Jump to content

E85 Ethanol Conversion for a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 Truck


Recommended Posts

Hello everyone, I'm glad that I've found such great forum.  Guys, I hope that you can help me...

In order to save some money on fuel, I'm planing to install the ethanol e85 kit on my 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 and run it on ethanol.  One of my friend uses the kit from this French manufacturer (www.ecofuelbox.com) but the problem is they have 4 models and 6 type of connectors, and I'm not sure which kit will fit my Dodge. Can someone tell me?

What type of connector do I need for my Dodge Ram ?

Regards,

 

David

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

Welcome to the forums, David!  I'm trusting others will jump into this discussion, and if not, I'll probe into the Mopar solutions or possible conversion components available through Mopar.

 

I would caution that ethanol is very rough on fuel systems, a contributor to corrosion and clogging.  On engines with carburetors, ethanol left for any period of time in the fuel bowls will clog jets.  I know this from personal experience, especially with smaller engines and powersports vehicles, though it could just as easily happen with automotive and truck engines.  Please do some research on the downside of ethanol.  A search online would turn up a wealth of details.  Try search keywords like "Damage from Ethanol Fuel" or "Ethanol and corrosion".

 

I'm very glad you're a member and am pleased to help answer any questions.  Let's see what others say first.

 

Moses

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

David, by sheer coincidence, I received this press release. Thought you might find the info interesting. This is proactive and a possible link in your quest for E85 kits and insights:

 

 Enerpulse Technologies and Green Bridge Technologies Join Forces.pdf

 

I'm working with Enerpulse, testing their Pulstar® energy releasing spark plugs.  I've interviewed the CEO at Enerpulse for a pending video on the plugs.  Enerpulse's involvement with Green Bridge is a positive on the E85 front.

 

Moses
 

post-1-0-78473700-1413208196_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 weeks later...

I thought i would weigh in on this, after someone asked me if there was any benefit to doing this conversion. According to what i have read from different sources, not only is ethanol rougher on fuel and exhaust systems, but also gets worse fuel mileage, and, in some vehicles, such as the Chevy Tahoe that one site, Consumer Reports, tested, significantly worse fuel mileage. There report can be found here, http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2011/01/the-great-ethanol-debate/index.htm. There report shows that the Chevy Tahoe they tested went from 21 MPG on regular gas, to 15 MPG on E85 (highway numbers), and their acceleration also dropped a bit as well. They also showed that E85 produced acetaldehyde, which the EPA lists as a probable carcinogen, although the tester did say that acetaldehyde may not be as bad as some of the emissions produced by regular gasoline. Another point i found interesting, and is a direct quote, "Using intermediate blends in non-FFVs can cause increased emissions and catalytic converter wear, as well as premature deterioration of fuel-system components, because ethanol is corrosive. FFVs use special fuel tanks, lines, and pumps designed to be more corrosion resistant."  FFV's meaning Flex Fuel Vehicles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

Thanks for clarifying, Biggman...I was trying to be tactful.  It sounds like what one could expect from an "alcohol" fuel, here are some details about acetaldehyde:  http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/acetalde.html.  This is a mild, non-committal version as we would expect from this agency.  I'm sure there are other accounts with more conclusive evidence that acetaldehyde is toxic, carcinogenic and developmentally harmful.

 

It has been argued that the real beneficiaries of ethanol fuel are corn producers and refineries.  Human beings and livestock might be better off eating corn than feeding it to internal combustion engines.  I'd like to see figures on how much vital soil and cropland have been shifted to ethanol fuel production.  There are people starving that could use the food version of corn, and silage grade corn can feed domestic animals.  Cropland is vital, and the soil bank shrinks every year.

 

Moses

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...