Anyone driving a Flex-fuel vehicle ?
#1
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Anyone driving a Flex-fuel vehicle ?
Looking for a new truck and saw Ford offer a 6.2 Flex-fuel engine.
I know there is plenty written online about it but is anyone actually driving one and can give feedback ?
I know there is plenty written online about it but is anyone actually driving one and can give feedback ?
#2
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Re: Anyone driving a Flex-fuel vehicle ?
My Chevy Impala is flex-fuel. I believe it just refers to the ability to use E85 fuel (85% ethanol). Can't say I've ever seen E85 fuel being sold. I just use regular gas. Runs fine.
#3
Re: Anyone driving a Flex-fuel vehicle ?
I had a flex-fuel vehicle (Jeep Grand Cherokee) from 2007 until 2015. It never had E85 in it as the number of gas stations that sell it where I travel was/is so small that I was never near one on a regular basis. The recommendation when I had that one was not to keep swapping between fuel types, so I used regular gas.
Replaced it in 2015 but didn't get the flex engine. Unless there is a abundant supply of E85 I don't see much point in getting one.
Replaced it in 2015 but didn't get the flex engine. Unless there is a abundant supply of E85 I don't see much point in getting one.
#4
Re: Anyone driving a Flex-fuel vehicle ?
My Silverado can run on Flex, but as others have mentioned it is not commonly available.
I am tempted due to the much cheaper price, but have read that there is a reduction in mpg. So far I have stayed on regular.
I am tempted due to the much cheaper price, but have read that there is a reduction in mpg. So far I have stayed on regular.
#5
Peace onion
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: Denver
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Re: Anyone driving a Flex-fuel vehicle ?
Chemically, flex fuel doesn't have the same amount of energy as regular gas. So although it's cheaper, you'll be filling up more often.
#6
I still dont believe it..
Joined: Oct 2013
Location: 12 degrees north
Posts: 2,777
Re: Anyone driving a Flex-fuel vehicle ?
In the uk, some people swear by old mercedes diesels, they can be run on old cooking oil with no modifications [just a group of cats following the fishy smell of the fish and chips shop...]
Jaguar make 4 litre engines with heated injection systems that can run on anything from marine oil via paraffin to jet a1 avgas, intended for lightweight tanks but they have been used in cars.
Gas power - lpg and cng is of course an available viable conversion.
What is the advantage unless you can get the fuel for almost free?
Jaguar make 4 litre engines with heated injection systems that can run on anything from marine oil via paraffin to jet a1 avgas, intended for lightweight tanks but they have been used in cars.
Gas power - lpg and cng is of course an available viable conversion.
What is the advantage unless you can get the fuel for almost free?
#7
Re: Anyone driving a Flex-fuel vehicle ?
That is the reason for my not switching. I can save 40 cents per gallon (~15%) but have read 15-25% loss in mpg. So at best no benefit!
#8
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Re: Anyone driving a Flex-fuel vehicle ?
In the uk, some people swear by old mercedes diesels, they can be run on old cooking oil with no modifications [just a group of cats following the fishy smell of the fish and chips shop...]
Jaguar make 4 litre engines with heated injection systems that can run on anything from marine oil via paraffin to jet a1 avgas, intended for lightweight tanks but they have been used in cars.
Gas power - lpg and cng is of course an available viable conversion.
What is the advantage unless you can get the fuel for almost free?
Jaguar make 4 litre engines with heated injection systems that can run on anything from marine oil via paraffin to jet a1 avgas, intended for lightweight tanks but they have been used in cars.
Gas power - lpg and cng is of course an available viable conversion.
What is the advantage unless you can get the fuel for almost free?
In the UK, I had a Ford Explorer. 4.0 Litre gas guzzler. I had it converted to run on LPG which, at the time, was around half the price of petrol. It would run on either with the flick of a switch. With it's fuel consumption and the miles I was doing, the conversion paid for itself in about 15 months. Well worth it.
#9
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Re: Anyone driving a Flex-fuel vehicle ?
In the uk, some people swear by old mercedes diesels, they can be run on old cooking oil with no modifications [just a group of cats following the fishy smell of the fish and chips shop...]
