E85 vs. alky

[trixdout]

Do both, as others have mentioned. Not always will you have e-85 available where you plan on going. Have a separate chips for the alky 93 combo and e85. That way you can do whichever you want. Never know what is going to happen with e-85 but alky will always be around. If you have the supporting mods for e-85 good, less money you have to spend to run it. Be able to run both. I plan on doing that. There aren't much e-85 pumps around me. My plan for myself was to get my entire fuel system e-85 capable, but run 93 alky in the meantime. If there would be any e-85 pumps where meets would be or drag races (or around), I'd pop in the e-85 chip, turn off the alky and enjoy some good ole boost without the alky.

 

[Howling Mad]

Right now I'm putting an alky kit on my car even though I plan on switching to e85 lateri figure I'll just get 2chips incase I'm somewhere that doesn't have e85

 

[87chrisss]

On my street car i run E85 on 57# injectors, yes the 55s ...too small right? Thats what everyone will say.. btw with Stock lines, and it see's anywhere from 22-25 psi, wish it could go more but that's all the wg actuator is giving me right know.

What's your goal / combo?

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

I am probably the newest guy to convert to E85
And i LOVE IT.
The car went from rolling 20 ft then breaking loose to breaking loose instantly.

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

figure I'll just get 2chips incase I'm somewhere that doesn't have e85

thats what i did.
Then i went for a ride and took a 5 gal. jug filled with E85.

 

[monteperformanc]

So do I just run e85 or do I use the alky and run 93? If your low on fuel and not near e85 can you just turn down the boost and run unleaded 93 and then refill with e85 next time? How much tuning adjustment is necessary if having to switch back? These are the debates I'm having with e85 vs alky.

If you are desperate for fuel and can't find an E85 station just use 93 and don't go WOT, just go easy and fill up with E85 next time. In a pinch it should be fine but I wouldn't make a habit out of this.

 

[TT/Ameasap]

I already have a brand new alky kit, but I also have everything needed to run e85. I needed new fuel lines because the car sat, so buying the racetronix lines that were e85 capable was a no brainer. The new stainless fuel lines I was looking at wasn't much less $. Even though when I got the car it had a hot-wired walbro it was old enough that replacing it for peace of mind was needed. Since I was already buying the lines that needed a hanger with AN fittings I just went with the 416lph e85 capable pump. Already had 60's but got a deal on the 80's. So that's where I'm at. It's not that I've had the alky and now want to go e85. It's that I have the supporting mods for e85. All in all I've spent about $900 to be able to run e85 vs $600 for the alky + the money for the lines and pump that were gonna need replaced anyway. So to me its a wash. I may have actually spent less for the e85 fuel system than alky plus new stock lines and supporting pump.

So do I just run e85 or do I use the alky and run 93? If your low on fuel and not near e85 can you just turn down the boost and run unleaded 93 and then refill with e85 next time? How much tuning adjustment is necessary if having to switch back? These are the debates I'm having with e85 vs alky.

If you are already there, then go with E85.
You will foul your plugs running 93 and E85 chip. I bought a gas and E85 chip for trips. Didn't want to make changes to one chip.

 

[turbo89]

If you are desperate for fuel and can't find an E85 station just use 93 and don't go WOT, just go easy and fill up with E85 next time. In a pinch it should be fine but I wouldn't make a habit out of this.

Drive it too far like that and you will wash the rings out .. thats a no no

If you are totally SOL on getting E85 and HAVE to run 93 to get you home.. what you can do is lower the fuel pressure to simulate smaller injectors..

The best scenario is to have a spare chip setup for fuel so you can just switch chips when you cant get E85 ... I was worried in the past about finding E85
but after running it for 10 years ... you learn where you can and cant find it and there are alot of websites that tell you what stations have it...
its like anything else you have to put some effort in to make it work.. but after trying all the other solutions to the constant battle of fuel quality in a turbo car...
E85 is the best all around option I have seen yet.. until another miracle fuel comes out .. I just cant see it being any better.. the tunes you can get away with are unreal for a street car.

 

[groumoutis]

I read an article the other day that said instead of making E85 out of corn they have found that it is easier and more cost effective to make it out of switchgrass. According to the studies they should be able to make E85 out of switchgrass for less than $1 a gallon in the next 10-15 years. Let's hope that is the case.


