alocker

iTrader: (10)

My project is stuck while waiting for my S475 turbo so I started to mess with the E85 tester I recently purchased. I wanted to start a log to show ethanol content of Chicagoland E85 pumps. I will add to it anytime I test a pump and with my most recent visit to a Speedway in Carpentersville, I will test every pump I use.

The decision to go E85 was easy since I live in the northwest suburbs of Chicago (Algonquin IL) and there are several E85 stations within 5 minutes of the house. They are building a Thorton's 1 minute away and my fingers are crossed they will have E85 there also.

I also had a chance to sit down with my step dad who is a retired chemical engineer who spent his career designing oil refineries first with Shell then UOP. It was interesting to hear his thoughts on ethanol. First was why some believe it to be a political failure. Federal subsidies stopped at the end of 2012 and the future of ethanol might be in jeopardy. He explained one of the biggest reasons it did not take off was poor refinery efficiency. He did not get into details but like many government programs, it was thrown together and the goal was never to produce a viable alternate energy. Petroleum companies spend billions of dollars to improve refinery efficiency to squeeze every penny out of crude. It takes over a gallon of diesel to process corn to get one gallon of E85. Sustainable and green are often interchanged but for sure not applicable to E85. Sustainable yes but definitely not green.

The good news for ethanol is there are some pretty cool energy technologies on the horizon that may provide a truly green source of ethanol. My stepdad currently consults for a company called LanzaTech and they discovered a bacteria that converts steel mill waste products into ethanol. They are on their last phase pilot plant ready to start the full scale plant at one of China's largest steel producers. Pollution into E85 seems like a win win to me.

Anyways, here is the log. Feel free to add to it if you are anywhere in northern Illinois, southeast Wisconsin, or Northwest Indiana.

East Algonquin IL Thornton's - 9-25-15 - $2.269 - E89
UPDATE>>>>>>East Algonquin Thornton's - 11/7/15 - 2.299 - E80 Winter blend
UPDATE>>>>>>East Algonquin Thornton's - 5/6/16 - 1.699 - E78
UPDATE>>>>>>East Algonquin Thornton's - 8/7/16 - 1.499 - E80
UPDATE>>>>>>East Algonquin Thornton's - 9/25/16 - 1.699 - E77

Lake In the Hills IL Thornton's - 5-25-15 - $2.199 - E87
UPDATE>>>>>>Lake In The Hills IL Thortons - 8-28-15 - E86 - $1.999
Elk Grove Village IL Thorton's - 5-26-15 - $2.199 - E87
Carpentersville IL Speedway - 6-6-15 - $2.119 - E55
South Waukesha WI Kwik Trip - 6-15-15 - $2.49 - E81
Carpentersville IL Road Ranger - 8-10-15 - $2.01 -E82***Test was tainted-possibly E85 or higher
Cary IL Thornton's - 5-30-17 - $1.99 - E78

2018 Season
Thornton's Island Lake 5-24-18 - $2.49 - E75

So you can see that you absolutely have to test your E85. I was really surprised that there was such a big difference.

How the tester works.

Fill the tube with water to the lower line (maybe 15% full) then fill the rest with E85 and shake thoroughly. Allow the tube to rest and wait for the separation. This will show ethanol content. It works because water is very soluble in ethanol but not gasoline. The gas will remain separate and be on top. If you have ever used a product called Heet to keep ice from forming in your fuel system it is basically ethanol. It makes any moisture in your tank easier to solubilize in gasoline to it can be used instead of building up and freezing in your tank.

Thorton's LITH


Speedway Carpentersville off the chart in a bad way. At least they are above their own stated minimum (barely).



Carpentersville Road Ranger-Sweet and boozy like Bourbon County Stout



New East Algonquin Thornton's pumps.

IronBlocked

very nice thread

Busa_rob

iTrader: (1)

I'm from carol stream originally. For as many places that have e85 I'd figure it to be more consistent that.

However here in Houston the highest I can get is e76. Most of the other places I've tested are around e65 down here. Good thing my ecu is flex fuel, so it detunes as needed.

alocker

iTrader: (10)

Tested the KwikTrip on Highway 164 just north of I-43 south of Waukesha Wisconsin. E81 @ 2.49 per gallon.

SPRAYED 01

iTrader: (22)

Thanks for the info. I bought the same tester and live in Chicago at Harlem and Touhy.

I run 93 and have a meth kit but I still check fuel just not e85. I have found the 93 octane to be exactly 10% ethanol at 3 stations.

