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[info][opinion] e85

ADrugDealer

Schooner Tuner
I have been running E85 for about 2-3 weeks now and might I say the stuff is amazing. The gas milage drop was minimal, maybe 2MPGS max?

Let me give you the current mod list:

HAI
SSAC Headers
HP Tuned
3.2 Pulley (Yes. A 3.2, this is not a typo.)
E85

E85 is about 105 octane and acts like a race gas, allowing you to run very small pulleys with NO KR. Currently I am running a 3.2 w/ 20* of timing at the top end.

The story behind the switch.
One day I decided I wanted to switch to E85 just to see what the difference was if any. After reading all over the net about the stuff, I came to the conclusion that yes I want this, so I went out and bought 60# injectors, headers, HP Tuners and started teaching my self to tune. With the help of a friend of mine we had the car running E85 with in two days (We went slow ok? lol). This was still on the stock pulley, and I could already feel a difference in power. Some people were saying you can gain 50 whp just from the switch; however, I would go that far, I would say maybe 15, but who cares about that if you can run a smaller pulley just by using a different gas. Now on regular 91 octane I would still KR 2* at the top, once I started using E85, there was no KR.
Once we got the MAF tuned, and the Injectors tuned and the car running in check again we started to add timing, first 2 degrees, still no kr, then another 2, still no kr then we hit 20-21* of Timing and still no KR, we quit there as I read somewhere not to go above 21* of timing.
A week later I ordered a 3.2 pulley and a 160* T-Stat put that on, re tuned it all, still at 20* of timing w/ no KR even on 96* weather. Amazing.
As of current I am taking a break from modding and just playing with what I have now. The car is stupid fast for a "grocery getter" -- as the local ricers so kindly call it -- and I am very happy with the outcome.

Price
When everything was said and done I put about 1k into the car to get it to this point. e85 is at 3.09-3.19 depending on where you fill because of the stupid drought. Last year it was around 2.60 for a gallon of e85. Right now I am spending about 10 bucks more on fuel every month or so which I dont mind for the power and when e85 drops again in price , and I stay off the gas, Ill start to save a bit of cash.

If you are thinking about doing E85 and have access to it. Do it. The stuff rocks. Runs great. Smells great. Is Greener, and you get more power. Oh, and OPEC doesn't get your money anymore. (AMURICA! :P)

Any questions feel free to ask, Ill answer it to the best of my ability. Thanks!
 


Congrats on the switch and learning to tune. I've been running e85 for about 2 years now on my daily driven Regal. I would say the MPG hit was a lot bigger in my case. I was getting 24-26mpg on gas, and now I usually get 17-18 on e85 even with a leaner open loop tune. I still won't switch back though. Too much fun knowing that I can always run full boost with safety.
 
Congrats on the switch and learning to tune. I've been running e85 for about 2 years now on my daily driven Regal. I would say the MPG hit was a lot bigger in my case. I was getting 24-26mpg on gas, and now I usually get 17-18 on e85 even with a leaner open loop tune. I still won't switch back though. Too much fun knowing that I can always run full boost with safety.
At WOT I use a ton more fuel thats for sure, but I have it tuned for milage under cruise conditions therefore saving MPGs.
 


For the long term users, how do our fuel pumps hold up with the ethanol?

Read about other situations where a pump (or trio of pumps) might only last six months on E85 in a weekend warrior.
 
I agree with the OP, except my MPG loss was greater. OP, are you looking at the DIC or are you actually calculating it? cuz my MPG on the DIC only dropped like 4 mpg highway but dropped like 10 when i calculate it.

Im on the 3.4 with 21* of timing on a top swap and no knock, im going to be going down to a 3.25 next.
 
I agree with the OP, except my MPG loss was greater. OP, are you looking at the DIC or are you actually calculating it? cuz my MPG on the DIC only dropped like 4 mpg highway but dropped like 10 when i calculate it.

Im on the 3.4 with 21* of timing on a top swap and no knock, im going to be going down to a 3.25 next.
Calculating at the pump. Filled full, went all the way down. Did the math. Came out to like 18mpg (mostly city).
 
well i guess i was looking at the DIC for my readings initially, but yea 19mpg highway sucks azz. getting like 15-16 city. My MAF might need tuned better but i do have the cruise timing up as far as i care to tune it, as well as some tranny settings to make it shift earlier under low throttle. still crappy.
 


well i guess i was looking at the DIC for my readings initially, but yea 19mpg highway sucks azz. getting like 15-16 city. My MAF might need tuned better but i do have the cruise timing up as far as i care to tune it, as well as some tranny settings to make it shift earlier under low throttle. still crappy.
Try a MAF tune... Do you carry any fuel with you? I always have a 10Gal Tank with e85 in the trunk and a gas tuned PCM just in case
 
No i dont, if i go on a long trip i bring my laptop with my with HPTuners though just in case. Ive done a few maf tunes but my trims still get off.
 
