lol

Yes sir..........thanks for the referral

 

[pacofortacos]

I'm not going to argue or debate anything relating to this fuel, I'll simply add that I've been using it exclusively in two different Hemi vehicles for somewhere north of 100k miles. Running average of 17.5mpg my ram.

It is 88 octane, 15% ethanol

I have honestly never tried it in my RAM, mainly because it sits too much. A tank of fuel may last 6 months or more - the current fuel in the truck is from early Sept. and probably won't get gas again until Feb. or March.

 

[kurek]

increased corn acreage.

Last time I checked the conversion of corn into ethanol is not 100% and it's amazing that on this truck forum there's not one meat producer who's ever fed DDG's to their animals.

Zero people complain about any of the other derivatives from the same acreage and harvest like cardboard, commercial enzyme products, shellacs and waxes and of course high protein dry grain for livestock feed. Just one specific derivative that can only exist in combination with the others gets people all worked up. Surely there's a rational reason for this.

 

[Travelin Ram]

@kurek , yeah just Google search “leaded gasoline effects”.

 

[NETim]

Last time I checked the conversion of corn into ethanol is not 100% and it's amazing that on this truck forum there's not one meat producer who's ever fed DDG's to their animals.

Zero people complain about any of the other derivatives from the same acreage and harvest like cardboard, commercial enzyme products, shellacs and waxes and of course high protein dry grain for livestock feed. Just one specific derivative that can only exist in combination with the others gets people all worked up. Surely there's a rational reason for this.

My complaint, as always, is the promotion of ethanol as the great savior of the environment. I also have heartburn with subsidizing ethanol with taxpayer dollars. Let it stand on its' own. I don't trust the Federal government to make sound financial decisions with my money.

From the outset of the great ethanol crusade, I've seen more acres go under the plow. I put the blame on the demand created by ethanol production, which is the result of federal government planning, not market demand.

That's my 0.02.

 

[metalchewy]

If I had the option of 15% ethanol here for 70cents less a gallon I'd run it in my flex fuel ram any day of the week, but not in the wife's R/T 6spd challenger.

E85 out here is only 10 cents less than 87 octane unleaded, and I could never run that to be cost efficient.

 

[kurek]

It's wild how everyone pretends there aren't any petroleum subsidies when the topic of alcohol is present.

I also have heartburn with subsidizing ethanol with taxpayer dollars. Let it stand on its' own. I don't trust the Federal government to make sound financial decisions with my money.

The lowest possible estimate for federal petroleum subsidies is more than 2.5x (and as much as 25x) the fuel ethanol subsidy before taking into consideration the portion of the military budget spent on protecting oil interests.

 

[06 Dodge]

I have honestly never tried it in my RAM, mainly because it sits too much. A tank of fuel may last 6 months or more - the current fuel in the truck is from early Sept. and probably won't get gas again until Feb. or March.

I hope you use a good gas stabilizer if gas in your tank sits that long, especially if its contains ethanol...

 

[RamInfo]

Looks like gasoline threads are taking over where oil threads left off!

2016 5.7 Laramie. For the first 4 years of its life this truck made runs from UT to SD, 1k miles to my Mom’s front door from home then back. i am not a fan of alcohol fuels in vehicles for myriad reasons so avoid it when possible, so on my SD trips I always managed fillups (32gal) so I would only have to fill once in SD, where non-alcohol fuels can be hard to find. Mileage results were very consistent, running at 5mph over posted everywhere except the interstates. Pure gasoline always yielded better mileage—18.5-19.5 on gasoline, 16.5-17 on gasahol, hand calculated always. But as they say, YMMV.

Whomever posted that attitudes on gasahol don’t change is right, and the arguments don’t change much either. Alcohol fans decry oil subsidies, pure gas fans decry alcohol subsidies, and both sides ignore the environmental impacts of their fav fuel and the health risks and costs of polluted air (if you were breathing the air in Denver or LA back in the 70s you know what I mean). In the end, they will both succumb to a temporary transition to electrics and hybrids on their way to long-term transition to hydrogen-fueled vehicles. And finding gasoline for your vintage vehicles will be like trying to buy kerosene for a wick lamp…

best,
DG