Does anyone know what Honda's take is on using Ethanol Blended fuels with their cars? In Canada the just made every gas company add 8.5 - 10% to their fuels. I've noticed my mileage go way down. Is there any concern regarding the engine and injectors?

 

I watched a report one time stating that it is only a switch of a sensor for it to work properly or something along those lines. It was what they are doing in brazil

 

ethanol is soooooooo bad for the environment soooo much worse than just gas lol its rediculous. its like cleaner burning but all the pesticides that are used to grow the corn make destroy the environment just as much its counterprodcutive ppl are morons lol buy a hybrid.

 

In the US gasoline is allowed up to 10% ethanol. Cars are made to handle that accordingly. I think the amount of ethanol in gas increases based on the increased demand of fuel oil and diesel.

 

+1ish^^^but not for the same reasons...

MarkB- I read something recently about this....hmmmm...I will see if I
can find the particular literature...if not (no promises) please post some
of your findings if and when you do find stuff...

 

Isn't corn not the best thing to use for making ethanol? I heard that it takes more energy to make ethanol from corn than the ethanol can generate. Sugar canes is the way to go, but don't think we grow much of those around here. Corn on the other hand, we have too much.

 

many of the processes used to extract energy are terrible for the environment. the destruction to natural landscape necessary to drill for oil isn't exactly admirable. the plus side to ethanol is the idea that at least part of the overall energy portfolio at least can be grown at home.

ethanol allows for higher performing, cleaner engines. on the bright side, there is plenty of room to improve the process, making it more energy efficient and possibly more affordable in the long run.

Startup Says It Can Make Ethanol for $1 a Gallon, and Without Corn

 

Does anyone else see the circle, the first cars made i.e. model t and such first ran on corn before switching to gasoline

 

"the circle" ? is that a show or are we talking about a shape?

same with soy....long A$$ time ago...

 

just a shape, we start a corn go through gas, and this and that and end back at corn haha

 

just like me! I eat some corn....go through some gas....and end up with....
ummm...on second thought nevermind

anywho... moving on...

gas stations dont by chance have to post what they are putting in the gas do they...
I dont think i have ever paid much attention to that. hmmm...

ahhh yes the circle of gas....and what a vicious one it is....
so much gas....so little time to use it in

 

ethanol gives you more power but worse mileage than gas. In theory it will be better for us than gas because the carbon released when it's burnt is the same as was taken from the atmosphere while the plants were growing and photosynthesising. But as sox says, there wont be much benefit if you're using fertilizers and pesticides made from oil - or if people are clearing rainforests to grow biofuels (which is what is happening). And of course, land set aside to feed cars is taking away land to grow food for us, so food prices rise (which is also happening). Corn is one of the least efficient ways to make ethanol, but the corn lobby is a powerful group and have been generous to politicians.

 

Yeah I've read about how corn is a pretty low organic yeilding crop compared to others. But if that crop is heavily subsidized then what are you going to do.? I love how the Baby Boomers get their Science on and solve all our problems. I can't wait until they are all retired. What a mess we are going to have to clean up though....

 

Back to original topic: Honda sells the Fit in the US, as had been said, use of "oxygenated" fuels (8-10% ethanol blends) is very common here. Honda would have had to take that into account before bringing the car over...I wouldn't worry about it. Yes, the decrease in mileage sucks, fortunately here in Colorado, they only switch to the oxygenated fuels during the winter.

 

i happen to be one of those lucky people that live next to an ethanol station. i'm getting one of my cars remapped to use E85 mainly because it'll be about 20whp. the car won't be flex fuel, unfortunately, but i will be able to switch back to pump 93 when i want.

even if ethanol is an interim to achieving the future fuel (electric, diesel, diesel hybrids, solar, etc) i'm happy to take advantage of it now. here's a few more links about E85 -

Corn ethanol unprofitable by 2008, says Iowa State | Cleantech.com
E85 Prices

if the price spread remains 15% or greater (E85 vs. 87 octane) plus 20 cents (since the current map requires 93 octane) than the cost/mile breaks even for my particular application. on the plus side, E85 would have to become more expensive than the 100 octane that i would buy at the track (last time i was there, $4.50/gallon) for it to lose its value.

so, i'm basically able to run race gas as i commute about at the same cost as running regular.

 

Well if your fit is boosted then I can see the 20whp gain. ( you can add more boost with more octane level) If it's not then I cannot see you making those kind of gains with the stock compression ratio. Unless you are talking about another car you have.

On a side note I'm going to talk to my brother in law ( he sold me my fit ) and see if he can find anything from Honda. I've done some searches on other Honda forums and nothing major reported thus far.

 

On Motor Week (a PBS show in the US) they displayed all of the parts that need to be replaced to run your car on E85 Ethanol. Pat Goss, their resident mechanic, spread out all the peices that have to be changed to run the car on E85 Ethanol. Including a new fuel tank, fuel filter and fuel injection system, engine computer, and at least 15 other expensive sensors, and fuel tank venting parts that make the transition prohibitively expensive. He specifically warned against buying and installing cheap gadgets that are advertised over the internet claiming to transition your car to run on E85 Ethanol.
Check out their website at PBS

 

have you ever watched motor week review a car? i think their "journalism" is a bit swayed by the manufacturers that give them cars to review. there is no universal kit that fits all cars, that's for sure. but goss was talking about turning your car into a flex fuel vehicle. i'm pretty sure that ford, gm, et al have an interest in you just buying one of their new cars by disuading you from doing a conversion.

if you have a laptop, an appropriate cable, and 5 minutes, one could switch from a gasoline map to a e85 map. as far as hardware, all my car (not the fit) will need is a new fuel pump and 880 injectors. using the stock ECU, i'll just pretty much flash back and forth as needed. i'll dig up a link of some guys that have pulled apart a fuel pump that then just let the stock components sit in E85. the results were more encouraing than what pat was selling.

 

btw, that's not to say that creating the tune for e85 is just some walk in the park. but once you have the tune set, you flash as required.