E85 is NOT A BOOGYMAN | Busting E85 Myths

For years, E85 (a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) has been surrounded by controversy, often labeled as a fuel that will destroy your engine or corrode your fuel lines. However, this is largely misinformation.

In this deep dive, Ryan Truax, a leading entrepreneur in the E85 space and founder of Advanced Fuel Dynamics, shares his vast knowledge and experience, giving a rare insight into a complicated topic that few fully understand. Ryan's company and customers are successfully running millions of miles per month on converted vehicles, proving that E85 is not the boogeyman it is often portrayed to be.

Here is a summary of the most common E85 myths and the facts that debunk them:

Busting the Biggest E85 Myths

Myth 1: E85 Goes Bad and Leaves "Gunk"

Many people worry about E85 leaving behind a gummy, sticky residue if a car sits unused. Ryan Truax clarifies that the residue is not from the ethanol itself.

• Ethanol is Stable: Pure ethanol is extremely stable and does not degrade—it's essentially alcohol. Ryan shared that his team has had seven-year-old barrels of E85 that were perfectly fine.
• The Problem is Bad Gasoline: The gunk and residue seen in some systems come from the gasoline portion of the E85 blend. If a station mixes in low-quality or "crap gas" that they can't sell as regular pump fuel, that poor-quality component is what breaks down and leaves behind residue as the more volatile ethanol evaporates.
• The Takeaway: When you see a gummy substance, it is the residue of the low-quality gasoline blend, not the ethanol.

Myth 2: E85 Will Corrode and Melt Your Fuel System

One of the oldest myths is that E85 will destroy a standard fuel system. While there are specific material considerations, the widespread fear of rapid system failure is unfounded.

• Modern Systems are Compliant: Virtually all modern (synthetic, black flexible) fuel lines are manufactured to be ethanol-compliant and are not affected by E85.
• PTFE is Best: For enthusiasts modifying their vehicles, PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) lines are the most robust and highly recommended material to use for fuel systems.
• Corrosion Requires Air: Ethanol can cause minor corrosion (a white, powdery look) on bare aluminum, but this only happens when air is present—a condition not found in a properly sealed, running fuel system.

Myth 3: E85 Causes Fuel Pump and Filter Failures

When people convert an older vehicle to E85 and immediately have a failure, they often blame the new fuel. Ryan explains that E85's most underrated feature is actually the root cause: its cleaning power.

• E85 is a Cleaner: Ethanol is an incredibly effective cleaning agent. In a decades-old vehicle, it will break loose all the accumulated sludge, varnish, and debris stuck to the walls of the fuel tank.
• Filter Clog: This "crap" then gets flushed into the fuel pump and immediately clogs the fuel filter. The filter is plugging up because it is doing its job of cleaning out old contaminants, not because the ethanol caused a new failure.
• Increased Demand: E85 requires higher fuel flow (around 30% more than gasoline), putting a heavier load on the fuel pump. If an older car has a 20-year-old fuel pump, the increased demand, combined with newly freed debris, can cause the already-worn pump to fail.
• The Actionable Insight: If you have an older car and convert to E85, you should plan to upgrade your fuel lines to a modern, robust material and be prepared to change your fuel filter shortly after the initial conversion.

See the video here.