How hard would it be to convert a gas rv engine to an ethonal engine?

Answer 1

Other than the obvious why you would want to I will answer the question as it is written. You would need a new fuel system, the ethanol will corrode anything that is not plastic or stainless steel. If your RV is fuel injected it would need a new computer calibration. And you would need hardened valve seats in your cylinder heads. I believe the only 2 gas engines available for newer RV's are the ford 6.8L V-10 and the Chevy 8100 vortec engine, neither of which come from the factory with a flex fuel option so your calibration and fuel system parts would have to be custom. The valve seats may be available from the aftermarket as both of these engines share parts with their smaller counterparts.

Answer 2

Why would you want to convert it? Ethanol is not the save all cure all it has been made out to be. Alcohol does not have as much energy potential, gallon for gallon, as does gasoline. Running E85 which is 85% alcohol, your engine will run about 15% less efficiently than it will with gasoline. Climbing hills will be a lot slower and gas mileage will be about 15% worse than with gasoline. In order to produce enough alcohol to make a significent difference in the nations gas usage, half the crop land in the U.S. would have to be converted to producing nothing but corn for the distilleries. It may be a big sound bite for some politicians but, when you really look at the figures, it doesn't make a lot of sense. The price of corn has already risen so much, from the cry for ethanol, that the poor of South America are beginning to be hurt as it is their primary food source.

Answer 3

First you are leaving out some extremely pertinent information. An engine with a carburator is a completely different situation than a fuel injection equipped motor.


But almost any motor can burn E-10 fuel which is 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline.

Answer 4

Not worth the effort.