Will a 96 Chevy Silverado C1500 run an E85? What about Super-Unleaded?
- Thread starter Kenji
- Start date
mrharris32
New Member
Would it run on E85....sure, for very long or with good results...no. You would get horrible mileage, a rough idle, hesitation, etc. Your rig was not designed to handle E85 and should never come into contact with it.
In regards to super...of course it will run on super. It will run better, burn a bit hotter/cleaner (not emission wise), extend the life of your spark plugs and a few other mild advantages. Is it worth the extra cost? That's up to you, your vehicle was designed to run on 87 octane, meaning the engine compression and ignition procedure will operate within range using 87 grade fuel. It will operate higher in that range using super, a 91 grade or so. Also, keep in mind that "super" at most locations now contains ethanol (10%) which is fine.
You can accomplish this upgrade in octane level by filling up with it at the pump of course or by purchasing octane booster from an auto parts store. Fill up with 87 and add a bottle every time, this will boost the octane by 3-4 points. It's also cheaper in the long run, buy a case and keep it in the back of the truck...or don't and just continue to run 87.
Also, don't be fooled by the lower cost of E85. E85 produces a much lower MPG rating. For example, my 07 Suburban gets an avg of 17mpg (city and highway) running 87 octane. It gets around 14 or so running E85. The up front cost benefit ends up being a wash in most cases. It is however better for the enviornment, I usually run E85 whenever I'm going to be running on the highway for an extended period of time.
Hope this helps!
In regards to super...of course it will run on super. It will run better, burn a bit hotter/cleaner (not emission wise), extend the life of your spark plugs and a few other mild advantages. Is it worth the extra cost? That's up to you, your vehicle was designed to run on 87 octane, meaning the engine compression and ignition procedure will operate within range using 87 grade fuel. It will operate higher in that range using super, a 91 grade or so. Also, keep in mind that "super" at most locations now contains ethanol (10%) which is fine.
You can accomplish this upgrade in octane level by filling up with it at the pump of course or by purchasing octane booster from an auto parts store. Fill up with 87 and add a bottle every time, this will boost the octane by 3-4 points. It's also cheaper in the long run, buy a case and keep it in the back of the truck...or don't and just continue to run 87.
Also, don't be fooled by the lower cost of E85. E85 produces a much lower MPG rating. For example, my 07 Suburban gets an avg of 17mpg (city and highway) running 87 octane. It gets around 14 or so running E85. The up front cost benefit ends up being a wash in most cases. It is however better for the enviornment, I usually run E85 whenever I'm going to be running on the highway for an extended period of time.
Hope this helps!