Be careful with e85 from Stripes

[gaspasr]

I recently had my cel come on. Codes p2196 and p2198 (banks running rich). I also noticed my A/F was bouncing between 11.5-12 on idle. I thought i had an exhaust leak somewhere since I recalled scraping my exhaust on a steep driveway. Looked around and couldn't find an obvious leak. I had noticed my garage smelling different, more like regular gas after putting car up inside garage. Even my wife noticed the difference in smell. I attributed the rich condition as the culprit to the smell but when my wife mentioned it too, I took a sample from my inline filter. If i remember correctly, e85 at Stripes can be as low as 51%. I had become complacent and stopped checking with my tester at fill ups since I had not had any issues the past 3 years with the ethanol content being so low for the winter.

 

[c6zhombre]

What is the location of this Stripes?

I've been filling up at a Stripes here in League City for over a year now, and it's been 85% or greater. My last fill up was Nov 16th and it was near 90%. Also the break line was perfectly clear on top....your sample is very murky. That looks like whatever happened in that holding tank is a mistake or somehow contaminated. I would take that sample into the Stripes and complain.

Also....51% as a minimum is not a Stripes policy, it's federal law now.

 

[gaspasr]

Went to a different store in my adjacent town (bryan).
Drained my gas tank. All good now.

First time I have ever had issues. I will be checking at every fill up from now on. Don't know if some idiot filled the wrong storage tank or they brought in low percentage ethanol.

 

[gaspasr]

The low percentage one was in College Station (wellborn/William fitch intersection). As far as I know there are only these 2 stores in my area that carry e85.
I used to live in Temple where we had HEB e85. There pumps used to say minimum 70% iirc.

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

you guys just dispense some out into a cup to pour into the tube or what?

I always feel like people will think Im up to no good lol

 

[c6zhombre]

View attachment 80614
Went to a different store in my adjacent town (bryan).
Drained my gas tank. All good now.

First time I have ever had issues. I will be checking at every fill up from now on. Don't know if some idiot filled the wrong storage tank or they brought in low percentage ethanol.

Thats a lot better looking there.

As far as the specification, it's no longer "70% minimum". It's supposed to be a range from 51%-83%. Also, it's expected the name will no longer even be labeled "E85"....the pumps could change to simply "FLEX FUEL" very soon.

http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/ethanol_e85_specs.html

 

[c6zhombre]

you guys just dispense some out into a cup to pour into the tube or what?

I always feel like people will think Im up to no good lol

Yes. Then I have a syringe with a few inches of aquarium hose attached to it to draw it out of the cup and into the test tube (lot less messy and controllable than trying to pour)

And yes...some strange looks at times. Some people are looking at you like you're constructing a molokov cocktail or something lol. But I've been doing it for years and could care less what they think.....it's worth it for the performance and safety margin

 

[SID297]

I wonder if the weaker blend has anything to do with low oil prices?


Sent from my iPhone using the svtperformance.com mobile app

 

[c6zhombre]

I wonder if the weaker blend has anything to do with low oil prices?


Sent from my iPhone using the svtperformance.com mobile app

Thats not a "weaker" blend up there in post 1....I believe that is a contaminated mistake. It's too cloudy and appears to have 2 separation lines...there's no telling what all happened there.

I just filled up at my Stripes today (about 90 miles from Gaspasr's Stripes)....it was a beautiful E90. One single and clear separation line. Looks damn near the same as when I filled up November 16th (E89)

 

[04sleeper]

I agree. That first sample looks contaminated.

 

[03Sssnake]

yikes!!! I guess I need to start testing my E85 more..lol

 

[RJStanford]

The low percentage one was in College Station (wellborn/William fitch intersection). As far as I know there are only these 2 stores in my area that carry e85.
I used to live in Temple where we had HEB e85. There pumps used to say minimum 70% iirc.

Thanks for the info! Not an SVT driver, but I've been trying to find out if CS had E85 (the "official" apps don't list any). Very helpful, and I'll be stopping by the next time I'm at TWS!

 

[RJStanford]

Went to a different store in my adjacent town (bryan).
Drained my gas tank. All good now.

Forgot to ask - where is the "good" store exactly?

 

[gaspasr]

2010 S. College Ave in Bryan

 

[RJStanford]

Thanks gaspar! Can always just run the "flex" tune to be safe - less power but less risk, still a power boost, and most importantly much lower oil temps