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E85 & FS Intercooler

N

Nchristopherson

New member
This may be a redundant question, but is there benefit in running an intercooler with an e85 system? In my other post, someone recommended a switch to e85 but not intercooled, and after researching, it looks like a good choice. However, I wanted to intercool the car for extra horsepower gains and I was wondering if you still get the huge benefit from an intercooler even with the e85 system. Thanks.
 


Running a intercooler period, helps a ton with keeping the heat down inside the cylinders.

Running it with e85 just makes it better, but its not a must to use e85.
 
By the way, what all is required to make the full switch to e85? So far, I have:

2 Fuel Filters
High flow fuel pump
Wideband
HP Tuners / Tuning software
65# or 80# Injectors
Fuel Pressure Gauge (Not necessary, but wanted)

Is there anything I might be missing?
 
You guys are killing me. I was the one that suggested that it is not need based on my experience.

With SIX, GenV, TOG's, stock head (what's in my sig) I am able to run a 2.8 pulley (smallest you can go without machining) AND 22* of timing...all while having a safe AFR and 0 KR.

The $800 is going to be better spent on other areas of the car.....Like the transmission for when you end up needing one.
 


I have been running E85 since spring of 2009.

Look at it this way...yes you can slap and IC on there and be able to drop to a 2.6 pulley and then advance the timing to 24*-25*. The bigger question is....Is it worth it?? Dropping below 2.8 on the Eaton M90 (or HeatonM90) puts the supercharger even further out of it's efficency range. Next up is bumping the timing up even more....once you start straying past 22* of timing there is a greater risk of popping a head gasket. So yes you added more of a safety net by adding and IC but at the cost of pushing your supercharger out of it's efficency range and pushing your head gaskets even further.
 
Sorry GMR! It just seemed like the other thread lost traction so I decided to make a quick thread focused only on e85 and intercooling.

Now, if you were to install the intercooler and drop to a 2.8, wouldn't you run reduced timing, making your engine safer? Just curious, I'm eager to learn more!
 
Nchristopherson said:
Now, if you were to install the intercooler and drop to a 2.8, wouldn't you run reduced timing, making your engine safer? Just curious, I'm eager to learn more!
Click to expand...

With or without E85?

With E85 I have no desire to drop pulley size or add more timing. I'm already running a 2.8 pulley on it and it's my DD right now. It's a solid 330whp car with a built trans.
 
GMR Badass said:
With or without E85?

With E85 I have no desire to drop pulley size or add more timing. I'm already running a 2.8 pulley on it and it's my DD right now. It's a solid 330whp car with a built trans.
Click to expand...

With E85. I plan on doing E85 for sure.

Also, I don't plan on putting heads on my car until next year, so I was looking for alternatives to power modifications. I know heads are a flow mod. Basically my agenda list goes as this:

HAI, SD Headers, Ported Supercharger, Pulley Drop, E85 Conversion, Intercooler*, Bigger Injectors, VS Cam w/ single timing chain, HP Tuners Tune, etc. supporting mods
 


Nchristopherson said:
With E85. I plan on doing E85 for sure.

Also, I don't plan on putting heads on my car until next year, so I was looking for alternatives to power modifications. I know heads are a flow mod. Basically my agenda list goes as this:

HAI, SD Headers, Ported Supercharger, Pulley Drop, E85 Conversion, Intercooler*, Bigger Injectors, VS Cam w/ single timing chain, HP Tuners Tune, etc. supporting mods
Click to expand...

With E85 and IC I would not drop pulley or add any more timing. I also won't put on a bigger pulley or reduce timing either. The car is street tuned and also dyno tuned and setup exactly how I want it.

I know I'll get flamed for this but I personally will not spend the money on ported heads. With SIX cam and E85.....making 330whp is more than enough to kill a stock trans. I will always put the money towards a built transmission before I'll sink it into a set of $1000+ heads. Of your list here is what I'd do.....
HAI, SD Headers, Pulley Drop, E85 Conversion, Bigger Injectors, XP or SIX Cam w/ single timing chain, HP Tuners Tune, etc. supporting mods, Built trans fund (so you can enjoy the power you'd be making)
 
I was going to do the XP cam but the powerband is moved up higher, which makes sense why it makes about 5-10 more horsepower (as ZZP says) than the VS cam. Also, I read that since the VS cam's powerband is in the lower RPM range, it can hold it's weight against an XP setup from a dig up until around 95-100 mph, which is far more than I'll need. That was from a person who ran the XP, S1X, and the VS. I don't know if it's true, but it seems logical. Another thing, I'm afraid of the strain the higher rev limit of the XP cam may put on my engine. Should I not be? Thanks GMR.
 
Greg I think the point here is not really arguing if the IC is worth the money to mod but its added insurance to also be able to run the car WITHOUT e85 and still have the ability to do so. (minus the tune obviously) Besides as many stated in the other threads too Ic's can be found pretty cheap. (EDIT*) If you are worried about the extra strain change to different valve springs and TI retainers that are better suited for more rpm.
 
98GrandPrixIraqVet said:
Greg I think the point here is not really arguing if the IC is worth the money to mod but its added insurance to also be able to run the car WITHOUT e85 and still have the ability to do so. (minus the tune obviously) Besides as many stated in the other threads too Ic's can be found pretty cheap. (EDIT*) If you are worried about the extra strain change to different valve springs and TI retainers that are better suited for more rpm.
Click to expand...

This is a good point, considering I will be using this car as a DD even during the winter, which means I will tune it to use a lower octane fuel so that it's easier to start in the cold. So if I installed the intercooler and didn't do anything to my pulley size, there would be no HP gains, but the blower would still run at its efficiency and still make the same amount of power?
 
Always run the biggest cam that you imagine yourself running. Because of it being a labor intensive job it's one that you only want to do once. Also you mentioned cam bearings earlier and just as and FYI they are 99.9% fine and are only addressed when doing a full engine rebuild at a machine shop.
 


Basically I wouldnt trust running my full out setup without both. I have e85 and a s2 IC and I have run it non-IC on e85 and non-e85 w/IC. With both on the car I run my 2.7 pulley and 22* timing. With only one or the other on the car I run my 3.1 pulley and 22* timing or my 2.8 pulley and stock timing. Obviously it makes more power with full timing and the smallest pulley but I don't trust it to try and run that setup without both e85 & IC and I never have so I don't know if it will do it with no KR. I drive my car 8k miles through the summer though so I try not to take any chances.

The problem you run into at this point is that the supercharger is pretty much tapped and if you bump the timing any higher it will blow HG's even with 0 kr. So there is no where else to make anymore power short of ported heads, a bigger cam or more compression. More octane/alcohol (ie: E98) or a bigger IC would net you nothing because there is no way to utilize it.
 
I think we all see where Anthony is coming from and I will easily admit that have the IC is like having an added insurance policy. It's nice to have but not always needed.

I've been running 2.8 pulley with 22* of timing since early 2009. Car has been running like that since it went on E85 and hasn't skipped a beat in the last 5 years (only down time was to install a built transmission).

Very good take away point is that fact that with staying supercharged you are going to run into a wall pretty quick and the supercharger is going to be tapped out. I always wanted to to a XPZ or IS3 cam, Stage 3&4 heads, Full size IC, E85 and yadda yadda ya....but after pricing it all out it was cheaper and easier to make safe power by bolting on a turbo kit and calling it a day. Just my $0.02
 
bolt on a turbo and keep your current setup too... Twincharge ftw :P lol

e85+ turbo+supercharger+ intercooler(s)= fun
 
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