Here in Colorado, I noticed that I can get E85 at the smaller stations, such as Western Convenience, Hill Petroleum, or 1st Stop. What's interesting is that Shell or Conoco or the big (dare I say 'oil'?) companies are not selling it right now. (There is a Conoco station in Denver that sells it and 1 Shell, out of 32 stations.) Hmmm, that's says a lot.
I like the little guys, anyway. The underdogs. Rocky. It's okay for them to have some of my money. I'm making a choice with every purchase. A choice to use E85 and a choice to sponsor the little stations. Choice is good. I like having a choice. (DMV - Department of Motor Vehicles, no choice. Public Schools, not too much competition there, either. Yet.)
National Geographic has this: http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/2007-10/biofuels/biofuels.html Interesting, fairly good read.
A guy gave me $10 last night to give him and his TV (for Halo3) a ride to his house 5 blocks away. Should I calculate that into my E85 calculations? Probably, but I won't. A car wasn't big enough for the TV, though.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
E85 in the News
The news has stuff about gas prices going up. "Over $80 a barrel!" I don't really care. They don't have me over a barrel, I'm not buying normal gasoline - Well, only 15-30% of it. I also saw this about Ethanol:
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070925/ethanol_sector_snap.html?.v=2
Again, not caring about stocks.
I do love how I can back up into my garage and not have the garage stink. Or, when I back up, it's not into a cloud of gasoline exhaust fumes.
I should take it to an emissions test station to compare gas emissions vs. E85 emissions. That's $25 each, here in Colorado. Anyone have $50 for me?
I know that the truck runs fine on E85. Starts, runs, power, etc. It's great.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070925/ethanol_sector_snap.html?.v=2
Again, not caring about stocks.
I do love how I can back up into my garage and not have the garage stink. Or, when I back up, it's not into a cloud of gasoline exhaust fumes.
I should take it to an emissions test station to compare gas emissions vs. E85 emissions. That's $25 each, here in Colorado. Anyone have $50 for me?
I know that the truck runs fine on E85. Starts, runs, power, etc. It's great.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
E85 ethanol Grand Opening
Yesterday, I attended a grand opening of a station now selling E85. 91st and Huron at a store called Western Convenience. They were selling it for 85 CENTS per gallon!!
Plus, a radio station was there giving away stuff. I got t-shirt, Coke, Krispy Kreme, magnets and stickers. Good schwag.
I spent $5 because my tank was already full from my $25 gift certificate. But I squeezed every single drop in until it was was right at the filler cap. Yep, I spilled a little bit on my hand and it didn't stink. It dried like water. No oily residue. You know how you spill putting gas in a lawnmower or something and then your hand smells like gas all day long? Nope, not this stuff. Not much smell going in. Kind of sweet.
Plus, a radio station was there giving away stuff. I got t-shirt, Coke, Krispy Kreme, magnets and stickers. Good schwag.
I spent $5 because my tank was already full from my $25 gift certificate. But I squeezed every single drop in until it was was right at the filler cap. Yep, I spilled a little bit on my hand and it didn't stink. It dried like water. No oily residue. You know how you spill putting gas in a lawnmower or something and then your hand smells like gas all day long? Nope, not this stuff. Not much smell going in. Kind of sweet.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
E85 Ethanol fuel test
September 15, 2007. We went boating for the day and I filled up with E85 on the way back, in Longmont, using my $25 E85 gift certificate from their grand opening! I went 119 miles on 10.5 gallons, so 11.3 mpg in tow/haul mode. $25 of fuel - FREE! 91,000 miles.
What I did notice was the exhaust smell, or lack there of, when I am hitching the trailer on to the truck, or launching the boat. When the truck idles, I don't have the exhaust smell that stinks.
Plus, I blow up the inflatable tube at the lake using an air pump which is plugged into a power inverter which is plugged into the right rear cigarette lighter in the Tahoe. The Tahoe has to be running in order for the inverter to have enough juice to blow it up, so the exhaust pipe is right there. No stink, kind of sweet.
What I did notice was the exhaust smell, or lack there of, when I am hitching the trailer on to the truck, or launching the boat. When the truck idles, I don't have the exhaust smell that stinks.
Plus, I blow up the inflatable tube at the lake using an air pump which is plugged into a power inverter which is plugged into the right rear cigarette lighter in the Tahoe. The Tahoe has to be running in order for the inverter to have enough juice to blow it up, so the exhaust pipe is right there. No stink, kind of sweet.