Jaguar make 4 litre engines with heated injection systems that can run on anything from marine oil via paraffin to jet a1 avgas, intended for lightweight tanks but they have been used in cars.
Gas power - lpg and cng is of course an available viable conversion.
What is the advantage unless you can get the fuel for almost free?
Jaguar make 4 litre engines with heated injection systems that can run on anything from marine oil via paraffin to jet a1 avgas, intended for lightweight tanks but they have been used in cars.
Gas power - lpg and cng is of course an available viable conversion.
What is the advantage unless you can get the fuel for almost free?
You can not just pour it in the tank usually a separate tank with a heater is needed as it will solidify in winter. The normal practice is to start on diesel then switch to cooking oil then for the last few miles before home switch back to diesel.
I have bought diesel Land Rovers in Southern Italy running on a mix, one smelt like kebabs for months.
Another had a fuel heater and was the fastest 19J engine Rover I ever had.
#10
I still dont believe it..
Joined: Oct 2013
Location: 12 degrees north
Posts: 2,777
Re: Anyone driving a Flex-fuel vehicle ?
The Mercedes O617 is firm favorite with the cooking oil and bio diesel people.
You can not just pour it in the tank usually a separate tank with a heater is needed as it will solidify in winter. The normal practice is to start on diesel then switch to cooking oil then for the last few miles before home switch back to diesel.
I have bought diesel Land Rovers in Southern Italy running on a mix, one smelt like kebabs for months.
Another had a fuel heater and was the fastest 19J engine Rover I ever had.
You can not just pour it in the tank usually a separate tank with a heater is needed as it will solidify in winter. The normal practice is to start on diesel then switch to cooking oil then for the last few miles before home switch back to diesel.
I have bought diesel Land Rovers in Southern Italy running on a mix, one smelt like kebabs for months.
Another had a fuel heater and was the fastest 19J engine Rover I ever had.
Actually i had a morris minor sidevalve, that ran very happily on pure paraffin, more of a customs and excise issue really, esp as the exhaust was pretty paraffin like smelling, still, one gallon in 4 was no issue.
#11
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Re: Anyone driving a Flex-fuel vehicle ?
These days, you just filter it to remove any bits of fish etc, then add a small amount of a solvent intended for this, it looks suspiciously like paraffin to me. No heating is needed even in scottish winters.
Actually i had a morris minor sidevalve, that ran very happily on pure paraffin, more of a customs and excise issue really, esp as the exhaust was pretty paraffin like smelling, still, one gallon in 4 was no issue.
Actually i had a morris minor sidevalve, that ran very happily on pure paraffin, more of a customs and excise issue really, esp as the exhaust was pretty paraffin like smelling, still, one gallon in 4 was no issue.
When the diesel price came down the interest in alternative fuels seems to have fallen off.
#12
Re: Anyone driving a Flex-fuel vehicle ?
The 2017 and 2016 F150 and Ram 1500 standard petrol trucks I drove for thousands of miles returned around 24mpg if I kept the rpm around 1500-1700.
I am looking to buy a used fullsize truck , and won't be getting a Flex-Fuel one.
#13
Re: Anyone driving a Flex-fuel vehicle ?
E85 would have to be really, really cheap or E10 really, really expensive to justify my running on E85. With 17mpg on regular it would just make me cry to see that display plummet when running E85!
#14
Re: Anyone driving a Flex-fuel vehicle ?
FIL, had a Chevy that was in his last job. He got the fuel free, from work, as he used it mostly as a works truck. I have no idea where the company got it as there isn't a supplier in Maine. Maybe Canada? was close to the border and they do work up there.
He didn't notice much difference in mileage, but much of his mileage was off road or on back road log trails and his mileage was pretty terrible full stop.
He didn't notice much difference in mileage, but much of his mileage was off road or on back road log trails and his mileage was pretty terrible full stop.
#15
Re: Anyone driving a Flex-fuel vehicle ?
I have a non flex fuel Jeep and I run E-85 cause it runs about 50 cents to a dollar cheaper a gallon than gas. If I do a lot of city driving it doesn't matter in regard to mpg's.