I recently watched the movie "Pump" which stated that all vehicles made after 1995 can convert to ethanol. I want to ask my fellow Ram owners if they have made that conversion and what steps they took. I know it cannot be done to the 5.7l Hemis, so they are out of the question.
Rammers, let's chat!

 

What would be your goal? Do you have ready access to ethanol?

 

Yes, the city has allowed a new fuel station that has ethanol. Yesterday, I noticed it was at $2.19 per gallon as opposed to $2.89 for regular.

 

Since ethanol has less energy than gasoline, you'll likely find the fuel cost/mile not worth the cost of replacing fuel lines/gaskets/o-rings, etc. To get maximum benefit of ethanol, you'll have to raise the compression ratio considerably. The octane rating is something like 110 (?), but to use it will be expensive. Ethanol is mostly BS.

 

Maybe you should watch the movie, "Pump". It explains that all you need to do is have the vehicle computer reprogrammed to accept Ethanol. The only mechanical difference is that the computer holds the injectors open longer. That's what this thread was for, asking if anyone had had their Ram converted. All vehicles made after 1995 are capable, just some aren't programmed at the factory.

 

Ethanol still contains less energy than gas.

 

I wonder which liberal organization produced the movie. It's more than computer programming - ethanol eats the seals, o-rings, etc. If the computer holds the injectors open longer, so what? All that does is move more of an inefficient, horribly expensive fuel through the engine. Do what you want - it's your money (and mine, since I have to subsidize the cost). I doubt you'll find anyone here who has done this and didn't wind up with a Frankenstein engine.

I hope the current push to remove ethanol succeeds. I can use a less expensive steak, and it will conserve badly-needed water.

 

Thought I'd revive this and correct a few things.

Ethanol doesn't eat or fuel lines or o rings or any of that because the rubber is viton rubber. It doesn't get dried or and crack like the stuff from the 80s. The government made all vehicle manufacturers change to this because of the increased user of E10 and E15 in our fuel. It's actually pretty difficult in some areas to find non-ethanol fuel (like Iowa/Nebraska where i live).

Second, though it is true ethanol has less energy vs a similar amount of plain gas, it burns much cooler and has a much higher resistance to pre-ignition. Our octane ratings are a measure of this. Your standard e85 isnt 110 or 105 like many claim, it actually ranges from about 95-105 depending on the season and region. Over the winter for example, e85 is actually more like e70.

Why use ethanol if it contains less energy? Because it burns cooler and has a much higher resistance to preignition, it allows you to run more aggressive timing and on boosted applications where a lot of timing causes a lot of damage, being able to run more timing means you can pull more power. However, this does require more fuel and a richer ratio vs gasoline, nearly 9:1. Simply larger volume pump, higher rail pressure, larger injectors, or all of the above can make up for this depending on the vehicle. Some vehicles can run it with only computer programming modifications that open the injector slightly longer and earlier or fatter. Most need about a 30% increase in fuel at 80% duty cycle.

If you want to know more about whether our trucks can be converted to e85 with only programming, talk to Ryan Hogan (FlyinRyan). I know for a fact he's programmed 5.2/5.9 daks for e85 but the ones I've seen of his were turbo'd and highly modified.

Personally i love the idea of e85: less dependent on the middle east, Russia, or anybody else with oil, increases the need for farmers to grow corn or sugarcane to make it, cheaper than gas, better emissions. Yes increased fuel consumption but for performance applications more power. Driving a 10mpg average pickup, idgaf about mileage. Bout the only way to increase it for me is to keep my foot or if the throttle, and fahk that it's too much fun. Might as well make it cheaper for me to do it lol.