E85 conversions considering gas prices

goldpack · May 7, 2026

not sure if this is a good place or if there is existing...

but I was looking at this existing thread

https://www.gmsquarebody.com/threads/what-are-gas-prices-in-your-area.808/

and this one

Ethanol varnish residue: Carb vs EFI

I’m always struggling with carb jets getting clogged with ethanol fuel residue whether it be on my carb C10 or my pressure washer, etc after they have been sitting for a matter of weeks. Just a month ago, I cleaned the jet in my pressure washer and had to do it again yesterday. The jet was...

www.gmsquarebody.com

E85 is 60 miles away from my home...so not in the cards for me personally.
...only person I seen buying it had a 1985 monte carlo with a 305, and was off to the local working airport half assed drag track for fun runs.
(and did not drive it otherwise)

anyone do it with a 1970-1989 existing engine.... did you make it flexible with computer control, like a modern flex fuel gmc?
(and keep that working)...

worth the sweat ?

cheaper on the wallet (in pennies per mile...yes ethanol does not go far,...I guess none of these antiques really do MPG)

does it make em go faster than plain old 87,89,93 pump gas...or whatever flavor the regular pumps have in your area?

mods / admins please feel free to add/ move/ augment.

goldpack · May 7, 2026

oh and I found this suck-tastic competitor to gas buddy. not sure if there is better,...or if gas buddy has any e85 prices....or this is just a piece of gas buddy. (which I wish worked better too)

E85 Prices

E85 Prices

e85prices.com

E85 Prices

E85 Prices

e85prices.com

Radiohead · May 7, 2026

Used to run E85 in an old -96 Geo about 20 years ago and the check engine light never went off. Didn't notice any power boost. I suppose if you rejet/program for the increased fuel flow necessary one could run it exclusively. But then you're beholden to Big Corn, so....

YakkoWarner · May 7, 2026

My 2003 Ranger is designed to be E85 compatible and I have tried it a few times because it was a bit cheaper than standard fuel (which is E10-E15 range). It didn't run all that much differently but the fuel milage went down measuably (15% or so) which pretty much offset the savings of the price being 15% or so less than regular fuel.

For keeping jets and carbs clear on equipment/vehicles which only see occasional use, ethanol-free is generally a better bet (its what I use in lawn and garden machines, chain saws, boat motors, etc) because the alcohol in standard fuel is what absorbs moisture out of the atmosphere.

Radiohead · May 7, 2026

Ethanol free is the ONLY way to go in yard equipment and such. Every year I make money off people not following that advice and then their stuff won't start.

TotalyHucked · May 7, 2026

I wish I lived in corn country where it's cheap but here, E is more than regular and even more than premium in some stations if you can even find it at all. I've run it in my flex fuel trucks in the past just out of curiosity when it was very close in price to regular. No noticeable power difference and a solid fuel mileage loss. Not worth it here in GA

goldpack · May 7, 2026

before the present day gulf war:
on the silveradosiera forum members with newer flex fuel trucks suggest they buy E85 once a month to keep the telemetry systems working to see the E85 mix in the fuel.... ...which seems stupid if you are not doing it to save anything, but to maintain the idea of some GMC E85 commercial gimmick from 2001.

but such did make me think an flex fuel truck from the early 2000s that has never had E85 in it, may not be currently smart enough to self adjust without a laptop or a hand held to force feed the idea that someone tried E85.

xm20k · May 7, 2026

Not available here and even if it was, I don't think I'd spend 1-1.2k to swap to a set of E85 compatible carbs and watch my milage go from 5.5 down to 3.5

Radiohead · May 7, 2026

It's true, ethanol doesn't have the btu energy of gasoline.

Ricko1966 · May 7, 2026

E85 especially on our trucks is not a good economic move. Alcohol attracts water which destroys carbs,and rusts tanks,as well as settles out so you have water in your fuel. Ethanol attacks the fuel hoses,rubber carburetor parts,and fuel pumps. E85 you'll have to re jet or replace your carb with an alcohol carb(,which that would be the best move). And E85 gets substantially lower fuel milage. By the time you figure costs to make your truck run on E85 trouble free and figure in the reduced fuel milage. The E85 needs to cost 1/2 what unleaded costs for a long time just to break even. Stoichiometric on alcohol is going about 9/1 unleaded around 14/1 rough math that's about 35% more fuel needed on alcohol.

Rustisbest · May 7, 2026

Makes for cheap race fuel if you need the 100 octane. It's around .75-$1 less than pump gas here.

Ovals_and_Bowties · May 7, 2026

You'll be interested in a thread I plan on making. I just put E85 in my passenger side tank (dual tank truck). With a regular Edelbrock 1406 carb, stock fuel pump, and lines, etc. I'll be documenting how the old girl fares on it.

TotalyHucked · May 8, 2026

Rustisbest said:
Makes for cheap race fuel if you need the 100 octane. It's around .75-$1 less than pump gas here.

Really? Can hardly find it here in NE Ga and it's WAY more expensive when you do

xm20k · May 8, 2026

Ovals_and_Bowties said:
You'll be interested in a thread I plan on making. I just put E85 in my passenger side tank (dual tank truck). With a regular Edelbrock 1406 carb, stock fuel pump, and lines, etc. I'll be documenting how the old girl fares on it.

I hope you rejeted that carb by a considerable amount otherwise it might detonate itself to death.

Rustisbest · May 8, 2026

TotalyHucked said:
Really? Can hardly find it here in NE Ga and it's WAY more expensive when you do

Yeah but theres only a couple stations here that have it though. I had looked into running it in my truck but by the time you figure in the mileage hit it's a wash.

E85 conversions considering gas prices

goldpack

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Ethanol varnish residue: Carb vs EFI

goldpack

Full Access Member

E85 Prices

E85 Prices

Radiohead

That guy on the Columbia

YakkoWarner

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Radiohead

That guy on the Columbia

TotalyHucked

Full Access Member

goldpack

Full Access Member

xm20k

Runs on 93 octane, caffeine, and spite

Radiohead

That guy on the Columbia

Ricko1966

Full Access Member

Rustisbest

. .

Ovals_and_Bowties

Member

TotalyHucked

Full Access Member

xm20k

Runs on 93 octane, caffeine, and spite

Rustisbest

. .

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