Back to all

E-85 Fuel Safety Advice from Tuffy St. Johns

March 1, 2016


 

Today at Tuffy St. Johns we want to talk with you about a very important safety issue. This automotive safety warning is coming from a very unusual source: fire fighting experts. You've probably heard of E-85 gasoline being offered in the St. Johns area. Some newer vehicle models are specifically built to run on E-85 – the rest are not.

Does your vehicle use E-85 gasoline? Bring it down to Tuffy St. Johns at 2770 Racetrack Rd. in St. Johns , Florida 32259, to find out, or give us a call to make an appointment by calling 904.230.3363.

E-85 gasoline has been developed to fight air pollution and reduce oil consumption. E-85 fuel is a mix of 85% ethanol, a grain-base alcohol, and 15% gasoline. So-called Flex-Fuel vehicles are designed to use either normal gasoline or E-85 gas. The result is lower exhaust emissions to our local St. Johns community.

All gas engines can run with up to 10% ethanol, and in fact a lot of gasoline sold in the St. Johns , Florida, area does contain some ethanol. The problem comes when well-meaning residents without Flex Fuel certified vehicles put E-85 into the tank.

At a 15% concentration, the potential for problems arises. Because of the chemical differences between ethanol and gasoline, special seals and gaskets are needed for Flex Fuel vehicles. In a normal engine, the ethanol in E-85 gas will eat away seals and gaskets. This leads to gas and oil leaks.

You St. Johns auto owners can imagine the fire hazard caused by leaking gasoline. Florida fire fighting experts caution drivers to only use E-85 if they know their vehicle is certified to handle it. They expect vehicle fires to increase because of using the wrong fuel in non-Flex Fuel vehicles.

Tuffy St. Johns
2770 Racetrack Rd.
St. Johns , Florida 32259
904.230.3363

 

More articles from Tuffy St. Johns

A Head Start on Starting (Battery Testing)

April 20, 2025

If your vehicle isn't starting or doesn't sound like it used to when you crank it, the culprit may be the battery. You may have left a light on, or something plugged into one of charging ports. Maybe you accidentally left your vehicle in the "on" or "accessory" position when you last got out. M... More

The New Blade in Town

April 13, 2025

If your windshield wipers are streaking and chattering when you turn them on in the rain or snow, it's time for a little "blade renewal." And when it comes to new wiper blades, there are some new designs that are worth a look. One of the latest is called the beam blade. It's different than conve... More

How Cool is That! (Coolant level sensor replacement)

April 6, 2025

Your vehicles engine runs hot. It should, since its a series of little explosions that create the power that gets you going where you want to go. To keep the engine cool, engineers have designed wonderful cooling systems that use liquid coolant, hoses, and a radiator to transfer the heat from t... More