Author Topic: Fuel question  (Read 3137 times)

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ridgerunner

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on: May 18, 2008, 12:22:19 am
My local dealer of bio-diesel is going to start carrying Ethanol/Flex Fuel. Will the Enfield handle this fuel?
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The Enfield saves on gas, riding the Enfield saves on Prozac. ;)


BanditRE

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Reply #1 on: May 18, 2008, 03:04:26 am
I would have to say no. I'm told (and finding untainted "facts" on E85 use is next to impossible) unless the engine is specially prepared for E85, then it does untold damage to hoses, seals and gaskets and stuff. I'm no expert though. My car runs on it. I've tried corn juice a few times, and it runs ok, feels like it has less power (which it probably does) and gets horrible gas mileage. Like a 20% drop.

As its cheaper to buy than gas, then the mileage loss is offset mostly. You can feel warm and fuzzy about not using as much gasoline, but burning food never seemed quite the best idea.
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LJRead

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Reply #2 on: May 18, 2008, 04:00:44 am
You can feel warm and fuzzy about not using as much gasoline, but burning food never seemed quite the best idea.

Good answer, Bandit!  Like that one a lot. 


Kevin Mahoney

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Reply #3 on: May 18, 2008, 05:36:01 pm
Living in corn country we fooled around with that a little bit. The biggest single thing that you would have to do would be to re-jet the carb. E-85 has abut 20-25% less energy in it than straight petrol so you need more of it. With E-85 as with alcohol you can run with higher compression. If there are compatibility isses they would be mostly found in the intake manifold hose or it may be fine - we don't know. We also are not sure about the material that is used to line the tank. We were going to develop a kit, but the numbers don't work. Here in MN where you can get it almost anywhere the cost varies between .45-.90 less than a gallon of gas. If you do the math depending upon  the gas E-85 price ratio it costs more to use it. Even if you break even you leave a bigger carbon footprint. If the economics change it could be a good alternative and as more of it comes on the market it may become more competitive.
« Last Edit: May 19, 2008, 05:28:58 pm by Royal Enfield 1 »
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ridgerunner

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Reply #4 on: May 19, 2008, 01:14:50 am
I have to agree with the statement about finding untainted facts. I did see this whole long anti-biofuel statement about it using more energyto produce etc etc. It was sad to see a so-called official statement (more like a smear campaign) using 1979 statistics
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The Enfield saves on gas, riding the Enfield saves on Prozac. ;)


ridgerunner

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Reply #5 on: May 21, 2008, 01:23:12 am
I spoke to a man today that did an E85 conversion on his Chevy pickup (X-cab S-10). Apparently there is a kit that has a PLC that tells the fuel injectors to stay open longer to allow more fuel thus preventing the "lean burn" problems. It also has the K&N air filter and Bosch +4 plugs. The kit cost him $600 and he is getting the same mileage around town and better hiway mileage on the E85 that he was getting with gas but his local station sells E85 for $3.07 per gallon. He figures as a rural mail carrier that puts on a lot of miles per week, the kit will pay for itself quickly.
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jonapplegate

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Reply #6 on: May 21, 2008, 05:42:26 am
  Living where I do, working where I do, I get to to hear all of the enviromental jib jab, Both good and bad, straight as it is ready to be put to the public.
      The Biofuel idea has been hijacked by big money interests in ways that had not been foreseen. In retrospect how could we have been so blind? We are dealing with people that are more powerful than us, intellectually and, every way where it counts. Not by just a few points but in levels of magnitude that even as I am writing this it just does not seem plausible. The Big Fuel folks realized that there was a gold mine on their hands and went for it. More power to them. Sad, just sad, they did not consider the things that are supposed to make it work, like locality. Nope, just bottom line. With  their vast resources they can bring the raw material from around the world or just make it somewhere else and ship it here for less than we can make it in our own countries. THAT is not the point of the whole thing! It is keeping the overall costs down. Keeping the overall distance that product is sent. KEEPING THE OVERALL DISTANCE THE PROFITS ARE SPENT DOWN! KEEPING THE PROFITS LOCAL TO BOOST THE LOCAL ECONOMY! Investing back into your local companies may be more espensive but we have reached a critical juncture when if you do not take a stand everything that you remember will be wiped out by a giant cookie cutter "we know what is best, stop thinking"  mindset. We have all heard this before.I know it is easy to look the other way. Please do not.  If you send your money away from the area you spent it in you are perpetuating a lifestyle that is as unfair as anyone can imagine. You go down to Stupid Mart and buy a pair of $20 jeans. You think that is pretty cool because that same pair of jeans cost $38 at a local shop. Only thing is that the people you bought it from are only making what? $6 an hour, at the most, and no health care insurance so you are having to pay that in your own taxes. And the bulk of the profits from that puchase are most certainly not being spent in your community. They are being spent in places that your well being does not matter. In fact, not even thinking about you. GOOD BYE 


ridgerunner

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Reply #7 on: June 03, 2008, 01:06:12 am
My local biodiesel supplier is getting ready to start selling E85. I was checking out his info and it's pretty interesting. The E85 he's supposed to be getting is 105 octane and he's looking at selling for $2.85 gal. Before he sells it, he says he's going to run it in his own vehicle. he won't sell what he won't use himself. He just bought a "White Lightning" conversion for his car plus the recommended K&N filter and hotter plugs. I guess I'll get to see some real-world testing before I do anything myself.
08 Bullet ES (AVL)
The Enfield saves on gas, riding the Enfield saves on Prozac. ;)