HeavyMetl

iTrader: (2)

Testing from a local Kroger in Columbus shows a consistent E87. You can nearly tell by the smell if its E85 or the weak-sauce blend. I filled up on E85 in Champaign but didn't test, the smell alone told me it was crap. The Holley closed loop will compensate somewhat but it's not ideal for obvious reasons.

alocker

iTrader: (10)

I test a Road Ranger station in Carpentersville at Randall and Huntley Road. It's the cheapest I have seen in my area at $2.01. Nice price considering all the Chicagoland Thorton's raised their price from 2.19 to 2.29 in the last month. It shows E82 but you can see the level is not to the top since some leaked out all over myself while shaking it. I am pretty sure the would be right at E85 or higher. One thing I noticed was the smell. I smell each sample and this one had a sweeter boozier smell than all the other tests which mostly smelled like, well, gas. I have read that not all ethanol is refined from corn which is why some smell different.

I admit I am a bit worried about the black tar issues. I plan on attempting to run a single station source and get some miles and check the injectors. Depending on results I may change the source but stay consistent until the next injector check.

SPRAYED 01

iTrader: (22)

I have heard of the clogging of injectors too. What some do is run a tank of 93 octane every 3 or so tanks to clean it out. Sounds kind of the opposite of what you would want to do seeing as e85 should be cleaner.

Mr Monaro

Thanks great thread ordered my e85 tester today
cheers

stevieturbo

Really it's more of an ethanol content test, as opposed to quality ?

I assume there would still be quality issues with the actual ethanol, much the same as there are various qualities of gasoline available ?

Or is ethanol simply ethanol, there are no variables ?

Loaded question, as I've heard of people mixing their own from E100 sold to use in heating systems, but again no idea how good or bad that stuff is ?

alocker

iTrader: (10)

Well, if you are paying for E85 for a car tuned for E85 and you get E55 what would be your initial perception of the quality? What other methods are you going to use to judge quality?

stevieturbo

the same way people would query quality of say 91 octane pump fuel ? Yet it would all be 91 octane.

Hence why I asked the question, is all ethanol the same ?

And as you seen on the photos of the pumps, they stated a minimum ethanol content and presumably your tests did confirm this ? One seemed to indicate on the pump it could be as low as 51% so if you were buying there, it might be difficult to expect it to be 85% ?

If I ever was to run E85, the only sensible way would be using a flex fuel sensor anyway.

If you're in doubt and your using ethanol content as a reference, just get a sensor/gauge so you can see real time exactly the content that's in your car, assuming your ecu doesnt offer that ability already

alocker

iTrader: (10)

Of course it's not all the same, neither is "gasoline". Like I stated above, there are no other methods for one to judge quality other than the content.

A flex fuel sensor is a great option but I am going to run a stock ECU that does not have that capability hence the reason I chose to log the stations in my area.

The gauge is also nice but knowing what is about to go in my tank is more useful to me than after it's already in there.

SPRAYED 01

iTrader: (22)

I will run e85 probably next year with my stock computer. Its really not hard to test the fuel every time, adds about 3 minutes. Then if you tune yourself you just adjust the stoich and call it good.

alocker

iTrader: (10)

Yep, easy and quick to do. Another reason I started this is to log consistency. When I actually start using this stuff we will see if it has changed after 5-6 months. I can avoid spots where it is jumping all over to reduce the chance of getting a low content level.

Jimbo1367

Thats all cheap. The last time I looked, (6 months ago) E85 was like 15 CENTS cheaper than regular / 87 oct. NY sucks.LOL

4bangermustang

iTrader: (24)

good info

alocker

iTrader: (10)

I went to get 10 gallons of E85 at the Lake In the Hills Thorton's and it tested at E86 at $1.99 a gallon!!!! Thorton's seems to be pretty consistent at least this summer.

willizm

iTrader: (10)

I don't even do it that often. Once a year during the winter I'll run 93 through the injectors to pickle them until spring. Otherwise I drive the car often enough that the fuel never sits in the injector for that long.

willizm

iTrader: (10)

That is what I found too. What i've been doing for years running e85 is find a station that gets the summer blend and basically marry the pump. Once summer blend comes in then it will most likely never go down from there. I will test the batch I use before a track day though just to make sure, but I've never seen a drop in ethanol content once the summer blend is in. Well until winter blend comes in anyway. Thortons has been the most consistent for me as well.