Back to all

E-85 Fuel Safety Advice From Top Tech Auto Repair Royal Oak

December 24, 2015



Today at Top Tech Auto Repair Royal Oak we want to talk with you about a very important safety issue. This automotive safety warning is coming from a very unusual source: fire fighting experts. You’ve probably heard of E-85 gasoline being offered in the Royal Oak area. Some newer vehicle models are specifically built to run on E-85 – the rest are not.

Does your vehicle use E-85 gasoline? Bring it down to Top Tech Auto Repair Royal Oak at 3110 Rochester Rd in Royal Oak, Michigan 48073 to find out, or give us a call to make an appointment by calling 248-585-0980.

E-85 gasoline has been developed to fight air pollution and reduce oil consumption. E-85 fuel is a mix of 85% ethanol, a grain-base alcohol, and 15% gasoline. So-called Flex-Fuel vehicles are designed to use either normal gasoline or E-85 gas. The result is lower harmful exhaust emissions to our local Royal Oak community.

All gas engines can run with up to 10% ethanol and in fact a lot of gasoline sold in the Royal Oak, Michigan area does contain some ethanol. The problem comes when well meaning motorists without Flex Fuel certified vehicles put E-85 into the tank.

At a 15% concentration, the potential for problems arises. Because of the chemical differences between ethanol and gasoline, special seals and gaskets are needed for Flex Fuel vehicles in Royal Oak Michigan. In a normal engine, the ethanol in E-85 gas will eat away important seals and gaskets. This leads to gas and oil leaks.

You Royal Oak car owners can imagine the fire hazard caused by leaking gasoline. Michigan fire fighting experts caution car owners to only use E-85 if they know they vehicle is certified to handle it. They expect vehicle fires to increase because of using the wrong fuel in non-Flex Fuel vehicles.

So are drivers who don’t have a Flex Fuel vehicle but use E-85 to help the environment actually putting themselves at risk? Yes. In fact, service and repair centers in Royal Oak, Michigan are being warned to purchase fire extinguishers that use the special foam needed to extinguish ethanol fires as a precaution in case starting-up an ethanol damaged engine leads to a fire.

Obviously, this isn’t something you want to have in your Royal Oak, Michigan garage at home, either. If you have a Flex-Fuel certified vehicle, feel free to protect the environment by using E-85 gasoline. If not – please do not use E-85 in an engine that’s designed to run on unleaded gasoline only. At Top Tech Auto Repair Royal Oak we are concerned about your safety. If you have questions or want to find out how to determine if your vehicle can safely use E-85, go to www.e85fuel.com for more resources.

Take a look at our attached auto safety tips video from Auto Tips Videos.

Need Service?

More articles from Top Tech Auto Repair Royal Oak

Round and Round (Wheel Balancing)

March 30, 2025

In a perfect world, all wheels and tires would be perfectly round and weigh exactly the same at every point of the wheel. Unfortunately, they're not, and if they're out of balance, they can reduce the lifespan of your tires, make your vehicle shake like a carnival ride, and maybe even damage a f... More

Reaching the Braking Point (Brake hose replacement)

March 23, 2025

If you notice your brakes arent working like they used to, thats the kind of thing thats important to have checked out soon. Thats because your brakes are extraordinarily important to the safe operation of your vehicle. Sometimes you feel like your brake pedal is feeling a little soft or its lo... More

Motor Oil?The Synthetic Advantage (Synthetic oil vs Conventional)

March 16, 2025

Youve probably already heard that regular oil changes are extremely important for the health of your vehicles engine. Thats sound advice. But what you might not know is when it comes to motor oil, the real thing may not be the best thing for your engine. There are different types of motor oil: ... More