So... can BMWs be made to use E85?

[DarkWing6]

Usage of E85, or any other high alcohol content blend (e.g. E30) in BMW vehicles, will cause various drivability complaints (cold start problems, stalling, reduced performance, poor fuel economy, etc.), may cause excessive emissions, and may cause irreversible damage to engine, emission control and fuel delivery systems due to incompatibility of materials with alcohols.

Don't E30s already have all of those problems? :D

I say go for it!

[nando]

I don't think the problems related to running alcohol in gasoline engines is related only to BMW, I think that applies to pretty much any manufacturer.

[AndrewBird]

E85 has less energy in it per volume then gasoline, so you would need more E85 to go the same distance as on gasoline. This has kind of been stated, but I thought I state it clearer.

Right now, E85 isn't going to do jack. It costs to much to produce and because there aren't a lot of places producing it, the price is even higher yet. Just like hydrogen filling stations, it will be years before the US/World adapts to new technology with cars. We've been using gasoline for the last 100 years, change won't come over night.

Hybrid cars are even more a waste of time. They are merely a band-aid for the problem.

I am currently involved in a project we call HEGU (Hybrid Electric Power Generation Unit). We are building a "Solar Tree" that will charge battery operated hybrid vehicles. It is essentially a metal tree-like tower that has 6 solar panels on it and a wind generator on the top. The idea is that this will charge a bank of batteries during the day when you are at work. Then, when you come home from work at night, you can plug your car into the bank of batteries and charge the car. We are also incorporating a 5000Kw generator into it that will act as a back up incase the solar/wind power isn't enough to power the batteries. We are currently building a prototype as I speak.

CalCars, an organization in California converted a Hybrid car to run on only batteries are were getting over 100 MPG. This could even be improved on more as battery technology and solar technology advances.

Oh, and by the way, I'm a Senior in High School for those who don't know. :)

[///M42 sport]

I am currently involved in a project we call HEGU (Hybrid Electric Power Generation Unit). We are building a "Solar Tree" that will charge battery operated hybrid vehicles.

Why not have these in parking lots at work?

[NC325iC]

i was thinking jsut that, and how do you get any MPG on a car solely battery operated

[AndrewBird]

i was thinking just that, and how do you get any MPG on a car solely battery operated

Sorry, my mistake. I meant they equipped it so it could run on only batteries, but it still had the gasoline motor for higher speeds.

Why not have these in parking lots at work?

It wouldn't work that way. The car would have to be charging when its no making power. I.E. - At night. You can't just dump the power straight from the solar cells into the car. It has to be channeled into a bank of batteries because voltage output will vary depending upon amount of sun, etc...

I'm not here to debate whether our project will work or be feasible. Honestly, we don't even know that. We are building it as an idea.

[kansas-ix]

Hemp to make e85 is the true answer. to the e85 argument, and preach on nitroRD.

[uflnuceng]

Meh... true, ethanol does produce less energy per volume than gasoline (i did know that...) and I forgot about the service bulletin stating that you had to worry about alcohol screwing with everything from the fuel tank gaskets forward to the cylinder walls. And yes, at the moment ethanol requires more energy to produce it than it creates (that was one of my arguments when I was anti-ethanol).

However, sugar beats and corn could be grown just about anywhere in the US and as stated significantly reduces the net hydrocarbons released into the environment. More importantly (to me) it keeps American money inside the US. Did you guys know that Sunoco is the only gas company in the US that is still American owned? The rest are mostly European owned. That's a big deal to me, maybe not so much to others.

I'm fortunate... gas could go to 4 or 5 dollars a gallon and it still wouldn't change my lifestyle. I work hard and make decent money. I think we need more light weight cars out there, and better fuel alternatives like ethanol and diesel.

And as I have said before... hybrid cars can go suck a cock.

Thanks for the great discussion though guys... nice to see all your view points.

[SpecM]

The rest are mostly European owned. That's a big deal to me...

-Dude, you drive a European car... ;)

-To me, I don't care "where" my money goes. If Europeans are weathy and cleaver enough to buy out American companies, well, more power to them. That's capitalism, baby.
-We need to stop thinking of this energy bit as a "US vs the World" thing, cuz its a real global issue.

