Search "octane rating" on Wikipedia for a complete explanation of 87 fuel.

good luck

 

Will give you a petrol horror story to chill your bones. Price here has broken thro' the £1 per litre barrier, most of that being tax.

 

hey cheggie have you had any issues in this cold snap we've had the past couple days? it was 16 here in greenville this morning when I left for work.

 

I noticed you were in Greenville - small world. I had the day off, but I did start it to run an errand.The car starts and runs wonderfully. It takes maybeone extra turn of the motor to start in the cold, but that's it. It runs great, I just can't figure out why my mileage has taken such a dive. 30-31 to 26.3 [:'(]

I don't remember this kind of mileage last winter. Since you're in the area, what kind of mileage are you getting?

 

Son of a !
thats like $1.90 USD...

but seriously, its most likely just the cold. A combination between the cold air, colder engine, and winter gas.

 

Fact is that E85 contains significantly less BTU than gasoline. Follows then that MPG is signifcantly less.
Means 85 percent drinkable alcoholand 15 percent gasoline - so you won't drink it. Not that you would.
How? PCM detects E85 and adjusts engine timing.
PCM also detects difference in gasoline grades. You figure out how.
Winter gasoline blends are different than summer blends.
So I wouldn't get wrapped around the axle over a drop in MPG season to season.
BTW: Ethanol is higher octane than regular gasoline BUT needs higher engine compression to utilize.

 

Let me get this straight, American E85 fuel is 85% alcohol and 25% petrol?? I was thinking it was the other way around. If this is correct (85% alcohol and 25% petrol) it explains why you need different engine mapping and alcohol sensorsin the tank etc, and why the octane is so high.

 

Actually it is 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.
85+15=100

 

oma93,
Thank you for clearing that up, I can never add or subtract when I'm knackered (that's Aussie for very very tired). I made the same stupid error earlier!

I wouldn'thave thought high quanties of ethanol would be a good thing to use in engines? Motor racing alcohol fuel is invariably methanol because it's far less problematic in engines than ethanol is. From what I understand about alcohol use in engines (which isn't a huge amount), I would be wary of using it. Maybe academic could shine some light?

 

the ethanol is corn based instead of sugarcane based if that makes a difference.

cheggie..my 92 is sluggish starting always in the cold but she always fires up and runs just fine. I think the mileage drop in your case is in fact just the colder weather, mine has done the same thing since I got it.