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[monteperformanc]

Drive it too far like that and you will wash the rings out .. thats a no no

If you are totally SOL on getting E85 and HAVE to run 93 to get you home.. what you can do is lower the fuel pressure to simulate smaller injectors..

The best scenario is to have a spare chip setup for fuel so you can just switch chips when you cant get E85 ... I was worried in the past about finding E85
but after running it for 10 years ... you learn where you can and cant find it and there are alot of websites that tell you what stations have it...
its like anything else you have to put some effort in to make it work.. but after trying all the other solutions to the constant battle of fuel quality in a turbo car...
E85 is the best all around option I have seen yet.. until another miracle fuel comes out .. I just cant see it being any better.. the tunes you can get away with are unreal for a street car.

The chip will pull out fuel through the BLM and INT correction when in closed loop so you will not be running very rich. This has been debated check this thread http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/th...octane-chip-to-run-93-in-an-emergency.378254/

Obviously it's still best to have a 93 chip on hand but not totally necessary.

 

[TT/Ameasap]

Pull the plugs afterwards and see what you end up with. Mine fouled within a few miles of straight 93. In an emergency situation I would just swap chips.

 

[GNVYUS 1]

Well if stations are an issue you can always drive around with a 5 gallon container in your trunk. Not the most ideal but it's going to get you home. I use both but ditched the FMIC, it worked for my needs and I have a few E85 stations local here. But when stations weren't around I used Alky and even considered a lead substitute like Octane Supreme to get into the 101 octane range (did this in my GTO before switching to E85). 101 octane with Alky is race track ready and the bottles are small to carry around in the trunk. Downside is price and it will kill even a Denso 02 sensor within 10k miles.

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

Time to mess things up.
E85 VS Alky
In the cold weather -- The Alky car starts right up and The E85 car ends up with a drained battery because or extended cranking.

 

[turbo89]

Time to mess things up.
E85 VS Alky
In the cold weather -- The Alky car starts right up and The E85 car ends up with a drained battery because or extended cranking.

I know on E70 my sled starts at 30 degrees .. so not sure what your seeing or if your tune is jazzed ....

If it gets real real cold it gets plugged in.. no issues

Sounds like the cranking table is off on your tune

 

[monteperformanc]

Time to mess things up.
E85 VS Alky
In the cold weather -- The Alky car starts right up and The E85 car ends up with a drained battery because or extended cranking.

I have not had this issue. Cranking time is about the same with E85 or 93 in whether it's warm or cold out.

 

[Pittsburghkid]

These are all very helpful points. Leads me towards putting the e85 capable fuel system to good use. I mean why spend the money and not utilize it. Which is why I started this thread in the first place since I had the alky kit also and didn't want to just let it sit in the box or come to install it and not need it. My other concern was that it seems like e85 was the hot thing 10 years ago and now you don't hear anything about it. I was worried e85 was a fad and the stations were going to stop offering it since electricity seems to be he new thing. Didn't want to switch only to not be able to get it anymore.

 

[monteperformanc]

I look at it this way. It did not cost much to convert. Just bigger injectors and a chip. I'm able to run 23# boost and a lot more timing than pump gas. If E85 went away, or if there were no longer stations close by, then I would probably get an alky setup. A lot of people seem to be fearful of it and there is a lot of hype but it's not that complicated. Do whatever you are comfortable with!

 

[turbo89]

These are all very helpful points. Leads me towards putting the e85 capable fuel system to good use. I mean why spend the money and not utilize it. Which is why I started this thread in the first place since I had the alky kit also and didn't want to just let it sit in the box or come to install it and not need it. My other concern was that it seems like e85 was the hot thing 10 years ago and now you don't hear anything about it. I was worried e85 was a fad and the stations were going to stop offering it since electricity seems to be he new thing. Didn't want to switch only to not be able to get it anymore.

Or you can look at it like this ... the sooner you start using it and see what its capable of ... the more time you will have to enjoy the car at a totally different level...
with all the flex fuel cars still being made.. it will be difficult to just cut it off over nite.

 

[dvernst]

I have not had this issue. Cranking time is about the same with E85 or 93 in whether it's warm or cold out.

I've noticed with my car on e85 the first time I start it when cold it seems to crank a little longer, but once it warms up it starts instantly.

 

[Eric Stage I]

The 60's and 80's atomize better, so they start up a little easier on cold E85. The 120's don't atomize as well and sometimes have longer cranking cold.