-I agree that hybrid cars are a waste of time and money and this moonshine swill known as "E85" is just a political stunt. People refuse to look at the science behind this and blindly attach thier hope and faith to this oh-so-great substance that will rid us of all our evils.

-Oh, and did anyone else think that the "E85" in the title was refering to a new BMW model at first glance?

[uflnuceng]

-Oh, and did anyone else think that the "E85" in the title was refering to a new BMW model at first glance?

Ha... didn't think of that...

Edit: And I drive a European car because American's haven't built a sport sedan in... well I think we are all still waiting. But I think america is good enough to distill gasoline.

[Erick]

-Oh, and did anyone else think that the "E85" in the title was refering to a new BMW model at first glance?

Guilty.

I read it too fast and skipped the "use" part... so I was ready to mention the E90.

- Erick
(Hopeless)

[Brew]

-Oh, and did anyone else think that the "E85" in the title was refering to a new BMW model at first glance?

E85 = Z4 :borg:

[Anthrax]

I´m going to convert my 325i later on.

It´s nothing complicated really. Just larger injectors, and a adjustable fuel pressure regulator should do it really.

Here E85 costs about 7,50 sek per litre, while regular 95 octane (not sure what classification) costs around 11,50-12,50 sek per litre.

E85 has around 30% more oxygen, making it nessesary to add 38,9% more fuel when running E85, just to be able to have a complete combustion (λ1).

Since the car will need more fuel to run, the mileage will decrease about 30%, but the fuel will also be cheaper (here), so the difference shouldn´t be any at all.

[equate975]

On topic here:

If you want to convert I don’t think it would be that "hard" really. Pretty much you are going to need a gas tank that can hold the e85, im thinking a fuel cell of some sort. Also you will have to get the correct pumps and run new fuel lines. Next up on the list is injectors, gas injectors cannot flow e85 correctly, aside from the fact the e85 will eat them out, its a weight difference IIRC, e85 is either more heavy or lighter than gas, I don’t remember which. So you’re going to have to find new injectors. I would imagine if ford still goes the Bosch route for e85 it should plug in no problem.

As for electronics, the easiest solution I could think of would just be to MS the engine when you’re done.

The only problem with all of this is it will degrade your cylinder walls over time. I can’t imagine it would be too tremendous to be a constant problem you would have to deal with. I would guess it would be the same strain on an engine such as turboing it, just going to strain the parts more.

Off topic here:

I think this is all a crock of bullshit.

First, I don’t give a shit how much e85 costs to make, how much it pollutes. I just know it’s cheaper so that’s better for me. As long as no congressman douche bag decideds to hike a tax on it for some bullshit reason I think it’s good. How about these 12 million illegal aliens? Let’s just make them make the e85 for us :) two birds with one stone.

Also hybrid cars (charging ones) / electric cars are a crock of crap. Unless your charging it by sun or wind. You’re not helping anyone. Chances are that outlet you are using to charge your car is being powered by some petroleum based machine. All you are doing is transferring whose polluting. Or we can blame the coal companies for soaking coal in diesel to make it "synthetic" for a tax break, even though it just pollutes more

As for pollution, energy costs, or any of that. I don’t give one flying fuck what happens as long as I don’t have to pay more. There’s so much government bullshit going on with it im not even going to care anymore.

There is enough oil for about 150 more years with the growth trend IIRC, there’s enough coal for 400 more years IIRC. If anything is going to kill us it’s going to be over population.

With all that said, I don’t care about you hippe fucks.

EDIT:

Our gas also is 10% ethenol now, and its more expensive than ever.

[uflnuceng]

With all that said, I don’t care about you hippe fucks.

You... are... AWESOME :bow: Laying down logic, knowledge and verbal ass whooping.

I had an even more revolutionary thought today... since gas/diesel/natural gas are all seen as "necessities" to life, shouldn't that mean they get the same tax exempt status as unpreparred food, most clothing, etc. That might just be PA but it makes sense that necessities aren't taxed and hence that would lead me to think that the $0.75-$1.00 we get charged in taxes should be lifted, even if only for a little while.

Anyway... I can afford gas no problem... and I don't really care about people bitching about how they can't afford gas... get a better paying job or fucking walk asshole... I just like the idea of growing our fuels indefinitely as opposed to using crude to fund rag wearing terrorists, either in Asia or South America.