Testing E85

[awdtalon4451]

So im fixing to start a build and im highly contemplating running and building around an E85 or dual tune setup. My question is this, I only have 1 station within a 50 mile radius that carrys E85 (yea im in Mississippi where they dont give a $hit about the environment ).
Ive heard that the ethanol content varies a fare amount and if it contains less than 75% ethanol its not worth it. Which brings me to my point of how do you test the ethanol content? Im sure i dont know the full extent on this, so if someone else does please chime in.

 

[awdtalon4451]

Not exactly sure what happened with the title. Its suppose to say "Testing E85"

 

[keithcfisher29]

stm sells a e85 tester that verifies ethanol content its simple to use

 

[RoasT BeeF]

Generally speaking it is e85 in the summer and about e70 in the winter (here at least)

Still much better than the 10% or so you'll get in regular 91.

I would say it is deffinitely worth it from my own personal experience. I will never go back to running 91 pump gas in my 1g.

 

[WES_393]

You can use an E85 tester to verify the Ethanol content. But I too live in Colorado where we have minimum 70% Ethanol in E85. So I've never really worried about it, I just don't tune to the very limit in case the Ethanol % drops next time I fill up.

Setting up your fuel system for E85 also isn't as big of deal as some like to make it seem. Just get large enough injectors and a strong enough fuel pump. I'm running 1150's and a Walbro 255 with stock lines and filter. Pushing over 25psi on a 16g with no issues. I can switch back to 91 any time just by loading another tune via Link.

So even if you don't plan to run E85 all the time, definitely do what's needed to run it when you want. It's a night and day difference between pump gas and E85.

 

[awdtalon4451]

Generally speaking it is e85 in the summer and about e70 in the winter (here at least)

Still much better than the 10% or so you'll get in regular 91.

I would say it is deffinitely worth it from my own personal experience. I will never go back to running 91 pump gas in my 1g.

We have 93 pump but ive heard so many good things about E85. Im going for 450-500hp with my build so E85 has been weighing heavy on me. Im definitely going to pick up the ethanol tester from STM to see what quality we're getting around here. Any ideas on what figures i should stay away from?

 

[bastarddsm]

I wouldn't let percentages get you down. Even E50 is rocket fuel compared to 93 IMHO. Look around on here most of the time some one with a similar setup is down 100+whp to a guy on E85......

 

[boost97gst]

Run a blend and watch the knock go down. You will love ethanol, even if its e70 its way better than 93. I started running a 30% blend of e85 w 93 and the difference is amazing. I will be switching to 1650ccs in the summer and then im switching to e85 completely. Its like race gas, it acts almost identical from what i can tell.

 

[bastarddsm]

It's better than race gas.

 

[awdtalon4451]

You can use an E85 tester to verify the Ethanol content. But I too live in Colorado where we have minimum 70% Ethanol in E85. So I've never really worried about it, I just don't tune to the very limit in case the Ethanol % drops next time I fill up.

Setting up your fuel system for E85 also isn't as big of deal as some like to make it seem. Just get large enough injectors and a strong enough fuel pump. I'm running 1150's and a Walbro 255 with stock lines and filter. Pushing over 25psi on a 16g with no issues. I can switch back to 91 any time just by loading another tune via Link.

So even if you don't plan to run E85 all the time, definitely do what's needed to run it when you want. It's a night and day difference between pump gas and E85.

Awesome, i thought there was much more to having an E85 setup (rails,filters,lines,dual hangers) As im limited to just under $5k for my build/setup. So this is good news for my pocket book. Im still in the learning stage of building, sorry if some of these questions seem nieve.

I wouldn't let percentages get you down. Even E50 is rocket fuel compared to 93 IMHO. Look around on here most of the time some one with a similar setup is down 100+whp to a guy on E85......

Thanks for ya'lls input on this. I'm pretty much sold on running E85 now.

 

[Airsign89]

Zeitronix had a sema award winning alcohol(ethanol) % reader... Here is the link: Zeitronix ECA : SEMA Award Winning Ethanol Content Analyzer and Flex Fuel Sensor for E-85 and E-85/gasoline Blends

 

[bastarddsm]

fyi,

850's and a single 255hp with stock lines will get you 450whp, good enough to go 11.75@122

1100's and a 255hp feeding a 255inline is good enough to make 550whp and go 11.1@130

1200's and 2 255hp's in parallel into the stock lines and filter is good enough to make 650whp and trap 139.

All on a heavy car, you really don't need a monster fuel system unless you wanna go really fast.

Finally, if it's 50mi to the pump, take a couple 5gal cans with ya. Make it a nice weekly excuse to enjoy your car.

 

[awdtalon4451]

fyi,

850's and a single 255hp with stock lines will get you 450whp, good enough to go 11.75@122

1100's and a 255hp feeding a 255inline is good enough to make 550whp and go 11.1@130

1200's and 2 255hp's in parallel into the stock lines and filter is good enough to make 650whp and trap 139.

All on a heavy car, you really don't need a monster fuel system unless you wanna go really fast.

Finally, if it's 50mi to the pump, take a couple 5gal cans with ya. Make it a nice weekly excuse to enjoy your car.

