E-85 MEGA THREAD
 

I'm searching through various threads getting various tidbits of ethanol info. It occurs to me that more and more listers are going to be using and tuning with this stuff and it would be great as time gos on to have a mega thread filled with all the info needed.

So im created this thread. I myself will be adding information to it as I test out my own setup/results. I urge others who run e85 or have any information at all to contribute to do so. Lets make this a great thread. C16 is near $13 bucks a gallon and e85 is $1.85 a gallon. It seems to me the choice is clear.

So please if you have something to add, add it. If you have a question to ask please ask it. Lets make this a great thread filled with good info.

I have a question now that im up north. I hear E-85 causes cold start issues. How do you guys counteract those start issues? What are you expeirencing? I'm reading evoultion.net and those guys actually have a mod procedure for ethanol and counteracting these start issues.

http://forums.evolutionm.net/showthread.php?t=379579

cold start values using in their tunes I found interesting.
http://forums.evolutionm.net/showthread.php?t=347668

My first contribution. Find the E-85 station nearest you!
http://www.e85refueling.com/

E-85 slideshow presentation.
http://www.motorgeek.com/phpBB...999e8

E-85 is now $1.55/gallon as of today. :)

Yeah we pay about 20-25 cents more on average up here. Sucks that the nearest station that sells E-85 is 46 miles away from me:crying:

2.29 yesterday in Little Rock, about .40 cents more than regular unlead. It's at a bio, only fuel station downtown, so their prices are like any downtown city prices.

Where are you getting C16 for under $13 a gallon?

Everywhere local in WNY is $14+ last I checked the local distributer was selling drums around $780.

My car has been ready to run the stuff for almost a year now, stupid wiring fire/losing my chip has been holding me back.

Cold Weather hard starts:
I was advised to use a blend and/or a block heater when the weather would consistently be cold. Other than that I am not sure....

Look at the boost those Evo guys are running. Just goes to show what Sid has been saying. Looks like they're using stock internals too from what I can read? Interesting power levels though. Not that high for some of the boost they're running. When you look at most of our higher powered cars on this board, they usually get their figures running less than 24psi. Some of these Evo guys are running well into the 30's, but they're also getting into the 11 sec 1/4s too. 4wd must help in that case for sure.
I see the issue being that we have to run much larger inj (perhaps that's why some guys are experiencing cold start issues with their mapping?) and pump more fuel. Looks like you need to have some decent pump/s going on, and you'll go through your tank quicker so you need to have access to outlets around the place.
I tried some in my stock 2.5L (w VR s5 kit) the other day. As I have an SMT6 on the car we were able to fatten up the afrs up top. I did this just before the last trackday though and I wasn't game enough to try big boost. It was getting about 20psi.

So what would be considered the essential E85 modifications for our cars?

very few people bother with racefuel here anymore. everyone use E85.

your fuel is so cheap, so unless you are heavy on the boost, and nearing the edge of premium, don't bother.

my contribution:

tuning for me goes like this using the std fuel lambda scaling.


Idle..14.0-15:1
cruise..16:1 or higher if doable
on boost over 15 psi I shoot for ~ 11.5:1

able to run more timing on the cars that I can actually adjust timing maps (about 6 degrees in most cases)

I find it is very forgiving for being rich and even for being lean on spoolup.

Cold starts are just what they are, unless you want to use a heavy mix of petro and tune for it. My car is usually in the garage but times like right now it is outside the shop and I will just have to let it warm up to temp and no problems. Sometimes it is necessary to keep feathering the throttle apon first startup to get it to hold a good idle but only for 30 seconds or so.

I will typically get 340 to a tank if I am easy on the boost runs and if I really run it lean and keep my foot out of it the whole time I get 400+. So the mileage isn't as bad as most claims unless you constantly flog it.

Minimum modifications to me are an adjustable FPR for up to 15 psi over that you will need bigger injectors and some other tuning device. I'll leave that convo to others with more sophisticated setups. Fuel lines are a good idea to change out anyway even with petro.

There you go for anyone interested.

'Sid's E85 conversions--While U wait'
Form an orderly queue :)

so Sid what was the conclusion of the last thread in regard to higher compression less EGT and reduced turbo response. I'ts starting to look like E85 is alot like deasil as it has less energy left in the headers we have to choose turbos differntly.
Also it makes me realy wonder what one would get if one converted a standard 951 to E85 with boost increase at minimal cost
so injectors boost increase .
I think it is sliding up the list as the first and most cost effective mod rivaling chip and exhaust

Best software for E85 ?

Will any replacing of chips be required?

Recommended Injector? (Whats the norm and where does it max out)

not required but beneficial