Experimenting with ethanol fuel?

[ARH]

'88 XJ, Renix 4.0L (cat-less, CAI, 2.5" cat-back), ~ 175K miles.

We have E85 (85% ethanol/15% gasoline) on the pumps were I live (Oslo, Norway) at a very affordable price.

I figured I could try to run 50/50 E85 and low-grade gasoline. 93 and 95 octane are my choices, this it would equate to 89ish in terms of US octane rating #'s. During winter months the ethanol concentration is closer to 75 percent, so that would make the total octane number, like what, 100?

How does the 4.0 cope with ethanol? What kind of mixtures are safe to run? Do anyone actually have experience with it?

In case of oversized concentrations of ethanol, I assume the knock sensor is able to retard the ignition enough to avoid engine knock? Also, I don't think the rubber hoses going from the tank to the fuel lines, and the injector O-rings are going to suffer from this short-term? I assume the clean(er) combustion would help with "cleaning up" carbon build-up in combustion chambers and valves?

I'm probably gonna see a slight mileage and power loss along with lessened cold starting abilities, but the cost saving might make it worthwhile.

[Brandon_K]

Seems like that would make filling up a pain in the ass. I'm not sure how it is in Oslo, but in our area the E85 pumps are seperate from the "full strength" pumps. Just seems like it would suck going from one pump after filling half of the tank, to another pump.

On a side note, what kind of cost difference are you seeing between 87 and E85? E85 was cheaper here up until a few months ago. I went past a station today, E85 $2.29US/GAL. 87 $1.99US/GAL. So now, not only is E85 less efficient, its more expensive now too!

[ARH]

Filling is no worry. I often just put like a quarter-tank worth of gas in the Jeep, and fill it when I find the cheapest place (I'm an unemployed student). I believe the pumps are the same, but the fuels are stored differently/elsewhere.

I believe that E85 is roughly between 25 and 50 cents cheaper per litre (not gallon). It's completely tax-free, but the refining/distillation process brings the price up.

Did you try it on your Jeep?

[ARH]

Anybody?