The Nov.-Dec. newsletter of the Ethanol Producers and Consumers (EPAC) reported on a study by the Minnesota State University at Mankato. The students drove a Prius and gradually increased the amount of alcohol in the gas until they were using 85% alcohol (E85). They didn't modify the fuel system or the engine. They report that the engine showed gains in horsepower and torque and significantly reduced tailpipe emmissions. I don't know if mpg was affected. They said there were no engine problems. For more information,visit: www. creedproject.org.
Wow. I'm surprised this would work. It's my understanding that FFV's use a sensor in the tank to measure alcohol content in order to vary the EFI mapping. Theoretically, all corrections could be made via O2 sensor, but all initial "guesses" by the EFI might be off a little. Maybe a similar map is close enough, but the real danger is if the engine is too lean you can burn an exhaust valve. Nate
