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Will E85 harm a non E85 vehicle?
June 10, 2017, 01:37 PM
Gator73Will E85 harm a non E85 vehicle?
Soooo...my wife just called saying she stopped for gas and filled up with "something called flex fuel - E85" in her 2002 Toyota.
She then informs me that she "inadvertently" did the same thing last week so she thought it was ok since it ran fine all week.
I'm concerned what it will do to the engine?
Should I remove at least some of the E85 from the tank and have her fill up with regular gas to dilute the E85?
My other thought is just drive and stop daily to fill with regular gas during the week.
Thanks.
June 10, 2017, 01:47 PM
egregorequote:
My other thought is just drive and stop daily to fill with regular gas during the week.
One tank of the E85 - or even, apparently, two - isn't going to harm anything. Just don't make a habit of it.
June 10, 2017, 01:48 PM
a1abdjI don't think it would hurt it one time, but I wouldn't do it again.
When I was going to college a woman pulled in with directions from her husband to fill up with the high octane fuel. This particular station sold race fuel at the pump. She was shocked when she went to hang the pump handle and saw that she had just purchased 30 gallons of fuel at $6.00 per gallon.
June 10, 2017, 01:55 PM
cmr076We do a lot of flex fuel conversions. To run properly they usually need much larger injectors fuel pump and a flex fuel sensor. The worst thing that can happen is the car will Run lean and swell fuel lines and pump
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June 10, 2017, 02:02 PM
Balzé HalzéJust drive extra fast everywhere to burn the fuel out quicker.
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June 10, 2017, 02:33 PM
reflex/deflex 64It's probably going to run poorly. If you don't pay attention to such things you might not even notice. It's very unlikely your at 85% now
Long term your fuel pump will be first thing to fail. That's been my observation anyway.
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June 10, 2017, 02:36 PM
FN in MTAt least she didn't fuel with Diesel.
June 10, 2017, 04:24 PM
arfmelWhat kind of new car does she have in mind?
June 10, 2017, 05:36 PM
tatortoddIf I were the OP, out of an abundance of caution I would run the car down to a 1/4 tank then fill it with ethanol free gas
(link to find ethanol free gas stations). Here is a study by the Auto Alliance, an auto industry lobbying group representing several major automakers, on E15 fuel some car engines from the 2001 to 2009 model years. To be fair, the test simulated 100,000 miles of useage which is far different than the OP's wife filling up twice with E85 in an '02.
I'm pretty picky about the fuel I put in my vehicles and
ONLY put Top Tier gasoline in my vehicles and small engines.
Here is an article about a AAA study on Top Tier gasoline vs regular gasoline.On a side note, congratulations to the OP on finding the needle in a hay stack (i.e. a woman who fills up a car instead of $10 or $20 at a time).
Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity
DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer. June 10, 2017, 05:37 PM
Gator73She's generally pretty observant about any noises, etc. the car may make and she said it ran as normal last week. She did have a 1/4 tank of regular when she filled up at that time.
Today the gauge was at 1/4 again but she added more E85 so I'm guessing it's no longer "diluted" with the regular gas.
I checked the E85 website and under their FAQ's it says any car 2001 or newer is ok to run on E85.
She's so freaked out that it potentially could really screw up the motor she won't make that mistake again.
Besides posting here for feedback, I also Googled the subject and saw the usual internet advice from "no problem" to "wreck the motor".
I feel a little better reading the responses here. Fingers crossed. Thanks
June 10, 2017, 06:00 PM
detroit192Do not tell the dealer if you still take it to one for service. Flex fuel in theory is not the worst idea ever, but Toyota thinks so. They have been fighting the E15 directives until they couldn't. I might run no alcohol gas for a few tanks if you can find it. The myriad of plastic parts in the fuel system will suffer.
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ulstermanHard to inadvertently do that. Pump asks if your vehicle is flex fuel.
June 10, 2017, 06:47 PM
MikeNHquote:
Originally posted by ulsterman:
Hard to inadvertently do that. Pump asks if your vehicle is flex fuel.
None of the pumps I used in Michigan when I had a truck that could run E85 asked. But it was a dedicated pump with stickers all over it so it seems pretty obvious.
June 10, 2017, 06:54 PM
a1abdjquote:
it seems pretty obvious.
I took this photo a while back at a local gas station. Nobody seems to really know what is in it or in what percentages.
June 10, 2017, 07:06 PM
Alpine79830quote:
Originally posted by tatortodd:
If I were the OP, out of an abundance of caution I would run the car down to a 1/4 tank then fill it with ethanol free gas
(link to find ethanol free gas stations). [url=http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2012/05/automaker-tests-show-damage-to-older-car-engines-from-running-on-e15-ethanol
/index.htm]Here is a study by the Auto Alliance, an auto industry lobbying group representing several major automakers, on E15 fuel some car engines from the 2001 to 2009 model years.[/url] To be fair, the test simulated 100,000 miles of useage which is far different than the OP's wife filling up twice with E85 in an '02.
I'm pretty picky about the fuel I put in my vehicles and
ONLY put Top Tier gasoline in my vehicles and small engines.
Here is an article about a AAA study on Top Tier gasoline vs regular gasoline.On a side note, congratulations to the OP on finding the needle in a hay stack (i.e. a woman who fills up a car instead of $10 or $20 at a time).
Excellent information Sir, I was a pup technician in the late 70s when GM started pumping out bulletins on MTBE and changing out carb accelerator plungers because of "high aromatic fuels". Was this the beginning...?
June 10, 2017, 07:54 PM
jimmy123xquote:
Originally posted by egregore:
quote:
My other thought is just drive and stop daily to fill with regular gas during the week.
One tank of the E85 - or even, apparently, two - isn't going to harm anything. Just don't make a habit of it.
Yes it can. A car from 2002 it will eat up fuel lines and seals and stuff like that in the fuel system that were never ever made for 85% alcohol(ethanol)......
OP- try to water it down with 93 octane gasoline.
June 10, 2017, 08:01 PM
snwghstBurn through the tanks fast and I don't think anything detrimental will happen. Top off with some mid grade or premium at 1/2 tank
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June 10, 2017, 08:11 PM
SIG4EVAYes, it can definitely cause damage. It can clog your stock injectors and will also corrode/weaken your rubber lines. Put as much gas as you can in it to dilute.
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June 10, 2017, 08:40 PM
Gator73To be on the safe side I think I'll siphon out as much as possible and fill up with premium gas and hope for the best.
She clearly saw the E85 label but since there weren't any warnings, etc. she never thought it could be harmful. Not sure many people do know...I didn't...I just had heard it can negatively affect gas mileage so I didn't bother. I have a new vehicle that is E85 capable.
June 10, 2017, 08:49 PM
jimmy123xquote:
Originally posted by Gator73:
To be on the safe side I think I'll siphon out as much as possible and fill up with premium gas and hope for the best.
She clearly saw the E85 label but since there weren't any warnings, etc. she never thought it could be harmful. Not sure many people do know...I didn't...I just had heard it can negatively affect gas mileage so I didn't bother. I have a new vehicle that is E85 capable.
Syphon it out and pour it into your new vehicle.....