Why SHOULDN'T I use E85??????

[Toby_Goodmk]

Tried searching, all I am doing is convoluting my thought processes.

I have pumps near me, so supply is not of concern.

So..I titled the thread this way, because I want to know why I should not run E85. I have people in this area that clam X, Y, Z reasons. But I want to know what real time users in our community face when using the product. I am all but a Flex Fuel sensor away from being able to run E85, so I want to know what is wrong with it, and what problems or "cons" perse can become with using it.

I dont mind nightmare stories. I dont mind knowing about tap water running out of the pump stories. I want to be damn straight if I run the stuff I know what I am doing and the repercussions that may become of it.

I'd like to know if you can mix e-85 with 93 and run a tune with Fast

I'd like to know if you have to have separate tunes with E85 with the fast system.

How about boost? Turn the rod down, leave it up, etc.

 

[TT/Ameasap]

I will say this.
Expect really bad fuel mileage..And I mean Really bad.
Plugs are hard to read
Plan on upgrading injectors
Plan on upgrading fuel pump (if you havnt already)
Those are the cons on my end.

 

[Toby_Goodmk]

I will say this.
Expect really bad fuel mileage..And I mean Really bad.
Plugs are hard to read
Plan on upgrading injectors
Plan on upgrading fuel pump (if you havnt already)
Those are the cons on my end.

bad fuel mileage ok. Upgraded all the above.

 

[Nick Micale]

I will say this.
Expect really bad fuel mileage..And I mean Really bad.
Plugs are hard to read
Plan on upgrading injectors
Plan on upgrading fuel pump (if you havnt already)
Those are the cons on my end.

My comments:

Bad fuel mileage is offset by no expensive alky kit and tuning, plus the filling the alky tank, no premium gas or $15 a gallon race gas. My street car uses 20% more e-85 than gas, but the off-set is the fun-factor to play!

Plugs last longer, and reading my plugs before the crash Saturday plug indicators were well defined.

You have one of our new SuperPumper's, that is more than capable of your needs.

 

[TT/Ameasap]

bad fuel mileage ok. Upgraded all the above.

your 80's wont cut it.

 

[Toby_Goodmk]

most people run 80s?

 

[Turbo6inKY]

most people run 80s?

You can run 60s on the stock turbo, heads, and cam all day long. But you appear to have none of those. After upgrading my turbocharger, heads, and cam, I was looking at needing 120s to keep running E85, as well as re-doing all the fuel plumbing from the tank. With my upgrades, I'm making the same power at 17psi on gasoline that I used to make at 26psi on E85 with the stock components. So I chose not to do the fuel system upgrades and am sticking with gasoline.

E85 requires 30% more fuel just to maintain stoichiometric while you're cruising. WOT and high boost and you're looking at 50% more flow needed to not melt something.

 

[Turbo38V6]

Tried searching, all I am doing is convoluting my thought processes.

I have pumps near me, so supply is not of concern.

So..I titled the thread this way, because I want to know why I should not run E85. I have people in this area that clam X, Y, Z reasons. But I want to know what real time users in our community face when using the product. I am all but a Flex Fuel sensor away from being able to run E85, so I want to know what is wrong with it, and what problems or "cons" perse can become with using it.

I dont mind nightmare stories. I dont mind knowing about tap water running out of the pump stories. I want to be damn straight if I run the stuff I know what I am doing and the repercussions that may become of it.

I'd like to know if you can mix e-85 with 93 and run a tune with Fast

I'd like to know if you have to have separate tunes with E85 with the fast system.

How about boost? Turn the rod down, leave it up, etc.

If you really don't like 30 PSI for $2.00/gallon, then it's not for you.

 

[Wahoo]

I run 80# injectors with a DW300 fuel pump. Eric at TT, said it would be fine with my TA33 turbo.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Before you "change streams in the middle of the horse", I'd suggest you get the car running correctly on gas, and avoid killing another engine.....Just my $.02.

 

[No disintegrations]

Before you "change streams in the middle of the horse", I'd suggest you get the car running correctly on gas, and avoid killing another engine.....Just my $.02.

You mean what I know Chuck!

 

[Chuck Leeper]

You mean what I know Chuck!

 

[Nick Micale]

.............E85 requires 30% more fuel just to maintain stoichiometric while you're cruising. WOT and high boost and you're looking at 50% more flow needed to not melt something.

I like dealing in facts, so here is our experience on the road with 2 turbo cars and the same mild build.

It is almost 400 miles from Phoenix to the Bates event in Escondido, CA. and most all interstate. AZ speed limit is 75 MPH, CA 70 MPH, we cruised 75-80 most all the way.

The gas car was at 22 MPG, the e-85 GN averaged 18 MPG, 4 MPG difference is not 30%more fuel?

 

[TT/Ameasap]

WOT is a different story on E85. I dont know what this "cruising" word is?

 

[turbo89]

Before you "change streams in the middle of the horse", I'd suggest you get the car running correctly on gas, and avoid killing another engine.....Just my $.02.

Yes but you can get away with murder on a E85 tune

 

[Turbo6inKY]

I like dealing in facts, so here is our experience on the road with 2 turbo cars and the same mild build.

It is almost 400 miles from Phoenix to the Bates event in Escondido, CA. and most all interstate. AZ speed limit is 75 MPH, CA 70 MPH, we cruised 75-80 most all the way.

The gas car was at 22 MPG, the e-85 GN averaged 18 MPG, 4 MPG difference is not 30%more fuel?

No it's 19%.
But you're also dealing with a fuel that cools the intake charge better than gas, so you're going to make more power with less throttle input. Also, Phoenix is 700 feet higher than Louisville, and for a box like ours, that reduction in air density might actually matter at 80mph in terms of drag.

The 30% figure people bandy about is from a lot of consumer and news articles. This one, from Edmunds, showed a 26% decrease in a Tahoe.

My car went from 22mpg highway to 15 on E85, which is 32% worse. Everybody's experience is slightly different, but I think the 30% mark is a good rule of thumb.

 

[TurboBob]

cold start takes a bit more tuning with e85. no big deal. just something to be aware of.

Availability used to be an issue, but less so nowadays.

There were issues with odd scammer deposits in the injectors and such (there is a big thread on here somewhere). Some deposits seemed to be related to the storage tanks either being former kerosene tanks, or the stations switching from e85 to kerosene in the winters. I have not personally seen any issue, but both E85 stations near me are very new, and don't sell kerosene.

Bob

 

[Toby_Goodmk]

dont care about mileage what i care about is blowing up another motor. So is 85 lb injectors enough?

 

[TurboBob]

80 - 85 lb injectors should be enough for hi 10's

B

 

[turbo89]

dont care about mileage what i care about is blowing up another motor. So is 85 lb injectors enough?

with the setup you have the injectors will be maxed when your turbo is maxed ...

you have a DFI , and a huge fuel pump .. let the pump do some work .. ramp up the Fuel pressure on it .. this is an easy 10 second setup all day ...

I highly doubt you will run around on the street with this thing set on kill .. ( turbo all in ) .. you also have alky on top of that .. if you mix and run E70 .. you extend the range even further ...

With the XFI your options are many ... no reason that car doesn't run mid 10's all day

just start off LOW BOOST and get to learn what you have .. work your way up