Chrysler 200: Flexible Fuel (3.6L Engine Only) — If Equipped

Chrysler 200: Flexible Fuel (3.6L Engine Only) — If Equipped

• E-85 General Information
• Ethanol Fuel (E-85)
• Fuel Requirements
• Selection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel Vehicles (E-85) And Gasoline Vehicles
• Starting
• Cruising Range
• Replacement Parts
• Maintenance

E-85 General Information

The information in this section is for Flexible Fuel vehicles only. These vehicles can be identified by a unique fuel filler door label that states Ethanol (E-85) or Unleaded Gasoline Only. This section only covers those subjects that are unique to these vehicles. Please refer to the other sections of this manual for information on features that are common between Flexible Fuel and gasoline-only powered vehicles.

E-85 Fuel Cap

CAUTION!
Only vehicles with the E-85 fuel filler door label can operate on E-85.

Ethanol Fuel (E-85)

E-85 is a mixture of approximately 85% fuel ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline.

WARNING!
Ethanol vapors are extremely flammable and could cause serious personal injury. Never have any smoking materials lit in or near the vehicle when removing the fuel filler tube cap (gas cap) or filling the tank. Do not use E-85 as a cleaning agent and never use it near an open flame.

Fuel Requirements

Your vehicle will operate on both unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87, or E-85 fuel, or any mixture of these two. For best results, a refueling pattern that alternates between E-85 and unleaded gasoline should be avoided.

When you do switch fuel types it is recommended that:
• you do not switch when the fuel gauge indicates less than 1/4 full
• you do not add less than 5 gallons (19 Liters) when refueling
• you operate the vehicle immediately after refueling for a period of at least 5 minutes

Observing these precautions will avoid possible hard starting and/or significant deterioration in driveability during warm up.

NOTE:
• When the ambient temperature is above 90° F (32° C), you may experience hard starting and rough idle following start up even if the above recommendations are followed.

• Some additives used in regular gasoline are not fully compatible with E-85 and may form deposits in your engine. To eliminate driveability issues that may be caused by these deposits, a supplemental gasoline additive, such as MOPAR Injector Cleanup or Techron may be used.

Selection Of Engine Oil For Flexible Fuel Vehicles (E-85) And Gasoline Vehicles

FFV vehicles operated on E-85 require specially formulated engine oils. These special requirements are included in MOPAR engine oils, and in equivalent oils meeting Chrysler Specification MS-6395. The manufacturer requires engine oils that are API Certified and meet the requirements of Material Standard MS-6395. MS-6395 contains additional requirements, developed during extensive fleet testing, to provide additional protection to Chrysler Group LLC engines. Use MOPAR or an equivalent oil meeting the specification MS-6395.

Starting

The characteristics of E-85 fuel make it unsuitable for use when ambient temperatures fall below 0°F (-18°C). In the range of 0°F (-18°C) to 32°F (0°C), you may experience an increase in the time it takes for your engine to start, and a deterioration in driveability (sags and/or hesitations) until the engine is fully warmed up.

NOTE:
Use of the engine block heater (if equipped) is beneficial for E-85 startability when the ambient temperature is less than 32°F (0°C).

Cruising Range

Because E-85 fuel contains less energy per gallon/liter than gasoline, you will experience an increase in fuel consumption. You can expect your miles per gallon (mpg)/miles per liter and your driving range to decrease by about 30%, compared to gasoline operation.

Replacement Parts

Many components in your Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) are designed to be compatible with ethanol. Always be sure that your vehicle is serviced with correct ethanol compatible parts.

CAUTION!
Replacing fuel system components with non-ethanol compatible components can damage your vehicle.

Maintenance

CAUTION!
Do not use ethanol mixture greater than 85% in your vehicle. It will cause difficulty in cold starting and may affect driveability.

Fuel RequirementsAdding Fuel