E85 Ethanol in a Ford 8N?

The local college did some research on E85 and found that it worked efficiently in engines with much higher compression ratio. I don't remember the exact ratio, but it was around 11 to 1. This explains why ethanol is used in race cars, especially the winged sprints. When they are running around the track, you can smell it.

If you burn e85 in any low compression engine, you will notice a large increase in consumption.
You will not save any money.

E-85 is about 105 octane so to really make great use of it you can run the compression ratio way up or can run it lean. I don't think you can run it lean enough to make up for all of that 43%. One way to raise the effecive compression ratio is to put on a supercharger. That's more complication than a 9N is worth, in my opinion.

The remaining 15% is supposed to be gasoline, and that magic ratio is supposed to make E-85 start reasonably well in the winter. Less gasoline than that makes for significantly harder cold weather starting. Gasoline at a 5% rate is one of the long used standard denaturants for ethanol. Just makes it hard on the drinker.

Gerald J.

Jerry

Ethanol has lower BTUs so you'll need to enrich the carb mixture. You'll probably find that you're burning more fuel and wiping out any cost saving. International Harvester specifically designed "distillant" tractors with specific intakes, heads and radiator shutters in an attempt to squeeze more efficiency out of the fuel.

In a modern fuel injected car with computer controlled fuel injection you'll run into all kinds of problems attempting to run E85, unless it’s a flex fuel vehicle. They were designed to obtain maximum fuel efficiency from gasoline; E85 will cause all kinds of error codes as the computer attempts to adjust itself for something it’s not designed to operate on.

E-85 is 85% ethanol. It is a very corrosive fuel, mostly due to the fact that the other 15% is mostly water. If you use it in an 8N be prepared to have all the steel parts in the fuel system rust (tank, fuel lines, etc.)

I seriously would not recommend it.

I wish that I could find a source for E-85 because I am dying to try it in my van. I have had the van 7 years and have yet to be able to buy E-85 fuel.

Good Luck,

Cliff (VA)

E-85 is 85% pure ethanol mixed with 15% gasoline to prevent human consumption. So while the product may be 15% water, it is not 85% ethanol+15% water = E-85. Follow?

I do know that my company had problems due to corrosion of electrical parts immersed in E-85.

E-85 is corrosive, particularly to magnesium, aluminum, rubber, and cork. It will also rust steel if it is contaminated with water (almost impossible to prevent). Flex fuel vehicles use stainless steel or plastic lined stainless steel fuel lines and tanks. If you are curious there is a whole lot of information in Wikipedia on this subject.

Your tractor, your call.

Cliff (VA)

My son manages an Ethanol plant & brought some 95% ethanol to try in our 1937 BN John Deere. I started on the old gasoline mixture and began to lean out when the Ethanol got to the carburetor. I turned the high speed & low speed mixture screws out (richer) about ½ turn each & it ran just like it was supposed to. When the engine is cold, I have to start on gasoline and switch over; just like the old days with distillate for the main fuel source. The exhaust surely smells nice; could almost get a high off of it!!