Anyone using E85?

**underated** · 03-20-2012, 09:21 PM

I was doing some research since I'm doing a E85 tune and I didn't come across anybody using it on here. With all the recent and past builds I would have thought there would be more people using it.

**fatal1** · 03-20-2012, 10:07 PM

I know for us ny guys its tough die to a lack of e85 stations... There's very few in long island and a few upstate but like none within city limits...I would love to do it on the gsx but until it's more readily available I'll have to deal with 93 for the time being

**underated** · 03-20-2012, 10:28 PM

yah that seems to be the the main reason for a lot of people... i thought there was supposed to be a big push for ethanol stations across the country. what happened to that?

**master_visionary** · 03-20-2012, 11:54 PM

Best gas we got is 91

**M-Rod** · 03-21-2012, 12:34 AM

I have a lot of friends around me running E85. Granted they're all different cars, but one of them is running it in his evo. If you have an android phone, download the drivealternative app. it locates E85 stations near you.

**Reelax** · 03-21-2012, 01:17 AM

i think BGR did. i don't remember if his reviews about it were positive or negative though.

**underated** · 03-21-2012, 01:42 AM

i was just reading Rich's post on it, seems like it kept throw cel's in he car with the 50/50 mix. now with the capabilities of ecuflash it should be as mush of an issue.

**4g63lover** · 03-21-2012, 01:51 AM

I would be on E85 already if I could find a E85 station close enough.

**evil-G-nius** · 03-21-2012, 12:06 PM

I have actually never seen an E85 pump anywhere. I know they exist, but I imagine like most people are saying, they don't use it cuz there is no easy way to get it. One of the guys from Utah (no names) had a tune for it too I think...of course he was rebuilding his engine every other week...not sure if the fuel tune had anything to do with it or not

**SPD_FRK** · 03-21-2012, 09:19 PM

Are o doign a dyno tune for the E85? If you are attempting to road tune for E85 with EcuFlash be heavily warned that you run a very high risk of engine damage due to the fuel's characteristics.

With pump ga like 91-93 octane you can safely road tune the vehicle based on the knock information to adjust ignition timing. With E85 you can advance timing far enough that you will not see any knock counts, as well as the high possibility of damaging the engine.

It has also been found that running E85 fuel only will cause issues with gumming up the injectors and other fuel system components also because of the fuel's characteristics. You will find this issue being documented more as people have ran only E85 and run into issues with it after exclusive use of the fuel. Since you are running the 4cyl platform and Evo ECU setup you can use one of the Tephra mods with Map Switching to have a tune for E85 when you hit the track, and another tune for pump gas when you are not at the track. Doing this basically helps to "flush" the fuel system and prevent build up within the system.

**greddy** · 03-21-2012, 10:31 PM

^damn beat me to it, almost all the evo guys in the NW run dual maps, one for e85 and one for pump, they all love it.

**Galantman03** · 03-21-2012, 10:39 PM

I plan on using it, but it absorbs water so i'm still like 50/50. If you could add a fuel stabilizer that would prevent it from absorbing water I wouldn't think twice about using it.

**Black8GV6** · 03-21-2012, 11:49 PM

To my understanding, you can only use E85 if your car is a flex fuel car. Flex fuel cars have a little green leaf on the back of the car or say flexfuel. They are made to take both E85 and the standard octane offered at gas stations.

**Galantman03** · 03-21-2012, 11:56 PM

Yes or your car is been built for high boost and you wanna run e85 for more power and cheaper than gas, granted you do use allot more fuel since it does take more ethanol to make the same amount of energy as gas

**foxbrand** · 03-22-2012, 12:53 AM

^ not exactly correct, it is because e85 requires much richer fuel/air ratios than pump gas to achieve stoichiometry (not running lean nor running rich)

**Galantman03** · 03-22-2012, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by foxbrand

^ not exactly correct, it is because e85 requires much richer fuel/air ratios than pump gas to achieve stoichiometry (not running lean nor running rich)

We both right we just explained it differently. Stoichiometry is where the fuel reaches most explosive energetic release upon ignition, and e85 has less energy release at the same stoichiometry as gas, thats why you use more e85, to make up for that loss of energy.

**underated** · 03-22-2012, 11:17 PM

yah im doing a 91 and an e85 tune. the car is a daily driver so there will be times when i need to get gas and there is no e85 station around but vegas has a lot of them so its not a problem here. i already have the dual map switch setup in place of the intercooler sprayer. ive never used it except to test that it works.

i know a few cars have issues with the fuel sending unit not working after awhile when using e85. i dont see how that could be a problem on our cars but its something i'll have to look into

BJunkie · 06-24-2012, 08:07 AM

I and few of my friends are trying to do flexfuel VR4 (8G) :) A few guys did flexfuel patch to CT9A ecu. And it should be possible to do at Evo`s 7-9 ecu.