Very nice to know. Im going to be having a few questions about my build and you my friend have saved me the trouble of one. How do you feel about the Walbro 450lph or the Aero stealth 340? I read the stealth was good for 520hp but id like a little room to grow on

 

[awdtalon4451]

Zeitronix had a sema award winning alcohol(ethanol) % reader... Here is the link: Zeitronix ECA : SEMA Award Winning Ethanol Content Analyzer and Flex Fuel Sensor for E-85 and E-85/gasoline Blends

For $200 it better be an award winner

 

[boost97gst]

If its 50 miles???!!! Hell, borrow a truck and get a fifty gallon drum and then head to harbor freight for a pump. Setup your own mini e85 station in your shed or garage.


Ya got a point, bastard, racegas is $8 a gallon here..... say no more. e85 is 3.01 when i went saturday.

 

[phunny]

Just remember OP, 50% of what you hear is wrong and 49% is hearsay.

You can not just throw ethanol in you tank and drive off into wonderland so whoever says you can... Well do some research.

As far as 2 - 255lph pumps on 1100cc injectors pushing 550awhp... Sounds like some standard calculations that do not translate into reality. Not saying its impossible just not very likely.

I recently made 592awhp with a 450 in tank and a 255 in line with 2200cc injectors and was around 85%idc if I recall correctly. We would've pushed her farther but I made a new intake that was severely choking us off.

 

[bastarddsm]

As far as 2 - 255lph pumps on 1100cc injectors pushing 550awhp... Sounds like some standard calculations that do not translate into reality. Not saying its impossible just not very likely.

Lol I went pass after pass like that all summer long. I was at the very end of the scale, but it ran good and didn't give me a bit of trouble.

How much power does it take to make a 3400lb car go 131 in the 1/4? Thats how much you can make.

 

[awdtalon4451]

Just remember OP, 50% of what you hear is wrong and 49% is hearsay.

You can not just throw ethanol in you tank and drive off into wonderland so whoever says you can... Well do some research.

As far as 2 - 255lph pumps on 1100cc injectors pushing 550awhp... Sounds like some standard calculations that do not translate into reality. Not saying its impossible just not very likely.

I recently made 592awhp with a 450 in tank and a 255 in line with 2200cc injectors and was around 85%idc if I recall correctly. We would've pushed her farther but I made a new intake that was severely choking us off.

Very true but the figures i threw out were from STM, if that means anything . But as far as whats needed i know ill run a set of 1600cc or larger. Id rather have to much than not enough. Im still debating on what fuel pump(s) to run though.

 

[WES_393]

You can not just throw ethanol in you tank and drive off into wonderland so whoever says you can... Well do some research.

Nobody said you could. Of course you need upgraded injectors and fuel pump, along with some way to tune. But the idea that you need some space-age fuel system to run Ethanol has been long debunked. No research needed, I (as well as a few others in this thread alone) do it every day.

But as far as whats needed i know ill run a set of 1600cc or larger. Id rather have to much than not enough. Im still debating on what fuel pump(s) to run though.

1600 is way overkill for your goals. 1200's would very safely support 500hp on E85. You could run 1600's of you want, but you will have issue at idle when running pump gas. I would run one 450 in the tank or two 255's inline. I plan to make over 500hp this spring on E85 and plan to put another 255 in line with my stock lines.

 

[phunny]

Lol I went pass after pass like that all summer long. I was at the very end of the scale, but it ran good and didn't give me a bit of trouble.

How much power does it take to make a 3400lb car go 131 in the 1/4? Thats how much you can make.

Might have worked for you this time but consider these 2 things.

1. You may loose the rivets to your diamond plated floor boards running that close to the edge

2. Ethanol content is soooo unpredictable you may have been running e70 which requires way less fuel. My turd is running off the scales rich right now due to the winter blend. It's one reason I hate e85. Actually it's the only reason, it's awesome besides that.

 

[4g63t]

Definitely do it. I made 624awhp on low boost with e77-78 via my tester. That was the highest it even got to in like July in north Iowa.

 

[EclipseOwner95]

You can buy a tester from Summit for $15.

I test mine every time I go (about 40 miles away as well) but this station is excellent, everytime I go it's closer to E90.

 

[Jon91TSi]

I live near only one gas station that sells ethanol. In the summer months when the car was driven I would usually take the car down (30mi) to the station, fill the car, and 2 5 gallon cans. I have a co-worker that lives near the station as well, and when I'm low I would bring my cans in to work and have him fill them and pay him when he gave me the fuel. Now, I test every batch I put in the car, and is always consistant at 90%. I never bought any in the winter months there, so I can't say if the blend changes.

But if your questions is E85 worth it over pump gas, depending on your goals, yes it is. It takes a lot more knowledge to tune an ethanol powered car than it does to power a plain old pump gas car as well, so consider this when you decide to make a decision.

 

[awdtalon4451]

Yes ive takin this im account. Im not so sure i would due the initial E85 tune, but afterwards im going to get involved with it.
For some reason a thought you couldnt store E85, something to due with the water collecting? Either way ill probably turn it to a weekly trip like bastard said.

 

[Jon91TSi]

Yes ive takin this im account. Im not so sure i would due the initial E85 tune, but afterwards im going to get involved with it.
For some reason a thought you couldnt store E85, something to due with the water collecting? Either way ill probably turn it to a weekly trip like bastard said.

Yes, Ethanol fuels are hydroscopic, meaning they absorb moisture from the environment around them. If you store them in a cool dry place where the temperature doesn't change much, you'll be much better off. But I never let any sit for more than 3-4 months.

Hygroscopy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

^^ Check that out, it's got a bit of information you might find useful.