E-85 to Clean Fuel System?
 

Here's what I was thinking.

If I have a NON E-85 vehicle and I put/mix the fuel with approx 50% gas and 50% E-85 and run that tank on the highway just one time and then go back to regular gas.......the thought being that it would clean out the entire fuel system from the fuel pump to the injectors and produce better fuel economy from the cleaning.

I am guessing doing this one time isn't going to trash the fuel system/seals/computer etc???

Would I be better off just using a bottle of fuel system cleaner or what??


Is this a good/bad thought???

Has anyone tried it??? What were the results?

Just looking for thoughts and opinions.

i believe theclencher tried it w/ no ill affects, but the positive benefits might be difficult to confirm. i'm done w/ expensive fuel cleaners. i just use a few oz of 91% alcohol or acetone w/ some lube, such as amsoil 2 stroke or stabil.

sometimes you can get shell or chevron's product on sale pretty cheap. more power to ya if you want to avoid additives and go w/ the high alcohol gas.

there is a very reputable local mechanic here that recommends lube in any gas w/ ethanol. he claims to have done more work on fuel systems recently due since E10 made it (fully)here in 2008(?)

https://www.berrymanproducts.com/Default.aspx?tabid=140

this one(2nd on the page) is cheap and smells of acetone.

Thanks for the info, Bowtieguy. I think I changed my mind now

Ethanol doesn't clean as well as some claim. Use the cleaners and add Acetone if you want to clean faster with less. Regular cleaning with small amounts seems to work best so if E10 all the time isn't doing the job then E50 once a year won't do any better.

I wouldn't use anything with 10% water in fuel. Alcohol 99% or better is available at some drug stores.

that is isapropol alcohol, not ethanol. The highest test ethanol you can get is Everclear or Graves brand grain alcohol, and it costs a lot because it's taxed because it's for drinking. It's about 95%, which is about the highest that can be distilled at atmospheric pressure.
Fuel ethanol is put threw a "drying" proses. Some chemicals (and corn grits) will absorb water and not the alcohol. The pure alcohol will then absorb water from the air if it is exposed to air.
if you know where to get E85, that is your best bet for getting ethanol for fuel

The highest concentration isopropyl alcohol available to consumers is 91% by volume.

I did something like that accidentally in my 98 Camaro. It was a very sick puppy until the E-85 worked it's way out.

99% Isopropyl is available at some drug stores. 91% is a lot more common so if you haven't stumbled on 99% then you'll think that 91% is all there is. I also found a non drug store supply of Anhydrous Water Free Isopropyl Alcohol CAS#67-63-0 in quart containers.

Isopropyl can suspend a lot more water in gasoline than Ethanol can. 91% Isopropyl would be tolerable. 91% Ethanol would not be tolerable.