Does E85 lower your MPG?

The Show
21

I used to get angry when misinformation is spread by people who should know better, but my affection for Tom and Ray is stronger than that.

  1. I converted my 1999 Subararu Outback to Flex-Fuel almost two years ago, and I am a very happy camper.

  2. The penalty in MPG in my car is only 15%, not 30%. I am a retired physicist, not an automotive engineer, but maybe it is because the 105 octane of E85 allows spark advance beyond that of gasoline.

  3. Yes, MPG is lower, but who cares! MPD is what counts (miles per dollar). Last year the price of E85 ran consistently 25% lower than that of regular gasoline. This year it’s a wash or worse, so I use E10. Flex-fuel is like that; it is FLEXIBLE; use whatever ratio is best for you at the time and your on-board computer will adjust.

Wait a few years and gasoline will be $10 a gallon and I will be paying a lot less.

  1. Contrary to what Tom and Ray said on the air, performance on E85 is BETTER than that on gasoline. Horsepower is noticeably higher at high speeds and torque is better at low speeds.

  2. The “experts” online assured me that E85 would eat away my fuel lines and pump. WRONG! The car still runs fine with the adapter I installed ($400 for 4 cylinders). Installation is easy if you can reach your spark plugs, since all you do is to switch some ignition wires around. I had to remove the air filter to reach them.

So don’t knock E85 until you get some experience guys. Otherwise you make fools of yourselves.