Anyone use E85 in their Dodge Caravan? I have a dirty throttle body and plugs. Is the dealer full of it?

Question

During a recent trip to the midwest, I used E85 for the first time in my 03 Caravan. It ran great, but after I went back to gas the check engine light came on. My dealer told me it was running rich and you couldn't switch between the 2 fuels. That's goes against everything I have read about E85. These cars were designed to run on either. I'm trying to figure out if anyone else has run both. I paid $1.85/gallon for E85 when gas was $2.25. That was great until I had to pay the dealer $85 to tell me not to switch between the two.

He also told me my throttle body was dirty and I needed to change the plugs when I have 60,000 miles on them. I know that E85 is more corrosive and I don't think they have seen it before since we don't have E85 on the east coast.

Please let me know if anyone has experience with this and what you think.

Answer 1

You've learned a valuable lesson. E85 blows! I've heard from others that it just causes problems in your car.

Answer 2

As far as the E85 goes, that's pretty well covered already. The dealer is sort of full of it, but kinda right, too. They're probably just making too big of a deal out of it to try to scare you into getting a "fuel injecton service".

"Dirty throttle body" is often a way of trying to upsell a fuel injection service kit for a hundred or a couple hundred bucks.

Fuel injection services are just a profit making item for the shops that sell them. From what most of them would tell you, my car shouldn't even be running now since I've never had the service done. But, what most WON'T tell you is that the additives in the service are the same thing as what's already in the fuel you got from the gas station, just more of it (which can clog up the catalytic convertor).

If your throttle body really is dirty, you can buy a spray can of throttle body cleaner at a parts store for about $5 and spray it in the throttle body yourself after removing the air intake box (be sure to read directions on the can for use). It is possible that over time some gunk has built up inside it.

Anyway, I agree with the others that your plugs should be replaced with 60k on the vehicle.

Answer 3

"North American vehicles from approximately 1980 onward can run on 10% ethanol/90% gasoline (i.e., E10) with no modifications. Prior to 1980, many cars imported into the United States contained rubber, aluminium, and other materials that were generally non-compatible with any ethanol in their fuel delivery systems, and these cars experienced problems when E10 was first introduced. Going beyond 10% ethanol generally requires special engineering." That is the quote from Wikipedia.
When ethanol fuel came out in 1980, it caused a lot of problems with fuel systems. fuel tanks and lines were metal and ahd a lot of rust. The ethanol broke the rust loose an plugged fuel filters. It ate up rubber and aluminum parts in the fuel system. This wa all on cars designed before 1980.
All cars for several years now have not had steel or rubber in the fuel systems and ethanol up to 85% will not harm them. The E85 engines are specially prepared to accomodate the higher corrosive properties of E85. Moreover they are designed to run on straight gasoline, E85, or any combination of the two. The dealer is misinformed. The check engine light may have been the result of the engine not adjusting properly when switching fuels.
Chrysler says:"Although FFVs can operate on E85 or straight gasoline, to avoid driveability harshness as the system recognizes the new fuel, it is recommended that you:
Switch between fuels only when the fuel gauge is above 1/4 full
Always add more than five gallons of the new fuel type at each fill-up
Operate the vehicle for five minutes immediately after refuelling "

Answer 4

I personally have never run e85 in my van. In the owners manual on my 2002 town and country ,it says when running e85 it is best to run a mixture of about 1/4 tank gasoline and then fill up the rest of the way with e85.supposed to help dilute the e85 i guess.Then run vehicle immediately for a period of five minutes.It also says switching back and forth should be avoided.As for the plugs it is a good idea to change them after 60,000 just for routine maintenance.As for the dirty throttle body try adding a injector cleaner such as STP or Gold Eagle in to the fuel tank.These can usually be found at any parts store or I think Wal-Mart carries it too.Hope this helps

Answer 5

Unless your vehicle is a flex-fuel vehicle, you cannot run pure E85. If you run a quarter tank of E85 and three quarters of a tank of either E10 or straight gasoline, well then you no longer have E85 in the tank, now do you. I suggest you trot your little butt down to the dealer and ask them if they sold you a flex-fuel vehicle. I bet you a hundred bucks they didn't. Stop guessing unless you enjoy long walks.

Answer 6

if i was you stay way from the E85 and if you have 60,000 miles on it you need to replace the spark plugs and but you a can out Carb Cleen and start the car and spray the throttle body out
that will make you get beter MPG to

Answer 7

well if you have 60K miles on your plugs. then it is time to change them and if you never cleaned your throttle body in those 60K miles. then its going to be real dirty. I clean the TB on ly 03 dakota about every 6K miles and beings I have to run copper plugs every 30K miles.

if in your owners manual it doesnt say you can run E-85 then you cant run it. it will rust out your fuel rails and just screw up your whole fuel system. only flex fuel vehicles I have heard of are from chevy.

so better look in to your owners manual and check that and change your plugs and clean your TB. its not hard to clean a tb. take it off and get a can of TB cleaner and a rag and Q- tops and a small brush I would say .22 rifle bore brush and have fun. you might get better MPG and the engine might run smoother and not so rich.