E85 in non-flex fuel Ranger?

[lectraplayer]

What would happen if I tried to run E85 in a 2002 Ford Ranger that isn't necessarily a flex fuel vehicle? Would it just not want to run off of the fuel? Would it run like crap? I'd like to run off of E85, but haven't seen a mention in my user's manual. BTW: I have the 4.0 SOHC V6 in my Ranger.

[toddler62]

Nope don't do it E85 will tear up a non flex fuel engine. I believe the alcohol will dry up the seals and the flex fuel engine are designed for the less lubricating properties in E85 fuel. Beside you would get much worse gas mileage using E 85

[lectraplayer]

I figured they designed modern cars to run off of fuel that contains some wthanol these days, as it's getting hard to find pure gasoline now. Wouldn't years of running fuel with ethanol cause the seals to break down if that was the case? I"m note exactly hearing of an abnormal number of seal failures in cars that are well maintained, though I see absolutely no gas stations that has gas without 10% ethanol.

[yotermanic]

There's a big difference between ten percent and eighty five percent ethanol. Alcohol is a dessicant like you wouldn't believe. It will dry out your seals, thrash injector pintles, and eat fuel lines. I wouldn't risk it, ten percent ethanol still has enough gasoline in it that it is diluted...eighty-five percent ethanol is the opposite...bad karma...but if you live near Kansas City, go for it...I need the work.

[Psychopete]

Not only will it eat away at seals and what not, it's also corrosive to aluminum. The engine will not run correctly, FFV vehicles have higher rated injectors. E85 doesn't pack as much punch as gasoline, the computer is calibrated for a certain flow rate of injectors, the results of how it would run would be pretty unpredictable. But it certainly wouldn't run good.

Pete