IS IT POSSIBLE TO PUT E-85 FLEX-FUEL

Do you mean just put e85 fuel into your stock cherokee? No. It needs to be an engine specifically designed to handle that fuel. Or, do you mean put a flex fuel engine into a cherokee? If so, why would you want to? e85 has so much less BTU capability than regular gasoline and your fuel mileage goes down accordingly. So you need to put in more fuel to go the same distance, and are therefore putting MORE polutants in the air, not less. True, it is lessening our dependance on foreign oil, but IMO the bigger problem is polution. Go diesel--it's the fuel of the foreseeable future, or at least it should be--again IMO. Pete

Nope!

On the Renix (up to 91 I believe) XJ Jeeps as far as I know, you cannot use 'any' alcohol or wood alcohol mix of any kind in it.

The owners manual for them warns that occasional use of up to 10% alcohol will 'only' result in 'significant fuel system corrosion' and may cause driveability issues.

The CJ7's owners manual forbids it totally. You are only supposed to put in enough to get to real gas if you have to. Any alcohol mix in the

258's makes them run like pigs too so the YJ 258's up to 91 are the same.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's - Gone to the rust pile... Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view! Jan/06 (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Possible, yes. Advisable, no.

In the stock xj it can eat away a lot of the plastic and rubber fuel system. Plus the engine is not set up for the correct timing and compression required to efficiently use ethanol fuel.

To do this your looking at changing out the fuel system, different injectors, highly advanced timing and even increasing compression (stroking) the engine.

Keep in mind that E85 is no good at all in cold weather. You will need gasoline to start and warm the engine up. That's why some E85 vehicles have a small 1/2 gal gas tank.

Now, think about the prior paragraph. Increased timing and compression plus gasoline = *paff* so the computer has to be able to detect what the engine is running to keep from grenadeine.

There is a discussion here.

The key item is E-85 reduces your economy by about 25% i.e. rather than getting 20mpg you will get 15mpg. So any cost savings in $/gal are wiped out.

Long story short. Ethanol belongs in the pub, not the pump. :)

It's unlikely that it will become mandated and you CAN put E85 in your car. It won't run as well*, mileage may suffer along with performance but it will run. There are some VERY old cars that could have problems with gaskets in the fuel system due to the alcohol but that's very unlikely, we've been running "oxygenated" fuels for years now and any gasket bothered by alcohol has long ago been replaced.

It was found out that older engines had no problems with unleaded fuel other than accelerated wear on valves and valve seats. After testing, Harley-Davidson issued a statement that any motorcycle built after 1925 would run on unleaded fuel, other car and motorcycle manufacturers also found no problems other than the need for more frequent checking of valve clearances.

*"Won't run as well" = PC for "It'll probably run like CRAP!"

You CAN put anything you want in your car, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea. There's a big difference between "oxygenated" fuels and

85% ethanol.

If the fuel system in your vehicle was not built to withstand the effects of E85, don't use it. There's a reason manufacturers designate E85 capable vehicles as FFV vehicles.

That's incorrect.

As I posted before, yes, you can run E-85. It'll run poorly but if the day comes as Jeff Strickland postulated,

then E-85 will keep your jeep running. Don't use it unless you have to, your mileage will suffer and the car won't run as well but it WILL run.

The official FAQs:

I recall all the flap when leaded fuel went away and "horrible things would happen to older cars." Surprise, they ran fine on no lead fuel.

I really doubt it's something to worry about, I doubt that E-85 will be around long, I doubt even more it will be federally mandated and IF it is, it probably won't be soon.