[dataway]

My truck is a "flex-fuel" GMC which will run on up to 85% ethanol. If what the woman said about fuel lines and gaskets is true, it would mean that my truck must have special fuel lines, tank, gaskets, seals, pumps etc. And I seriously doubt it does, as it was standard on a 2011 GMC 1500 with a 5.3.

When you order any of these parts for this truck, none of them are E85 or flex-fuel specific. So why is that ethanol will not destroy my truck? The major difference is that the computer and injection system is designed to handle the E85, but that wouldn't help the fuel lines or anything ...I don't think the truck has an entirely SS fuel system or special gaskets that are any different than gaskets designed to handle E10.

It does get about 2.5 mpg better on 100% gasoline (ethanol free station about 15 miles away). I've never run E85 in it. The major difference I notice is storage. I have five motorcycles that I store for sometimes over a year at a time ....using ethanol with stabilizer they are a pain to start. Using 100% gasoline with stabilizer they start right up. I fill all my property use gas cans with 100% gas, and all the motorcycles with 100% gas.

But, as for GMC anyway, they warranty their engines to burn up to 85% ethanol in the flex free and I'm pretty sure they are ALL E15 capable. Not sure what is so different about GMCs (no jokes please . Heck, if I can use E85 with no damage, should be able to use 100% gas for about 50 years without problems.

For an efficiency standpoint, and an environmental standpoint ...corn based ethanol is a disaster. Bio-mass ethanol, ok (if they can perfect it). Sugar based ethanol, ok ...corn, stupid. Way more efficient as food.
JohnnyB

JohnnyB

[LordPancake]

Originally Posted by dataway

My truck is a "flex-fuel" GMC which will run on up to 85% ethanol. If what the woman said about fuel lines and gaskets is true, it would mean that my truck must have special fuel lines, tank, gaskets, seals, pumps etc. And I seriously doubt it does, as it was standard on a 2011 GMC 1500 with a 5.3.

When you order any of these parts for this truck, none of them are E85 or flex-fuel specific. So why is that ethanol will not destroy my truck? The major difference is that the computer and injection system is designed to handle the E85, but that wouldn't help the fuel lines or anything ...I don't think the truck has an entirely SS fuel system or special gaskets that are any different than gaskets designed to handle E10.

Actually they are definitely designed to run E85, but it is a standard of those 5.3s. We had a 2007 Tahoe that was flex-fuel, and if you read the owners manual it tells you that the engine will detect it and remap itself, so you have a specific engine computer designed for it that not all modern vehicles will have. Also, modern fuel systems have to be designed with ethanol blends in mind, but we all know that if 10% is the norm, car companies will design it with 10% in mind, not 11% if it costs more. GM markets the flex-fuel as a benefit, but it's not because it is a free thing to implement.

I have watched ethanol eat up rubber and cork parts very quickly; I hate putting E10 in my cars, especially the old ones, and I don't know what I would I would do if it kept creeping in more and more. Rebuilding carbs is a PITA. I think the point of this message was, if your car hasn't been designed for higher than 10% ethanol (or at all, in the case of old cars) then running higher and higher blends is opening you up to more and more issues. It is not about whether or not ethanol is bad, or if you have an E85 vehicle that E15 will blow it up. It's just a PSA about watching what you stick in your tank because you may be opening yourself up to a screwed up fuel system and no recourse from your warranty.