I'm wondering if a stock is350 can take e85 gas instead of premium? Here in california, theres tons of e85 gas stations and I hear e85 is better then pump gas. I'm curious to know so any input would definitely help. Thanks guys!

 

I have personally done it but not in the Lexus. Are cars are modern enough to "work" with e85, now I didnt say they are modern enough to "RUN" on e85. I have tried it in my 335i and escalade, but the escalade was already flex fuel.

I can tell you on the BMW it was never straight e85 always mixed with 93/e85. Cant tell you if I felt anything different. Did it for about 5 months then was tired of going to the only gas station that would supply it. The escalade I swear i felt better power but needed refueling more often, sounded better too.

The real reason, we cant do it is because the fuel pump. Injectors(need larger ones) and of course the tune. Simply it was never designed to do it.

 

DO NOT RUN E85 in a 2IS; it will run like total crap because the ECU CANNOT compensate for the fuel.

I've ran a 400whp Honda with E85, so I'm well-versed it what the advantages/disadvantages are. Also what exactly it takes to run it period.

 

DON'T run e85 in your Lexus!! It'll drive like ******t. I tried some 91 octane and e85 mixture and at first the car pulled a lot harder as I was running the twin turbo setup at the time so my guess is increased air flow plus increased octane equals more power? Anyway... Long story short, the car started acting up badly. I would do 50-75% throttle pulls on the hwy and the car would bog out. It would feel like it was chocking. On a 335i you can easily do e85 mixtures with a tune and gain tons of power but that is not the case with the Lexus.

 

Great to know. Thanks guys. With direct injection, I just asumed it could handle e85 but wasn't sure it was tuned for it

 

^Any modern vehicle's fuel systems can "handle" it, but is the setup tuned for it is the question.

 

I have an '07 IS 250 and I run a 50/50 Premium/E85 mixture and have been for the past 30,000 miles. I have had no issues, and have actually maintained fuel mileage(due to our vehicles high compression ratio and ethanol's octane value) with this blend. E85 is 100+ octane. I increase the ethanol portion in the summertime. This also allows me to save money beings E85 is typically $1 cheaper than 91 octane premium. I'm a big believer in E85; it helps reduce our dependence on oil and it burns cleaner than gasoline. Most of what you hear about engine damage caused by ethanol is fabricated by the oil industry who is threatened by increased use of the fuel.


Short answer, give it a shot at a lighter blend and inch the blend up if you feel comfortable.









However, on pure E85 I did have the check engine light come on until I backed the blend down, due to fuel sensor readings I assume.

 

^The above I HIGHLY recommend NOT doing!

 

i really hope people are not out there putting E85 in there non flex fuel, cars that arent tuned for e85..... when the motor lets go, i hope there arent any "oh i melted a cylinder and dont know why" threads later

ive seen what happened in a buddies mr2 that ran e85 and the car wasnt tuned for it. when the block was tore down, his #4 cylinder looked like a candle

 

E85 can also dissolve fuel lines.

 

e85?

 

actually that is not true. 90+ percent of our gasoline contains ethanol; all of our fuel systems are rated to handle it. And, check out this study done on fuel lines & the effects gasoline aromatics have on them compared to ethanol:

 

^I agree that "modern" cars can run E85; even my older '92 Civic ran it w/o issue. But is it wise to be running it in a vehicle not tuned for it? NO

 

i use to think this too but its mostly the older vehicles that end up suffering from this. alot of the more modern cars the fuel lines can withstand. its the running e85 on a car thats not tuned for it or the fuel system to support is what kills cars.

yeah like gville said, trying to run E85 on a car not tuned for it or the fuel system to support it, thats what kills motors. alot of people dont understand you need 40% more e85 than you do 91 oct because it burns faster. hence why alot of modded cars have huge injectors with E85. without that, you run stupid lean and of course, the motor gives up the ghost

 

To simply answer the posed question, no. I think the majority of informed motorists would choose 100% gasoline if they actually had the choice. Gasoline has more energy content than alcohol and therefore you can drive further on a gallon of pure gasoline than a gallon of gasoline cut with any percentage of alcohol. Here's what Lexus has to say on the topic: