Should I try running E85? Or stick with unleaded.

[Chiller449]

I see about 3 MPG less burning E85 compared with 93 octane gasoline on average. It costs about $.04 less per mile to use E85 than 93 octane over the last thirteen months. The current spread is even greater as E85 around here has fallen in price a little more than gasoline.

With fuel prices always fluid, pun intended, E85 is not always the best value but the motor loves it, drives different and makes more horsepower and torque.

Thanks for the info! ill give it a shot and see how i like it.

 

[09 L9H]

I have run a few consecutive tanks of E85 through my Tahoe and honestly can't tell a difference between E85 and premium when it comes to performance. The greatly decreased range is why I don't run it anymore. My best MPG on E85 is 14 hwy compared to 16.5 hwy on 93. On a long road trip, that translates to a 65-mile decrease in range over a 26-gallon tank. Not incredibly significant, but also not trivial. Just something to consider. On a slightly related note, I filled up last night with 91-oct E0 fuel at $2.75/gal. Want to see if there's any increase in MPG over a few tanks.

 

[Chiller449]

I have run a few consecutive tanks of E85 through my Tahoe and honestly can't tell a difference between E85 and premium when it comes to performance. The greatly decreased range is why I don't run it anymore. My best MPG on E85 is 14 hwy compared to 16.5 hwy on 93. On a long road trip, that translates to a 65-mile decrease in range over a 26-gallon tank. Not incredibly significant, but also not trivial. Just something to consider. On a slightly related note, I filled up last night with 91-oct E0 fuel at $2.75/gal. Very excited to see if there's any increase in MPG over a few tanks.

Just curious why your running 93. Better fuel economy? better power? What price does it have to be to break even with 87.

 

[09 L9H]

Just curious why your running 93. Better fuel economy? better power? What price does it have to be to break even with 87.

Haven't done a CPM calculation cause I'm mainly concerned with range right now. Gas is so cheap now (especially in SC) that I'm not really too concerned about the cost. Running 93 cause there are only 3 grades readily available where I am: 87, 89, and 93. Owner's manual recommends 91 (yeah, I know that doesn't really matter) and only grade that meets that requirement is premium. I did run 87 when I first bought my truck back in June and I have seen an uptick in fuel economy since then, but I think a lot of that has been right foot discipline. Also I had been running in 4 auto until about a month and a half ago.

TL;DR I don't want to have to worry about knock and gas is cheap

 

[Chiller449]

Haven't done a CPM calculation cause I'm mainly concerned with range right now. Gas is so cheap now (especially in SC) that I'm not really too concerned about the cost. Running 93 cause there are only 3 grades readily available where I am: 87, 89, and 93. Owner's manual recommends 91 (yeah, I know that doesn't really matter) and only grade that meets that requirement is premium. I did run 87 when I first bought my truck back in June and I have seen an uptick in fuel economy since then, but I think a lot of that has been right foot discipline. Also I had been running in 4 auto until about a month and a half ago.

TL;DR I don't want to have to worry about knock and gas is cheap

Mine is also always in 4auto. I thought thats where it was suppossed to stay. Do you get better mileage with it off? When i hit the top button it says stabilitrack disabled. I thought i was suppossed to be driving around in that mode but i didnt wanna damage anything.

 

[swathdiver]

Haven't done a CPM calculation cause I'm mainly concerned with range right now. Gas is so cheap now (especially in SC) that I'm not really too concerned about the cost. Running 93 cause there are only 3 grades readily available where I am: 87, 89, and 93. Owner's manual recommends 91 (yeah, I know that doesn't really matter) and only grade that meets that requirement is premium. I did run 87 when I first bought my truck back in June and I have seen an uptick in fuel economy since then, but I think a lot of that has been right foot discipline. Also I had been running in 4 auto until about a month and a half ago.

TL;DR I don't want to have to worry about knock and gas is cheap

It'll never knock on E85! Why do you not make use of the 6-speed?

 

[Scottydoggs]

if i had e85 here its all id be running. its free HP really, and kills any knock you might have. its got a lot more octane.

i just run 93 in everything.

 

[Scottydoggs]

Mine is also always in 4auto. I thought thats where it was suppossed to stay. Do you get better mileage with it off? When i hit the top button it says stabilitrack disabled. I thought i was suppossed to be driving around in that mode but i didnt wanna damage anything.

ive never touched th eauto button in mine. ir rather it just be rwd.

mpg could suffer a bit, but in the end we are still turning the axle full time, just a bit of parasitic power loss.

 

[swathdiver]

if i had e85 here its all id be running. its free HP really, and kills any knock you might have. its got a lot more octane.

i just run 93 in everything.

Have you checked Gas Buddy recently for E85 stations? Seems every month or so around here another station starts carrying it. Our little county of 275K residents is up to 8 or 9 stations with it now. Last year it was half that.

 

[Scottydoggs]

Have you checked Gas Buddy recently for E85 stations? Seems every month or so around here another station starts carrying it. Our little county of 275K residents is up to 8 or 9 stations with it now. Last year it was half that.

i live in NJ, theres not one station that sells e85. pretty dumb being Long Island is full of corn and it has to travel through NJ to get to LI lol

 

[Wylie_Tahoe]

Corn is making whiskey, not gasoline. I dont want any more in my tank, then Gov-Co makes me.