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Is E85 safe for a Gen 1 KLR?

3K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  RANGER295 
#1 · (Edited)
I was reading in the 300 mile club thread where people were talking about fuel with 10% ethanol being more efficient than 100% petroleum. The 10%ish blend is all I can find in California when it comes to primarily petroleum fuel.

What I want to know, is E85 safe gen 1 KLR (2005). It is around 85% ethanol. The station across the street from work sells it and it is sometimes close to half the price of gas. If it is safe, and if 10% ethanol gets better MPG would E85 be even better? I have never bought any because my car says not to use it as well as my lawn mower, welder, and other small gas powered equipment.

I also thought that ethanol fuel was less efficient than petroleum. I am going to try to dig up the owners' manual for my bike and see if it says anything. Thanks.

Edit: I found this thread https://www.klrforum.com/how-tos-tech-guides/4215-flex-fuel.html with a little more searching. Looks like it is not a good idea/not an easy back and forth. When I searched on my phone before posting this I could not find anything on it. Google on my PC got me better results. Sorry for the clutter.
 
#2 ·
You would have to change all of the rubber parts in the KLR fuel system to tolerate the higher ethanol content. Then, you would need to do a major retune of the engine (jetting/ignition curve) to take advantage of E85.

So you say "what advantage"? Well, the hotroders love the stuff and they are making huge power with it. Why? Octane rating. They can reflash the computer for a more aggressive ignition curve and pour lots more E85 into the engine. Some even raise compression ratio.

What, more fuel? Yep. Here is a comparison of the heat content of various fuels:

Gasoline/E10: 120,388 - 124,340 Btu/gal
Ethanol/E100: 84,530 Btu/gal for E100 (15% gasoline will improve this some, but will still be short of Gasoline/E10)

And now for a little nostalgia: Indy cars, alcohol dragsters, and sprint cars use methanol (loved the smell at the track!!) Heat content: 65,200 Btu/gal! So, with such a low heat content, why do these racers use this stuff. Again it is octane. Thus they run crazy high compression ratios and ignition advance. They have to pour the fuel through the injectors to get the power they do but, sometimes fuel consumption is of no concern!!
 
#3 ·
Thank you. I knew it was less efficient but I did not realize the BTU was that much lower. I also did not realize it has such a high octane rating (over 100).

Why are people in the 300 mile club thread reporting higher MPG with E10??? I would think in our engines it would be less efficient than gasoline.
 
#6 · (Edited)
What I want to know, is E85 safe gen 1 KLR (2005).
I attended a rally on Capitol Hill with AMA (American Motorcyclist Association) Government Office staff, decrying the disadvantage and destruction of E15 (the demonstration was entitled, "Fuel For Thought"). Also, I visited the offices of our area legislators (Senator Kaine (D) and Congressman Connolly (D)) lobbying for the AMA's position on ethanol (as in, we don't need no stinkin' ethanol). At issue then, was E15. If E85 is now on the radar screen, and the fuel indeed is 85 % ethanol, abandon all hope, gaskets and rubber fittings; expect your jets and other orifices to clog mercilessly, using that joy juice.

The result of the Congressional visitation? I was brushed off by staffers, immediately after my pitch.

Since ethanol production (planting, harvesting, refining) costs more, and leaves a higher, "CARBON FOOTPRINT," (gasp) than the same energy available from (dare I use the term) fossil fuel, WHY, with the greatest oil reserves ever known now accessible on earth, should we be required to burn ethanol, or give jillions of tax dollar incentives to those who produce it?
 
#9 ·
Strong armed doesn't even begin to describe it. I have friends that have had to retire their ranch trucks this year because of new emissions standards. Don't even get me started on the guns.

The closest one to me would be West Sacramento and that is 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic. Then someone said in the review that it is $70 for a five gallon can... I think for now I have to buy at the pump though I will stay away from E85.
 
#10 ·
Even before our fuels were being blended with ethanol, emission standards mandated oxygenated fuel. This reduced the "shelf life" of fuel, causing accelerated varnish deposits in as little as a few weeks.

Fuel additives such as Stabil, Sea Foam, or Star Bright (I'm sure everyone has their favorite) helps to address this issue and there are additive formulations that can reduce the deterioration of rubber parts due to ethanol (an observation, no proof).

If I expect my KLR to be parked for more than a week or 2, I'll drain the carb and add a few oz of one of the above additives to the tank. I've not had a fuel related problem using this strategy. YMMV!!
 
#11 ·
I used to use Stabil but the last few years I put Sea Foam in all my gas cans (I have up to 20 gallons in cans at times) which I keep on hand for my push mowers, riding mowers, generator, welder, and other small yard equipment. I have not had any gummed up carb issues since doing this. I have been riding 70-100 miles a week so I am not too worried about the bike but I have been putting a bit of Sea Foam in it as well. So I agree 100% with you.

Which additive do you use? Which one do you think fights the effects of ethanol?
 
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