# E85 on non flex fuel car **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [March 25, 2014, 2:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325 "2014-03-25T02:36:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gtination94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/958977/32.png) [@Gtination94](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Gtination94)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 2:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/1 "2014-03-25T02:36:37Z")
So I heard some rumor that you can put e85 on a non flex fuel car. I drive a 2007 vw gti and I was wondering if I put a e85 on my car of it would have any damage to my car. Thank you ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 2:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/2 "2014-03-25T02:41:00Z")
You can put it in, and then put in a lot of money to clean up the resulting damage. ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 2:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/3 "2014-03-25T02:46:33Z")
I wouldn’t use E-85 in a flex fuel car, let alone a non-flex fuel car. The university where I taught had some vehicles in its fleet that were flex fuel. I was always afraid to try it even though it wasn’t my car. I wanted to get to my destination and back without problems. Besides, the mileage is lower on E-85 which probably makes the saving negligible. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 2:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/4 "2014-03-25T02:49:15Z")
RTFM! Read the frikkin owners manual, then decide. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 2:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/5 "2014-03-25T02:49:48Z")
+1 to NYBo’s comment. **So** –Ethanol is notoriously corrosive to fuel lines and fuel injection components that were not designed for high levels of ethanol. **So** –Yes, you can use it. **So** –Yes, you will pay dearly for doing so. (Why do so many people nowadays believe that they are supposed to begin every statement with “so”? In my response, I have used the “so” construction only in order for the OP to understand his own type of language usage–which is absolutely incorrect.) ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 2:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/6 "2014-03-25T02:59:54Z")
I’m not going to mention any names but when I worked in my last year, I had a driver that would take care of some of the pool cars. Make sure they were serviced, cleaned, etc. Not once but twice the goof ball put in E85 into a non-flex car. Each time it cost us about $2000 to repair the damage to the fuel system. The local Coop station is currently digging out its tanks to put in E85. For what purpose I have no idea except I suspect the repair shops might be in cahoots for the sure to come damage to cars and boats come summer. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 3:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/7 "2014-03-25T03:02:08Z")
You CAN put E85 in a non flex fuel car. Once. You can jump off the bow of a moving cruise ship in the middle of the night. Once. You can chop off your own head. Once. None of these things are advisable. Whoever told you this is either terribly ignorant of things mechanical… or hates you. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 4:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/8 "2014-03-25T04:16:36Z")
I had a co-worker use E85 in their non flex-fuel Ranger. After three tanks the pistons had holes burned in them. Don’t do it! Tester ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 4:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/9 "2014-03-25T04:18:11Z")
Never do this. Your GTI needs premium, E10 max. ---
**Author:** ![knfenimore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9fc348/32.png) [@knfenimore](https://community.cartalk.com/u/knfenimore)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 5:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/10 "2014-03-25T05:22:46Z")
E85 will also drop your fuel mileage by 10%. Ethanol is pushed by farmers to raise corn prices on our backs. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 6:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/11 "2014-03-25T06:03:20Z")
It’s even worse than that - E85 drops fuel mileage by about 30%. ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 6:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/12 "2014-03-25T06:15:56Z")
@Gtination94 …E10 is bad enough so why in the world would you want to use E85? ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 6:36am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/13 "2014-03-25T06:36:53Z")
This is what’s going on. There are many cars, and you would be surprised how many, that are flex fuel comparable but are not certified to run on e85 at this time. This does no damage to these cars. The problem is, you may void the warranty and you really can’t be sure which ones as no dealer will tell you and be held accountable with no warranty reimbursement from the facotry should anything go wrong, gas related or not. The politics are not presently on the side of their disclosure. Don’t chance it. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 7:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/14 "2014-03-25T07:07:58Z")
I wouldn’t even burn E10 if I had a choice. ---
**Author:** ![Stoveguyy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Stoveguyy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Stoveguyy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/15 "2014-03-25T21:26:52Z")
Oh, forgot my car is e-85. Nevermind ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 10:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/16 "2014-03-25T22:09:53Z")
Not only does a non-flex fuel vehicle lack the proper fuel system components, it likely also lacks the programming to handle the various fuel mixes you get when you use E85. Those who use E85 sometimes and E10 sometimes will end up with gasoline/ethanol ratios between the two extremes. Flex fuel vehicles can handle these varying ratios. Non-flex fuel vehicles likely cannot. ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 11:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/17 "2014-03-25T23:31:57Z")
If I may ask, why do you want to do this? ---
**Author:** ![Gtination94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/958977/32.png) [@Gtination94](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Gtination94)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 3:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/18 "2014-03-26T03:51:30Z")
I heard that it gives more power. ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 4:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/19 "2014-03-26T04:00:09Z")
It gives less power. Ethanol has less energy for a given volume. As far as I know, some might be interested in it because it can often be had cheaper - but that only sort of works and then only if your vehicle is equipped for it. ---
**Author:** ![Rod-Knox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Rod-Knox](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rod-Knox)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 5:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325/20 "2014-03-26T05:42:59Z")
The use of alcohol in high performance blown engines results in more horsepower than gasoline because the high octane rating of alcohol allows much higher compression ratios but daily drivers won’t benefit from that setup. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/e85-on-non-flex-fuel-car/84325.md?page=2)