Cleaning your engine with Ethanol?

[imzjustplayin]

I read that ethanol will clean up your engine even if it's not intended for it. I heard of a few people using E85 in their cars and was wondering if others have tried using it in their cars for at least the purpose of cleaning up the engine. I heard that the exhaust will be dark on an older car because of the built up carbon deposits being dislodged. My idea was to remove the O2 sensors and then run with the ethanol in order to prevent the O2 sensors from being contaminated.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by *************

I read that ethanol will clean up your engine even if it's not intended for it. I heard of a few people using E85 in their cars and was wondering if others have tried using it in their cars for at least the purpose of cleaning up the engine. I heard that the exhaust will be dark on an older car because of the built up carbon deposits being dislodged. My idea was to remove the O2 sensors and then run with the ethanol in order to prevent the O2 sensors from being contaminated.

Years ago in my area only discount gasoline was E10. Of course, thanks to the EPA, everyone now is mandated to sell it. I remember when my grandmother moved down here to live with us. She would not let me put 7-11 gas in her car. She was afraid it would dislodge all sorts of crap in her engine, and make the car run bad. I told her that I ran it in my pontiac, and it was fine, but she said my parents had been putting ethanol fuel in that car on a regular basis since it was new, since the only fuel stations within 10 miles of home were 7-11's selling E10. Her logic was since the car had been run on that fuel since it was new, it was ok.

[Lug_Nut]

Cleaning the outside? or inside?
Alcohol is for drinking, gasoline is for washing parts. Methanol is for racing!
Maybe for them, but for me Methanol is for making Biodiesel!

Just be sure the fuel lines and seals are alcohol (ethyl or methyl) resistant. The 10% ethanol limit was due to the rubber being degraded much more rapidly at higher percentages.

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by Lug_Nut

Alcohol is for drinking

You're making me thirsty.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by theholycow

You're making me thirsty.

Mmmm, I see curly fries on that menu...

-Jay

[Loserkidwac]

I've used seafoam on most of my cars to help clean up carbon deposits, i'd imagine its safer to use the ethanol, its petroleum based and claims to be O2 sensors safe and all...every so often I'll use a can on my car, 1/3 in the gas tank, 1/3 in the oil right before the oil change to loosen up any gunk, and then the last 1/3 is poured SLOWLY in threw a vac line, the PCV or brake booster is best usually...after that you let the car sit for 5min or so and then start it up and it will smoke heavily for a few min, this is normal lol I did it and personally have noticed differences in vehicles afterwards...I will caution you some people have had not so good experiences with it, I have only had good ones, but I will say use at your own risk...

Here is the link to the site, you can get it at most auto parts stores
http://www.seafoamsales.com/motorTuneUpTechGas.htm

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

Originally Posted by Lug_Nut

Cleaning the outside? or inside?
Alcohol is for drinking

I seem to have read somewhere (of course, now, I can't find it) that Chrysler did an experiment with their turbine car back in the early '60s...running it on scotch. I understand that the engineers on the project cried as they poured the scotch into the tank...of course the car ran...don't know if it drove a straight line, though...