E-15 is shorthand for gasoline blended with 15% Ethanol which is a fairly corrosive material which can cause damage to rubber parts and other critical parts over time. Ethanol also attracts and bonds with water from the air, and that water can separate out inside the tank due to phase separation. If your vehicle sits for long periods between use, the moisture settles to the bottom of the tank and can potentially clog in-tank pumps and filters. Damage is also possible in fuel lines, injectors, seals, gaskets, and valve seats as well as carburetors on older engines.
The main issue with respect to E-15 in many cases is whether or not the car will be covered under warranty from damage caused by using this product. GM and Ford have certified their own cars starting with 2012 (GM) and 2013 (Ford) to be compatible with E-15 and so some of the newer cars may not have any trouble with this.
I would not recommend using this fuel on longer drives where the chances of burning through an entire tank relatively quickly are greater. This may lessen the chance of excess E-15 fuel sitting in the bottom of your tank for longer periods of time where it may be prone to causing damage as outlined above.
If you run into any issues, feel free to contact YourMechanic, as one of our mobile technicians can come to your home or office to service your vehicle.
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The EPA said E15 can be used in any vehicle from 2001 or newer. It cannot be used in motorcycles, vehicles with heavy-duty engines like buses and delivery trucks, off-road vehicles like boats or snow mobiles, and lawn equipment.
What kind of car can we run E15 in? E15 has been certified for use in any gasoline-powered car with a U.S.-certified emissions system from 2001 or newer, whether it`s flex fuel or not. To be clear, 90 percent of all vehicles on the road today fall into this 2001-and-up category, so chances are that`s your vehicle.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines E15 as gasoline blended with 10.5% to 15% ethanol.
E85 gas is suitable for use in any vehicle designated as a flex-fuel vehicle by the manufacturer. Cars.com reports that flex-fuel vehicles are capable of running on both ethanol-gasoline blends and regular gasoline.
The EPA has approved E15 for use in cars built since 2001, but automakers, do not necessarily agree that the older cars should use it. Owners of collector cars, though, should avoid using E15 in any vehicle that hasn`t been modified to handle it.
In fact, your car`s fuel economy can drop by up to 30% when you switch to E85. E85 can damage your car`s engine: Ethanol is a corrosive substance that can wear down your engine`s components over time. Ethanol can also cause problems with your car`s fuel system and ignition system.
E15
Lowers Carbon Emissions Ethanol helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40-50% compared to petroleum. By displacing hydrocarbon substances like aromatics in gasoline, ethanol significantly reduces emissions of air toxics, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides, and exhaust hydrocarbons.
E15 is meant to be a cleaner form of gasoline because it includes biofuel — which is considered “carbon neutral” — and it does burn cleaner than 100% gasoline. But using it actually creates more ground-level air pollution.
WILL E15 HURT MY CAR`S ENGINE? E15, often sold at the pump as Unleaded 88, for its octane rating, can safely be used in all cars, trucks and SUVs from 2001 on.
Running E15 gasoline in a car that is not approved for it could cause engine problems. Ethanol is known to corrode rubber and some metals and can cause additional moisture in the fuel tank for cars that sit for a while.
Continually filling a standard gasoline car with this high-ethanol fuel can result in serious fuel system corrosion. Plus, when you accidentally put E85 fuel in a car, it may void your engine warranty. That means you could be on the hook for the repairs, even if your car is brand new.
E85 has higher octane than regular gasoline. This means that E85 is a lot better for your car`s engine than regular gasoline. It is also a cleaner fuel with lesser harmful emissions. On the downside, E85 burns faster and produces lesser energy than gasoline.
Ethanol-blended gas lasts up to
3 months.
Generally, the higher the ethanol content in the gas, the shorter its shelf life, so E15 (15 percent ethanol content), E20 (20 percent ethanol), or E85 (85 percent ethanol) gas will expire sooner than E10 gas will.
Some fuel stations are now selling gasoline with up to 15% ethanol. This E15 product is not recommended or approved for use in small engines.
Ethanol has a corrosive action on fuel-system components, magnesium, aluminium and rubber. Running E85 on older model engines without tuning and replacing some components will ruin the engine in short time. Replacing fuel hoses, fuel pumps, gaskets, seals, fuel filters, fuel injectors, throttle bodies, etc.
The Disadvantages to using E85.
The main disadvantage to using E85 is the fact that it`s less dense than traditional gasoline. This means that your car will need to burn more fuel to get the same amount of distance compared to petrol, this works out to be about a 30% increase in fuel consumption.
E15, often sold at the pump as Unleaded 88, for its octane rating, can safely be used in all cars, trucks and SUVs from 2001 on. Those model years represent more than 90% of vehicles on U.S. roads. The ethanol industry says the fuel is one of the most tested in history and has no effect on vehicle drivability.
E15 is a blend of 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline. It contains 5% more ethanol than E10, which is the most common fuel used in the U.S. E15 is higher in octane – typically 88 octane while E10 has an octane rating of 87. Retailers are offering E15 as Unleaded 88 to highlight its high octane value.
E15, often sold at the pump as Unleaded 88, for its octane rating, can safely be used in all cars, trucks and SUVs from 2001 on. Those model years represent more than 90% of vehicles on U.S. roads. The ethanol industry says the fuel is one of the most tested in history and has no effect on vehicle drivability.
E15 is a blend of 15% ethanol and 85% gasoline. It contains 5% more ethanol than E10, which is the most common fuel used in the U.S. E15 is higher in octane – typically 88 octane while E10 has an octane rating of 87. Retailers are offering E15 as Unleaded 88 to highlight its high octane value.
E15, usually dispensed from pumps with blue labels, should not be confused with E85, which contains up to 85% ethanol. It`s for use only in flex-fuel vehicles, with engines that can withstand that corrosive effects of a high blend of alcohol.
