The flex-fuel is also known as E85 because it contains ethanol. It is obtained from corn waste that why it is also called biodiesel. It protects the environment from carbon that reduces global warming.
Can I Use Flex Fuel in My Ford F150? You can use the flex fuel in Ford F150 if its lining is made from nylon; otherwise, corrosion occurs in the engine. It is cost-effective than traditional gasoline. E85 contains a high amount of moisture that deposits dirt and dust in the truck engine. It is not available in every fuel station; therefore, many vehicles cannot use it.
The Ford F-150 contains a 3 to 5-liter engine and has nickel coating on the inner side of the fuel system. The first fuel vehicle is the Ford Model T in 1908 that used both gasoline and ethanol.
What is Flex Fuel?
It is also called flexible fuel, and it is commonly known as E85. It contains gasoline and ethanol which percentage varies from 55% to 85%.
Methanol can also use with the gasoline that is known as wood alcohol. It obtains from grains and uses in flexible fuel vehicles that are also known as dual vehicles.
Fermented starch produces ethanol that obtains from corn, and it mainly uses in flex-fuel. It quickly makes it from home, and there is no need to import traditional fuel.
Why would you use flex fuel in a Ford F150?
Flex-fuel has many benefits than the standard fuel; that’s why it uses in trucks. Corn is a raw material in corn, and it is readily available in the country. While gasoline import from other countries, therefore, it is costly.
It also has tax benefits because the E85 tax credit replaced the clean fuel-burning deduction.
Environment friendly
Traditional gasoline that used as a fuel produces more toxic fumes that are harmful to the environment. In addition, this poisonous material produces fumes that form from the burning of gasoline.
It is the latest technology that uses in many trucks that are on the highway and roads. It produces less toxic fumes in the environment, that’s why it is environment friendly.
Carbon dioxide is the main factor that causes global warming that changes our climate atmosphere. However, it releases less carbon into the air because ethanol comes from plants that produce less pollution than traditional gasoline.
The oil obtained from fossil fuels is harmful; therefore, many people use flex-fuel. It also reduces the pollutants that affect the ozone layer. Traditional gasoline contains 10% ethanol, while E85 has about 85% ethanol.
Cost-effective
The flex fuel is cheaper than the gasoline that is present mainly at the pump station. It also cleans your engine and fuel lines that maintain the engine performance.
Traditional gasoline cannot keep your engine clean, and it is also costly.
If you use gasoline, then it takes more cost to repair your engine and fuel lines. However, if you use E85, it makes your engine exhaust system efficient. Its low MPG (miles per gallon) makes it costly, but it increases engine life; that’s why it is cost-effective.
Produce more power
It is higher octane fuel that combusts completely. If you use flex-fuel, then it produces less knocking and increases the horsepower of the engine.
The gasoline heats the engine while E85 is less because it burns cooler than the gasoline. That’s why gasoline loses more power than flex-fuel, and no carbon deposit in the engine due to E85 increases the machine’s power.
It is also a cleaning agent when the carbon deposit in the combustion chamber, fuel injector, and valves. Its use removes carbon deposits; therefore, it is also called a cleaning agent.
Disadvantages of using flex-fuel
Flex-fuel is more beneficial, but it also has some disadvantages that affect Ford. First, it obtains from corn and other plant waste that is animal food.
If you use it in large amounts, then the prices of animal food are high. It also affects due to harsh climate conditions and flooding. It is also affected by crop disease, and its production is low, which causes an increase in its prices.
Dirt deposit
It contains ethanol that absorbs dust if we use it in a more significant amount. Hence, the dirt and dust stuck in the fuel pipe reduce the performance of the engine.
Less availability of flex-fuel
It is not available like gasoline because a traditional gasoline station is available after few miles. All the gas station contains gasoline while some have E85.
Many people purchase flex-fuel technology trucks, but there is no proper station for E85. But some station contains gasoline to mix with ethanol and in this ethanol percentage varies.
You can easily use a different percentage of ethanol in the flex-fuel vehicle because it can carry 55% ethanol to 85%.
The vehicle that contains this technology can blend the mixtures according to its requirements.
