Can anyone clear this up for me. I usually use the 87 octane gas, but am wondering if I can use E-85 or other gasohols fuels, should I find them in my area?
Just put some regular H20 in the tank. After all, some quacks out there claim to be able to run their engine on water. I'd be sure to use some high-quality bottled spring water (which could deceptively come from the tap!) I'm not an expert on auto fuels, but I would think that if other ICE-driven cars can use these fuels, then the prius could too. I'm pretty sure your question has been asked before, just search the forum. There is also a debate out there whether the ethanol mixture will negatively affect your MPG.
Your Prius manual states that E10 is OK, but higher percentages are not. E85 will, in time, most likely cause significant problems in your fuel system. JeffD
You'ed be asking for trouble by putting E85 in your Prius. I've had experience twice with customers using E85 in cars not designed for it. The first one filled up an almost empty tank with E85. The car initially started then died. Would not restart. We had to empty the fuel tank and then flush all the injector lines to get it to run again. The second one was a half tank of E85 added to a half tank of E10. Car ran badly. Once again drain the tank and flush the injector lines. Long term for these cars could be deterioration of some fuel system components but they both ran well after we did the above. Rod
Ethanol is complete crap anyway. There is so much political foofoo surrounding it - not to mention that it's energy density is smaller than gasoline, takes just as much energy and resources (if not more) to produce than oil derived gasoline, and eventually it will eat the plastic parts in the Prius's fuel system. I've watch this year as more hay, clover, hazelnut, and other useful crops in my area have been replaced by corn for the production of ethanol because farmers will be subsidize for growing it... Regardless if the crop is worthy or not! Just, stay the hell away from ethanol.