Friday, September 14, 2007
E85 Test Background
This entry will serve to document some background and my interest in E85, ethanol.
It started when I read an article by John Gilbert in the April 2006 issue of Sport Truck magazine. His results were based on real word experience with his '05 GMC with the L59. The fuel mileage between E85 and 87 octane were very similar. And the Saab 9-5 2.0 BioPower cranks out more power with the E85, he states. John received feedback from readers, which were published, but nothing from national organizations or corporations.
Soon after his article, Consumer Reports published 'The Ethanol Myth' which did not endorse ethanol or portray it in a positive light, let's say. They received responses from NEVC (National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition) among numerous others. I cancelled my subscription as a result. (They also messed up the car seat tests for babies and they seem biased against GM, Ford and Chrysler cars in their tests.)
So, on a quest to educate, inform and find out for myself, I decided to purchase a flex fuel vehicle and publish my results. I bought a 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe with about 90,000 miles on it on July 27, 2007. The 8th digit of the Vin is a Z and inside the gas cap says E-85. It has the 5.3 V8 engine of course and 3rd row seats.
I live in Colorado and I filled up with E85 in Brighton in August at Western Convenience for $2.19. Nice. But I didn't keep track of my mileage. The Tahoe, which is white, (and bigger than my previous S-10 Blazer) I call it Great White. It runs fine and I pull a 20 foot boat on a double axle trailer to the lake on the weekends.
Thanks to the Governor's Biofuels Coalition and Pester Marketing, a station Grand Opening was held in Longmont on August 30, 2007. 1st Stop 900 Ken Pratt Blvd. 14.135 Gallons for $2.23 per gallon. Nice!! Mileage: 90,656. Plus, they handed out shirts, bags, bumper stickers, and a gift certificate for $25 worth of E85 at that station! Yes!
We went to the lake over Labor Day Weekend. Used the Tow/Haul mode - good for the transmission, bad for the gas mileage. It takes longer to shift. In town driving to and from work for the next week.
September 12, 2007 - Western Convenience - 9191 Huron Street, Thornton, CO
20 Gallons at $2.09 per gallon!! $42. Mileage: 90881 (225) MPG: 11.25 Hmm.
It started when I read an article by John Gilbert in the April 2006 issue of Sport Truck magazine. His results were based on real word experience with his '05 GMC with the L59. The fuel mileage between E85 and 87 octane were very similar. And the Saab 9-5 2.0 BioPower cranks out more power with the E85, he states. John received feedback from readers, which were published, but nothing from national organizations or corporations.
Soon after his article, Consumer Reports published 'The Ethanol Myth' which did not endorse ethanol or portray it in a positive light, let's say. They received responses from NEVC (National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition) among numerous others. I cancelled my subscription as a result. (They also messed up the car seat tests for babies and they seem biased against GM, Ford and Chrysler cars in their tests.)
So, on a quest to educate, inform and find out for myself, I decided to purchase a flex fuel vehicle and publish my results. I bought a 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe with about 90,000 miles on it on July 27, 2007. The 8th digit of the Vin is a Z and inside the gas cap says E-85. It has the 5.3 V8 engine of course and 3rd row seats.
I live in Colorado and I filled up with E85 in Brighton in August at Western Convenience for $2.19. Nice. But I didn't keep track of my mileage. The Tahoe, which is white, (and bigger than my previous S-10 Blazer) I call it Great White. It runs fine and I pull a 20 foot boat on a double axle trailer to the lake on the weekends.
Thanks to the Governor's Biofuels Coalition and Pester Marketing, a station Grand Opening was held in Longmont on August 30, 2007. 1st Stop 900 Ken Pratt Blvd. 14.135 Gallons for $2.23 per gallon. Nice!! Mileage: 90,656. Plus, they handed out shirts, bags, bumper stickers, and a gift certificate for $25 worth of E85 at that station! Yes!
We went to the lake over Labor Day Weekend. Used the Tow/Haul mode - good for the transmission, bad for the gas mileage. It takes longer to shift. In town driving to and from work for the next week.
September 12, 2007 - Western Convenience - 9191 Huron Street, Thornton, CO
20 Gallons at $2.09 per gallon!! $42. Mileage: 90881 (225) MPG: 11.25 Hmm.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
My E85 Test and Experience
This blog will document my experience with E85, ethanol in my 2002 Chevy Tahoe.
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