Car seems faster with ethanol

[IH84DZ]

If you are running more than E10 in a gasoline vehicle you are harming the planet. The engine control system is often not able to reach the ideal stoichiometric ratio with trim adjustments and will enter open loop. This will affect HC, CO and NOx emissions and catalyst efficiency will be reduced.

Save the planet. Run the right damn fuel in your car. If not, you have chosen to pollute our rivers and streams, kill polar bears and warm the globe!!!!!! You are evil and should feel responsible for all the seemingly negative climate related events henceforth. You should register as a Republican and smoke a cigar with your rich, big oil corporate white collar cronies.

If it's flex fuel, yes I'm sure it feels a tad more peppy. Once the car realizes it is running ethanol it can apply a slightly more agressive ignition timing due to the detonation resistance of ethanol.

[raptor1956]

Originally Posted by IH84DZ

If you are running more than E10 in a gasoline vehicle you are harming the planet. The engine control system is often not able to reach the ideal stoichiometric ratio with trim adjustments and will enter open loop. This will affect HC, CO and NOx emissions and catalyst efficiency will be reduced.

Save the planet. Run the right damn fuel in your car. If not, you have chosen to pollute our rivers and streams, kill polar bears and warm the globe!!!!!! You are evil and should feel responsible for all the seemingly negative climate related events henceforth. You should register as a Republican and smoke a cigar with your rich, big oil corporate white collar cronies.

If it's flex fuel, yes I'm sure it feels a tad more peppy. Once the car realizes it is running ethanol it can apply a slightly more agressive ignition timing due to the detonation resistance of ethanol.

More than that ... ethanol brings with it additional oxygen so it WILL enable the car to produce more power. The downside is lower mileage as ethanol contains about 1/3 less energy per gallon.

The 2012 FF is a flex fuel vehicle, at least the ones beginning with job 2, and the engine will adjust the fuel/air ratio and all other parameters as needed and since ethanol is a cleaner fuel it will NOT be hurting the planet!


Brian

[FLYLOW]

if it doesnt say or specify flexfuel capable then your system wasnt design for it

dis can make car...

[suterp]

2013 Owner's manual says if the car is flex fuel equipped, the higher octane rating allows for more power and efficiency than reg gas. Mine has a yellow ring around the fuel fill inlet and it's also written on the hatch that it's a flex fuel vehicle.

[Kevastator]

If its not flex fuel equipped, it will eat away at your gas lines and clog your fuel filter, etc.

Power will be upped, but efficiency is always down when using ethanol. It makes way less BTUs compared to the same amount of gasoline, takes more to get the same power.

But if economy is less important, go for it!

[Jdog913]

For everyone's information mid-model year for 2012 Ford Motor Company started shipping all Foci with the flex fuel engine. I'm not that familiar with the 2012 Focus powertrain but normally there is a separate flex fuel module along with a fuel system capable of to handle E85. Cars like the 2012 Focus were rushed in production (2012 MY in 2011). Time was not allotted for the extra content of the vehicle due to deadlines.

[raptor1956]

Yes, because ethanol brings additional oxygen into the combustion chamber it produces more power because it boosts the amount of available oxygen. OTH, ethanol contains 1/3 less energy so the mileage is less. Mileage is pretty much directly coupled to energy content so lowering the energy by a third should lower the mileage by that amount -- EXCEPT that ethanol has an octane equivalent over 120 which allows it to run without problems in higher compression engines.


If you were to run E85 (85% ethanol) the car would have noticably more power but would probably get about 29% less mileage -- running in a 12:1 engine like the Mk3 FF may offset this somewhat but I'd still expect the mileage to be at least 1/4 less than pure gas.

E10, OTH, is not going to see much of a power boost nor much of a mileage loss...


The good thing about ethanol, even for those that hate the idea of it, is that you can run E85 when you want more power but not have to do any modifications to the car that hurt resale value. Of course, your car needs to be certified E85 to do so safely.


Lastly, some complain about the problem of water contamination with ethanol, but remember, most of the fuel treatments designed to rid your tank of water are in fact ethanol or similar alcohol. Running E10 most of the time as most of us do should prevent water build up and that's a good thing...


Brian

[1turbofocus]

I have done a lot with e85 over the years and one of the largest issues are , it is the only unregulated fuel in the US for cars.

You might go buy it one time and it be 99-101 octane then next time be 92-95 octane this wouldnt do well for an engine needing say 100 octane fuel , e85 is highly resistant to knock but somewhat sensitive to preignition, the sensitivity of preignition is what causes the actual octane rating to go down , what people dont understand is e85 isnt 105 octane

The 2012 has a wide band o2 that as you change fuels from say 93 to e85 which needs 27-30% more fuel will make the adjustments to add the needed / targeted fuel and keep the air fuel safe

Those reading this that have a 2011 or older MUST get a retune or you will blow the engine

I will not run e85 even if it was given to me , for evey guy that says they have run it for years problem free I can show you 2 that have blown there engines

This discussion will never be resolved this will go on for years and there will always be guys that love e85 so to each there own just know what your getting into before you use it

Tom

[iminhell]

Originally Posted by 1turbofocus

This discussion will never be resolved this will go on for years and there will always be guys that love e85 so to each there own just know what your getting into before you use it.

Tom

Well said.

I've done my research. I've done things to make my car run well on it and tolerant to variations in fuel. Almost ever time I drive I datalog. I know what my car is doing.
It isn't a cut and dry switch and you do need more than the basic understanding of an engine to do it correctly.

I'm happy with my fuel choice. I won't push it on anyone though. But if they do want help tuning for it I'm willing to lend a hand and my experiences. Have in the past and they were happy FAIK.