i was wondering if z's can use ethanol 85 i now use 93 octane i don't really know what ethanol 85 is but there starting to sell it here in texas since gas prices are so expensive just wondering would hate to **** up my z but im figuring the answer is no, any suggestions.

 

Nope! the fuel system isnt set up for it. You need to have special fuel lines to carry the ethanol. Plus 85 is a low octance rating for the z, 89 is pushing it.

 

damn man thanks for the quick answer i just posted it like 3 minutes ago

 

damn dude...my last name is marques....odd

 

Actually E85 has a 100+ octane rating.

 

Any gas engine can use up to 15% ethanol, with mixed results. All gas will eventually use small amounts of ethanol as an oxygenator instead of MBTE by recent EPA decree.
E85 requires extensive mods to the fuel system, injectors, engine management computer and a sensor in the tank or system to tell the fuel system the exact blend of gasoline and ethanol being used. Most vehicles of this type can run E85(which is 85% ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline), gas, or a mixture of both. They are called flex fuel engines. Your 350Z is not one of them, so do NOT fill up with E85.There are millions of flex fuel cars and trucks on the road, mostly in fleet use.
Ethanol costs more than gasoline to produce but offers some government subsidies. E85 has 100+ octane numbers but is also has fewer BTUs than gasoline, giving about 65% of the range on same size tanks.

E85 can be difficult to find at retail outlets outside the midwest/corn belt.

 

Also with E85, your mileage goes down the toilet. In some cases because of this, you end up spending more for fuel, even though the price per gallon is less. My E85 Explorer I used to have got about 100 miles less per tank with it versus normal 87 octane.

 

damn thats alot of variation in mileage and thanks to everyone who answered my question did a very good job at explaning stuff sorry for the ignorance but thanks alot.

 

Ive looked at the numbers for E85 as far as oil conservation, etc. Enough corn cannot be grown to put a substantial dent in oil usage. IMO, it's nothing more than a subsidy program for farmers.

 

We are ALL learning.

Whether enough corn can be grown or not is unknown, but jungle and HDPD350Z are correct in their statements.

 

Not to mention the farming industry uses more petroleum to produce ethanol than the amount saved by you using it in your car. Not only do corn farmers get tax breaks, they also get direct subsidies. The only people in Washington that are really pushing for ethanol are the Reps from cron states. Hemp and switch grass are far better plants for making ethanol. You don't hear much about that though because there are no big agri-businesses growing hemp or switchgrass.

 

CAFE is the driving force behind E85. General Motors and Ford don't have to use the 85% ethanol when reporting gas economies on E85 vehicles produced, only the 15 % unleaded. So now, thier entire SUV production line is CAFE approved due to steller low unleaded use by the E85 vehicles to balance out the high unleaded use by the regular gas engines, and no CAFE penalties are placed on their production. Farmers win, companies win, CAFE bearucrats win, everybody's happy. E85 is a stopgap, not a solution. I don't think anyone is under the illusion we can all live off corn and switchgrass instead of oil.
Will