pjjanis Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 I have a 2013 Dodge Journey FWD, E85 Flex Fuel. For the last 5,000 miles, I've been running the car on 70%-90% methanol mixed with gasoline. I have a source of very cheap methanol. I get about 16 MPG on the highway and have driven the car up to 100 miles per hour with absolutely no performance issues. I have made no modification to the car yet, but was fully expecting an incompatible gasket to fail by now. The owner's manual clearly says that we should not use methanol, but so far the only issue I have had is the occasional check engine light. I haven't run the codes yet, but I'm sure it has to do with the fuel mixture. Apparently the fuel injectors are fully capable of opening up and dumping the extra fuel that is required since methanol has about half the fuel value of gasoline, and apparently the Oxygen sensors are able to help the engine computer calculate the fuel mixture well enough to adjust the fuel/air ratio, timing, etc. Has anyone experimented with methanol in an E85 Flex Fuel? I'd like to hear your experience. Does anyone have a suggestion for what type of oil I should be using with methanol? Thanks, Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 WOW,,,trying a to save a few bucks and risk doing damage to your 2013 journey oh well good luck keep us informed of what happens.......... Journey_SeXT 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 (edited) Which would not be covered by warranty BTW.....personally I would not risk it. Edited April 24, 2014 by jkeaton Journey_SeXT 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolly Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 (edited) If you're only getting 16 mpg, you're not saving as much as you think. The poor mileage that you're getting is certainly offsetting your savings, and considering the risk to your engine this is definitely a bad idea. Don't forget to factor in the cost of motor replacement. Nothing like asking for trouble! Edited April 24, 2014 by rolly Journey_SeXT 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey_SeXT Posted April 24, 2014 Report Share Posted April 24, 2014 (edited) This is why there is no use of using the flex fuel even though our vehicles can. The owners manual even states that it is an automatic 30% drop in fuel economy. So where is the savings???? Just stick with regular 87 octane gas. Edited April 24, 2014 by Journey_SeXT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 just a note using reg e85 gas will not hurt your flex fuel vech. because it has been built to withstand the amount allowed by law. but using methanol which i dont know if your talking about ethynol or something different . at the mixture you are talking about will almost ruin your engine i would think.but i am not a chemist. but iam sure it will eat up the gaskets and seals and cause corrosion in your fuel lines and engine parts. good luck and keep us informed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjjanis Posted April 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2014 Since I get the methanol for free (my company cleans rail tank cars that contain small amounts of commodity that must be removed with a pump) the biggest hassle I have is the fact that I only get about 320 miles on a tankfull. I occasionally get ethanol as well, but mostly methanol. I've run the car on 100% ethanol on a 600 mile trip with no problem (I carried extra fuel on a cargo carrier). My daughter has a 1996 toyota avalon that I added a fuel injector time delay that keeps the injectors open longer to inject more fuel. It takes almost twice as much methanol as gasoline for the same fuel value. It was not a flex fuel vehicle. After about 200 miles on 90% methanol, the rubber in the fuel pressure regulator failed. I replaced it with a regulator that was methanol-compatible and she has driven over 10,000 miles on about 90% methanol with no problems. with both the avalon and the journey I get the check engine light intermittently. also, in winter, when it is near freezing, both are a little hard to start due to the lower volatility of the methanol. An extra gallon or two of gasoline at low temperatures helps with this, but even without it I can get them started in about 5 seconds. I have a degree in chemistry and am not afraid of experimenting. I'm not worried about destroying the engine. Worst case would be a new fuel pump and some o-rings. I've more than made up for that cost with the alcohol being free. does anyone know whether the journey has a sensor in the fuel tank to determine the alcohol/gasoline ratio, or does the computer calculate the ratio based on the emissions after combustion? thanks, patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.