E85 levels v.2015

[Mook]

New thread. Anyone been testing lately? I'm back on e85 and have filled up once since the switch. Went to my tried and true Algonquin Thorntons. Its likely the usually 75%ish but I havent tested. Its minimum 70%.

Havent tried the Bloomingdale one yet. I THINK its a bit higher usually but I hate driving to it b/c 20 is usually a mess that direction.

Most of the stations super local to me are shit or got rid of it, as [MENTION=4838]1MEANGT[/MENTION] can attest to.

So ya...anyone do any testing yet?

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[1quick]

I was talking to a guy from Wisconsin who told me the refinery by his house will sell e98 to the public in 500 gallon quantities for around 2 bucks a gallon, I can look into this if anybody is interested, the shell by be normally has 90ish%

 

[Mook]

 

[Formula_LS1]

Thortons by me (Park Ridge) is good to go. Test 87% a few days ago. I talked to the gas station owner because I noticed a lot of cars filling up with E85 and he said that a lot of local taxis actually use it so they refill it regularly. Some of the less busy areas might still have winter/spring blend left over.

 

[OffshoreDrilling]

tractor and tank trailer group buy incoming

 

[Mook]

Anyone near Bloomingdale wanna test the Thorntons there? Its about the same distance to that or Alognquin for me.

 

[Formula_LS1]

I was talking to a guy from Wisconsin who told me the refinery by his house will sell e98 to the public in 500 gallon quantities for around 2 bucks a gallon, I can look into this if anybody is interested, the shell by be normally has 90ish%

I've heard of people doing this also and then just mixing it down to E85

 

[sickmint79]

i have a flex fuel kit and my tuning dealie is bluetooth enabled and allows ethanol % to be read, although the app isn't out yet. is for android, not for ios. curious to test my local thorntons. ended up finding e85 pretty close to both gingerman and autobahn too which was nice.

 

[Formula_LS1]

Thortons and Shell seem to have the best quality and be the most consistent from what I've seen. BP (especially the one by GLD) I've tested it as low as about 60%

 

[Mook]

Shell has been garbage for me any time Ive used it, and way overpriced.

 

[CuzzinOlaf]

I only fill up at Thorton's. Haven't tested it but I've heard from multiple sources it is the most consistent.

 

[1quick]

I've heard of people doing this also and then just mixing it down to E85

When I was getting 92% out of the pump by me I was cutting it down to 75% with 110 leaded it was awesome stuff

 

[Zack]

E85 My first fillup out here.
E83 a few weeks later.

 

[1MEANGT]

Shell is garbage. I just tested the shell on 72 in Dundee. Tested at MAYBE E60. Cannot find it anywhere close to us as Mook stated. Actually in the process of doing a 93 street tune as I am sick of hunting for E85. I love it but it is becoming a pain in my ass around me.

 

[RedBeard]

Tested 85-86 at the Thortons on Touhy in Park Ridge.

 

[Formula_LS1]

Tested 85-86 at the Thortons on Touhy in Park Ridge.

That's where I go...always consistent. Even winter blend was testing around 75 I think

 

[chet3310]

Route 6 and bell rd in channahon Mobil, always 85 and 80 in winter, not that anyone lives down here ha.

 

[crooks]

i have a flex fuel kit and my tuning dealie is bluetooth enabled and allows ethanol % to be read, although the app isn't out yet. is for android, not for ios. curious to test my local thorntons. ended up finding e85 pretty close to both gingerman and autobahn too which was nice.

I cant find the ethonal % section of my torque app. Where is it?

 

[sickmint79]

i dunno if torque does that. i don't have it.

 

[SinisterSHO]

BTW, [MENTION=5]Mook[/MENTION] the thorntons on Farnsworth and bilter does have e85.

 

[Mook]

Is that the one I was asking about last year?

 

[willizm]

the marathon on weber rd and rt 30 tested at 86%. It's convieniently on my way to to my kids school

 

[SinisterSHO]

Is that the one I was asking about last year?

Yeah. The one just past 88.

 

[b4black]

In the winter, flex fuel needs more gasoline to increase the vapor pressure so cars will start. This is why Flex fuel can be as low at 51% ethanol (In Illinois, 70% is normal). In the summer, the vapor pressure can be low, really low and cars will still start, so higher ethanol content is OK. This means economics drives the ethanol percentage. With ethanol currently very cheap compared to gasoline, blenders will maximize ethanol content. They will blend to 83% all summer long. Any higher is against the law. Any lower is giving money away.

("E85" can be as high as 85% denatured ethanol. Denatured ethanol is 2% denaturant, and 98% ethanol, a.k.a E98. "E85" is therefore about 83% pure ethanol maximum.)

The testers and sensors people use cannot distinguish between ethanol and water. And it's not uncommon for water to find it's way into underground storage tanks. Wet flex fuel will appear to have a higher ethanol content than it really is. If you are testing greater than 83% in the summer, you should suspect water contamination.

The testers are not that accurate either. Probably plus or minus 5% between two people.

If you are really serious about flex fuel fuel quality, read this:
http://www.crcao.org/reports/recentstudies2012/E-85-2/CRC Project E-85-2 Final Report.pdf

 

[quikturbo]

Mook, I use the Thorton's on Lake street in Bloomingdale solely. It's tested 83-87% this year on every fill up. Also another local guy confirmed he had the same.
Good to go!