E15 gas

[CheapFuneral]

Any body seen this? I guess it voids your warranty, it's got more eth in it but has a very low octane rating and is causing premature detonation. Also it doesn't mix well with the gas and is causing it to sink to the bottom of the tank. On top of that they are saying it is causing things to corrode.

What do u think?


**** you auto correct!

 

[The Champ]

Our cars are designed to run E85, so running E15 shouldn't really be a problem. If you can run 85% ethanol under warranty, why would 15% void it?

Ethanol typically has a higher octane rating, not lower. The pump should show you what the octane it.

 

[mitdr774]

Last i knew our cars were not E85 compatible from the factory.

 

[Hdmanny]

The manual says they are not E85 flex fuel engines but on some web sites they list them as flex fuel. I am talking about the 1.8 not 1.4.

 

[River_Rat]

Regardless of whether the Sonic in either 1.8 or 1.4 liter form is designated as flex fuel (to my knowledge, the Sonic is not), the 2013 owners manual states:

Recommended Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline with
a posted octane rating of 87 or
higher. If the octane rating is less
than 87, an audible knocking noise,
commonly referred to as spark
knock, might be heard when driving.
If this occurs, use a gasoline rated
at 87 octane or higher as soon as
possible. If heavy knocking is heard
when using gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher, the engine
needs service.

. . .

Gasolines containing oxygenates,
such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines might be
available in your area. We
recommend that you use these
gasolines, if they comply with the
specifications described earlier.
However, E85 (85% ethanol) and
other fuels containing more than
15% ethanol must not be used in
vehicles that were not designed for
those fuels.

2013 Sonic Owner's Manual Section 9-33 through 9-34

The language, to me, indicates that using fuel containing up to a maximum 15% ethanol is OK.

 

[Swordsmith]

The 1.4T was designed for E85, however, the decision was made not to release the Sonic as a Flexfuel vehicle. There is a piece of fuel line which is not technically E85 ready (although most people scoff at the idea that it will cause any trouble) and there is no alcohol sensor installed. But it's easy to add one, the inputs are right there in the ECU just waiting to have wires connected. A tune is required to unlock the programming, but it's already there in the ECU. Point being, the engine handles E85 fine and was in fact designed for it, and certainly isn't going to be damaged by E15.

 

[Natesriv]

I received a sticker from GM which I had to put over the original sticker under the hood denoting the engine as E85. Now it states it's not...

I run E091 so I don't mind anyway

 

[CheapFuneral]

Our cars are designed to run E85, so running E15 shouldn't really be a problem. If you can run 85% ethanol under warranty, why would 15% void it?

Ethanol typically has a higher octane rating, not lower. The pump should show you what the octane it.

Typically it is a higher octane rating, but I think they use a low quality gas with it. Do they show octane ratings on e85 at the pump? I honesty don't know the answer but I'd say no, because all e85 is the same octane right? So why would e15 be different? The article did say flex fuel cars would be ok.


**** you auto correct!

 

[mitdr774]

E85 can varry from E15 to up to E85. Around me it is usually only about E80 for a couple months tops.

 

[Swordsmith]

It's only supposed to vary from E70 to E85. If you're seeing lower than that, there's either a labeling problem or something wrong with your sensor... or I'm wrong and in your state they have a different definition of what's in there required.

Normal gas also varies from E10 to E0, unless labeled specifically as "100% gasoline"

 

[mitdr774]

Sorry, I didnt proof read that one good enough. E51 not E15.

 

[Swordsmith]

Even 51 would be wrong, at least at the pumps here in PA (I haven't read the E85 pumps elsewhere, just assumed they were all that 70% to 85% range). Not as bad as 15% though!

 

[The Champ]

Typically it is a higher octane rating, but I think they use a low quality gas with it. Do they show octane ratings on e85 at the pump? I honesty don't know the answer but I'd say no, because all e85 is the same octane right? So why would e15 be different? The article did say flex fuel cars would be ok.

Like with any fuel, octane ratings can vary. Ethanol has a higher octane rating than gas - typically about 115. Mixing it with 87 octane gas with lowers it to around 94 - 96.

It used to be that the E10 pumps had an octane rating of 89 in this area. But they've lowered the octane of the gas used to about 85 now, so #E10 is only 87.

You can make the octane rating whatever you want it to be on E15 - based on the octane rating of the gas you mix the ethanol with.

 

[CheapFuneral]

Like with any fuel, octane ratings can vary. Ethanol has a higher octane rating than gas - typically about 115. Mixing it with 87 octane gas with lowers it to around 94 - 96.



It used to be that the E10 pumps had an octane rating of 89 in this area. But they've lowered the octane of the gas used to about 85 now, so #E10 is only 87.



You can make the octane rating whatever you want it to be on E15 - based on the octane rating of the gas you mix the ethanol with.

So u can pick the octane rating? Is this similar to burger kings flavored soda machine?


**** you auto correct!

 

[Swordsmith]

E85 is nominally the equivalent of 106 octane, according to the sign on the local pump.