Hi Steve

I was the main driver for '05 FEH till my '09 FEH was delivered in late July of 2008. I drove little highway and would always try to keep RPM's down with the fake shift. In the Winter of '08, my son drove to Miami in my '05 FEH and complained he was having a hard time getting up to 80mph on I-95. I thought it was the normal effects of E10, but confirmed the lost of power shortly after. The RPM would just spin out of control unless I did a fake shift to drop RPM and start accelerating again. My youngest son wanted to trade my wife her '02 Explorer after getting his DL because he hated driving the powerless '05 FEH. I still assumed it was E10 causing the '05 not to up-shift and the high RPM.

I had become completely fed-up with E10 after I first seen my drop in MPG in the '05 every time I filled-up with it back in 2006. It took 3 tanks of straight gas before my mileage got back to normal back then. Now I believe it was a combination of E10 mixing with the normal water that accumulates in the tank from the high rain and moisture in the air here in Florida.

The buyer's vehicle inspector claimed the transmission had a up-shift and low voltage problem and I agreed to take it to my dealer to confirm and repair it if there was a problem under the hybrid eCVT warranty. The dealer confirmed the up-shift and voltage problem, but the 12V battery was unstable. I had replaced my 12V battery in '07, but I told my SA to change it if that was needed. Ford's Hotline folks said the eCVT could not be the problem and the new battery allowed them to rule out a voltage problem in the eCVT. Further testing found the CAT Converter was causing the up-shift and high RPM problem. It turns out the entire exhaust system had failed and had to be replaced under warranty.

The only DTC codes I ever got was a PO420, but it always clear with my SGII as fast as lit up.

Steve, I agree with you, the '05 and '09 will not go EV until the CAT goes Light-Off and the PCM controls that. The "09 will go EV with a coolant temperature at 115F degrees, but not until Light-OFF on the CAT. The '09 will go EV much sooner than the '05 because water temperature is no longer a requirement for EV.

A CAT failure at 80,000 miles is premature, but really, the '05 FEH CAT started failing after E10 fill-ups. I think the moisture blending with the E10 and the fact that E10 causes a rich air-fuel mixture caused early failure of my CAT and exhaust system.

GaryG

 

So we don't have people dying in Arab nations to support our addiction to oil? How about the Trillions a year those wars are costing you and me? (Not sure what your smokin')

They mandated E10 to reduce smog in urban cities/states and to promote the ag economy in the Midwest.

Regarding your break-even theory: your ignoring the 2,300 stations currently selling 85% ethanol, projected to be 10,000 in 5 years, and the thousands of blender pumps (pumps selling 20%, 30%, 50% and 85% blends), expected to be around 200,000 in 5 years. Most vehicles break even mileage-wise at 20-30% blends. E85 is 80 cents to $1 cheaper at the stations I frequent. Nationwide, the cost per mile is about the same with any ethanol blend so you're not losing any money.

But you prefer to fund terrorists instead of farmers for selfish reasons... guess it's a free country.

</rant>

 

Seems a LOT more ethanol is being exported these days (ref:Brokers report heavy traffic in US ethanol exports to Brazil)

We're giving tax breaks and incentives to US Ethanol producers (for energy independence, right?) only to see that product shipped outside the US. Doesn't seem fair. Shouldn't our tax assisted Ethanol go into our tanks and not Brazil's? Have we reached market saturation with the few states that mandate E10 and the other E85/Blend pumps that are out there?

Does anyone have access to the going rates for a gallon of Ethanol in the US vs. Brazil or other countries? I expect the market has a much bigger hand in where the Ethanol flows despite the best intentions of the US Ethanol lobby. We are talking about the energy sector here after all. They will do crazy things for profits.

 

I stand by my posts, and disagree with your numbers and logic. We are not fighting any wars for oil.

 

Since this thread is about a clogged FEH Cat Converter, there still is no proof E10 by itself is to blame for this clogged item.

 

Got my '05 FEH back today with a lot more power and better MPG. Ford replaced everything including the exhaust manifold to the tailpipe that sticks out the back. Thank you very much Ford!

The sell was completed today and the new owner is very happy with my old '05 FEH.

GaryG

 

Great news Gary! I am very happy to hear that it worked out and under warranty.

I think that it's funny how you posted very real results from E10 and it turned into a thread about supporting terrorists. E10 is a poor choice. It costs too much to manufacture, fowls engines and in the end we will still run out of fossil fuel for it to be an additive to. Biodiesel is still a better choice for alternative fuel.

for those that doubt E10 and it's effects on internal combustion engines read this:

http://www.evinrude-parts.com/boat_e...recaution.html

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outboard...me_1_no_1.aspx

 

"for those that doubt E10 and it's effects on internal combustion engines read this":

http://www.evinrude-parts.com/boat_e...recaution.html

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outboard...me_1_no_1.aspx


I noticed the reference you used is for boat engines only . I drive an automobile, not a boat. I don't see the logic of your statement especially when this unmodified Prius traveled 60,000 miles on E85 (more than 8 times E10) without a mechanical breakdown.

Straight Gasoline has chemical formula of C8H18. The combustion of this in an automobile engine leads to ... water!
2 C8H18 + 25 O2 = 16 CO2 + 18 H2O ..
via http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_Chemi...a_for_gasoline

Now what are the E0 fans going to say?

By the way, since your post states "E10 costs too much to manufacture"--tells us what exactly this cost is? Better yet, provide references.

 

I have a hard time believing you posted that link. One of the first things it says is "Gasoline is a mixture, not a compound, so it has no definite chemical formula." So you did not provide the chemical formula for Gas, you provided the formula for "Octane and its isomers", which are "among the ingredients". And then you proceeded to try and turn the partial formula into a chemical equation. What do the other components of "gas" do to that equation?

If E10 did not cost more to manufacture, there would be no subsidies.

 

You and the orginal poster still have not stated the cost or reference to make E10? Where is it? Subsidies? Big oil received 3 billion in subsidies last year via http://www.americanprogress.org/issu...subsidies.html
That is a heck of a lot more than ethanol subidies and it doesn't include the military cost in the MidEast. This makes gasoline what-$10 gallon without the tax subsidies?

The oil companies do not reveal the additives mixed into their gasoline formula. Good luck in trying to obtain this. However, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see water vapor plumes from the exhaust pipe of vehicles that run on E0 and E10 and other.