Why does flex fuel contain a mixture of ethanol with gasoline?
It is also called E85 because it contains 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. Ethanol starts to freeze at 0 degrees, and if you drive in cool areas, your truck stops to work.
Therefore, some amount of gasoline is essential to add to ethanol. In cool areas, E70 recommend because it contains about 70% ethanol and 30% gasoline.
F150 engine can mix the ethanol and gasoline proportion according to the environment.
It contains a sensor that automatically changes the composition of ethanol in flex-fuel. In addition, gasoline helps the ethanol to ignite at a lower temperature.
Can you use flex-fuel in all vehicles?
You can not use E85 in all vehicles because non-flex-fuel vehicles contain a steel pump system that cannot withstand ethanol. It contains ethanol about 55% to 83%, with gasoline that contains oxygen.
Due to the high content of oxygen, it absorbs moisture. When the steel fuel system contact with water, it causes corrosion. The E85 truck contains nylon lining that can face the ethanol, and it does not rust.
It affects the efficiency of the Ford that can also damage the engine performance. It also has high electrical conductivity.
How can you recognize that your truck can run with E85?
You can easily recognize that your truck can run with flexible fuel or not because of some signs and stamps present on the truck.
It is essential to check the truck before adding the E85; therefore, every vehicle mentions that it contains flexible fuel or not.
Mark on fuel lid
When you open the fuel lid, there is a sign of E85 which means that your Ford F150 is capable and runs with a high percentage of ethanol. Some trucks can also contain gasoline and ethanol mark on the lid cover.
Therefore, it is essential to read the mark on the trunk lid; otherwise, if you put flex-fuel in non E85 vehicles, then it causes the problem and damages your truck.
There is a sign of green and white on the fuel lid that tells about E85.
Mark on the truck body
The flex-fuel tags are also present on the truck body, and you can see them at the back of the truck where its name is current. Some trucks also contain their tag at the side of their body and back near the model name.
It mostly writes in green color that means it obtain from plants and their waste. Therefore it has less cost than traditional gasoline because it is available and cannot need to import.
You can put the different percentages of fuel into the F150 because it has a sensor that adjusts additional amounts according to its requirements.
When you go to some hilly and cool areas, the E85 can set a high amount of gasoline with ethanol. Because ethanol does not burn efficiently at low temperatures and gasoline provides the energy to ignite them properly.
Check from owner manual
You can also check it from the owner manual by opening the section of the fuel. It mentions different types of energy that tell you about the E85.
The fuel injector also has a different style, which tells you to add flexible-fuel to your Ford F150. Again, you can check it from the truck manual because everything about the vehicle writes on it.
Therefore it is essential to read the instruction carefully; otherwise, you can face severe problems damaging your vehicle. For example, if your truck does not support this fuel and you use the E85 without reading the manual, your fuel system starts to rust, and all its pipe is also damaged.
Yellow cap
If your vehicle is E85, then its fuel cap is also in yellow. It is also marked with E85 and also ethanol and gasoline print on it. When you see the sign of leaf on your vehicle, it means that it is E85 compatible.
How to convert a non-flex-fuel truck into E85?
When you want to convert your engine into E85, then you only need two items.
- Electronic control module
- Fuel sensor
You can fix the electronic control module between the fuel injector and its connector. The fuel sensor sets the ethanol and gasoline ratio that contains 85% ethanol; that’s why it is called E85. It maintains the percentage of gasoline and ethanol according to the F150 requirement.
When you connect the sensor to the electronic control fuel, it tells how much ethanol needs. You can also change the steel lining of the old vehicle into nylon that protects it from corrosion.
You can also change it with nickel that increases the engine performance. You can also change the fuel tank if it is steel; otherwise, it damages your vehicle.
You can also use nylon lining in the truck with excellent strength to bear the ethanol in the fuel system. If the carburetor is made from aluminum, then you do not use E85 because long exposure to ethanol damages it.
Some vehicles cannot support this, and their parts are not compatible with them. Therefore, I recommend changing the vehicle E85 if you want to use flex-fuel instead of converting your truck.
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