Octane Rating

[kevbroce_imp]

I'm actually at the other end of the spectrum when it comes to fuel. I currently run E85 in my '95 Volvo 940 with no modifications. Even though it runs fine on ethanol, I ordered a "conversion" kit. The kit doesn't really convert anything but actually just "massages" the gasoline engine to burn ethanol better.

Now before all of the ethanol bashing starts let me say this. Gasoline (oil) is a finite resource. At some point were going to run out of it. When that happens it will be a necessity to find another fuel to use in our vehicles. Ethanol, like other alternative fuels, is very easily renewable. So whether it's ethanol or something else, it's going to be all we have. One very big plus is that ethanol just happens to burn pretty darn good in a gasoline engine without any modifications. It does even better in an engine optimized to burn ethanol.

I read all the time about getting less mpg with ethanol. That is actually not a valid concern. I know, you're thinking twiin you've lost your mind but hear me out. It's a fact that ethanol gets less mpg than gasoline. Why, because our engines are designed for gasoline not ethanol, they just happen to be able to burn it. No one should expect to get the same performance out of two different types of fuel with different properties in the same engine unless the engine is optimized for both. Our engines are optimized for gasoline not ethanol.

With E85 you're looking at 73% to 83% of the energy compared to the equivalent amount of gasoline. It's just less energy dense than gasoline, hence the lower milage.

[url=http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/fuel_comparison_chart.pdf]US Department of Energy Chart

That didn't sound right. If you look at the chart closely it says a gallon of ethanol has 73% to 83% of the energy than a gallon of gasoline. So that would be 17% - 27% less energy.

That didn't sound right. If you look at the chart closely it says a gallon of ethanol has 73% to 83% of the energy than a gallon of gasoline. So that would be 17% - 27% less energy.
Ahh your are correct, I worded that wrong!