E85 is about 105 octane

Sorry but every time I see this statement I have to correct it... nothing personal... just nit picky like that ;)

E85 is actually only ~96 octane using the Canada/US scale... the fact that it burns so much cooler is why it seems higher...

And I dont know if you did this and didn mention it but its a good idea to replace your fuel filter a couple times (i did 3 to be safe) in the first 1k miles as the ethanol will clean out a bunch of crap in your fuel tank/system...

I am seeing similar mpg changes that you are having as im mainly city aswell...
For the long term users, how do our fuel pumps hold up with the ethanol?

Read about other situations where a pump (or trio of pumps) might only last six months on E85 in a weekend warrior.

Matt, been DDing my car for over a year on e85 no problem... in fact I just installed the rewire about a week ago... and Im running a 2.8 on a genV...

our stock pumps are boss....
 
Sorry but every time I see this statement I have to correct it... nothing personal... just nit picky like that ;)

E85 is actually only ~96 octane using the Canada/US scale... the fact that it burns so much cooler is why it seems higher...

And I dont know if you did this and didn mention it but its a good idea to replace your fuel filter a couple times (i did 3 to be safe) in the first 1k miles as the ethanol will clean out a bunch of crap in your fuel tank/system...

I am seeing similar mpg changes that you are having as im mainly city aswell...


Matt, been DDing my car for over a year on e85 no problem... in fact I just installed the rewire about a week ago... and Im running a 2.8 on a genV...

our stock pumps are boss....
Lol, I always heard 105 sorrry! :P I really dont care if its 8 octane it works :P Yeah im on a 3.2 with the stock pump. I can feel it cut out when I had my shift points at 5700 but now I took that down.
 


Sorry but every time I see this statement I have to correct it... nothing personal... just nit picky like that ;)

E85 is actually only ~96 octane using the Canada/US scale... the fact that it burns so much cooler is why it seems higher...

And I dont know if you did this and didn mention it but its a good idea to replace your fuel filter a couple times (i did 3 to be safe) in the first 1k miles as the ethanol will clean out a bunch of crap in your fuel tank/system...

I am seeing similar mpg changes that you are having as im mainly city aswell...


Matt, been DDing my car for over a year on e85 no problem... in fact I just installed the rewire about a week ago... and Im running a 2.8 on a genV...

our stock pumps are boss....


Site your sources before "correcting" someone. Pure ethanol is 113 octane, I see this "96" going around with no actual data/proof. Are you talking about the RODN number? Gas stations are required to post a minimum octane rating, year around this changes so that's why it says "105 minimum." There are hundreds of articles and tests out there that suggest ranges from 90 to 110 and depending on what area or what exact blend you are using it could be anywhere between those.
 
Site your sources before "correcting" someone. Pure ethanol is 113 octane, I see this "96" going around with no actual data/proof. Are you talking about the RODN number? Gas stations are required to post a minimum octane rating, year around this changes so that's why it says "105 minimum." There are hundreds of articles and tests out there that suggest ranges from 90 to 110 and depending on what area or what exact blend you are using it could be anywhere between those.

where is your source saying pure ethanol is 113?

The AKI scale is what Canada/US uses... which is (RON/MON) x 2= AKI

the scale that says e85 is ~105 is just the RON scale which is not what the states uses...

Octane rating - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (not the only source just the quickest on to get to)

"There is no requirement to post octane on an E85 dispenser. If a retailer chooses to post octane, they should be aware that the often cited 105 octane is incorrect. This number was derived by using ethanol’s blending octane value in gasoline. This is not the proper way to calculate the octane of E85. Ethanol’s true octane value should be used to calculate E85’s octane value. This results in an octane range of 94-96 (R+M)/2. These calculations have been confirmed by actual-octane engine tests."
 
"Examples of this mis-citation can be found at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association titled "E85 Facts"[19] which cites a range of 100-105, and a document at the Texas State Energy Conservation Office titled "Ethanol"[20], which cites a 113 rating."
 
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