E85: Mix varies by state/season

[matthewdesigns]

This link was posted on my local forum yesterday, so I thought I'd share it here. Shows a geographical distribution chart for E85, and how the percentage of ethanol varies by season. The link at the bottom of the page, to the original source material, is looking like a long read. But skimming it I found a couple useful tidbits. Please forgive if it's a repost.

E85 Mustangs.com - Regional Fuel Chart by state

 

[JayRolla]

Thats kind of nice to know. I think we finally switched back to the fall blend because my brothers car was pretty hard to start the other day when it was pretty cold, but not sure.

 

[turboglenn]

Fall blend should be easier to start since it had more gasoline in it which has more energy and is easier to light. Or did you mean just switched from it? More ethanol should be harder to start. I think my first tank was the 70% because my car is a paint to start in the cold and i actually got the car running after a 23 degree night and it was still 23 that morning when i started it. It was hard to get it running, backfired a few times, but it got me to work

 

[JayRolla]

I think it switched from winter to fall so it has less gas and it was about 20* so it was hard to start. He said it was just as hard to start at 0* with the winter blend.

 

[turboglenn]

Oh, i see what you mean now... sorry i mis-understood. I thought you meant it went from summer to fall blend.

 

[JrCRXHF]

yup there is a winter blend and summer blend. E85 is not really 85% because they have to add gas at the ethanol plant before it ships so it can not be used for drinking

that is why summer is E80 but from what i have seen at the plant it leaves as E98 so i still don't understand why they can not get to 85% ethanol.

 

[JayRolla]

yup there is a winter blend and summer blend. E85 is not really 85% because they have to add gas at the ethanol plant before it ships so it can not be used for drinking

that is why summer is E80 but from what i have seen at the plant it leaves as E98 so i still don't understand why they can not get to 85% ethanol.

Thats some what true but really not the reason. Gas is added so the car will actually start. If it was 30* out and you where running 100% alcohol your car would never start.

 

[JrCRXHF]

Thats some what true but really not the reason. Gas is added so the car will actually start. If it was 30* out and you where running 100% alcohol your car would never start.

I was talking about E98 not E85 vs E70 for the winter. I do understand and deal with the Vapor point of ethanol.

The E98 is done that way so people don't drink it.