Which is a better mod E85 or a FMIC?

[UofACATS]

Yea well Kevin Kwiatkowski can do 1.2 60 foot launches in a FWD car too does that mean it is the possible for everyone?

Yes. If they do exactly as Kevin Kwiatkowski has done It's a technique called copying a setup that is unorthodox, yet has been proven to work. And not blindly mind you, but rather armed with the knowledge of prior achievement.

And yes the SMIC will heatsoak, and it's awful, etc. but it does do something. E85 does the rest. This isn't a personal recommendation from me, I don't run any I/C because I find it to be unnecessary with W/I, and at that point it simply becomes a restriction. With no pressure drop, my 16G spikes to 26psi, and holds 24 psi to redline..


So, can you run 30psi on a FMIC and 91oct? If you can then that's great, the OP has a decision to make. If you can't, then we can agree that SMIC + E85 provides the better bang for the buck.

 

[tominatortwo]

Get the FMIC and get a good one, don't buy a chinese made POS.

You can run E-85, it does make more power than pumped gas, but I'd replace all my fuel hoses first.

 

[RipperXX]

My vote is FMIC, but thats because I never have, nor will I ever run E-85 due to availablity issues.

 

[crazyquik22023]

In my opinion I'd say go with the FMIC, at least first. Id say you can easily run 23 psi on 91 with a 16g without pulling much timing. I currently run 30-33psi on a 6262 on 93 with no knock with only a degree or 2 of timing pulled. Obviously every car is different but you can probably run your desired 23psi or close to it on what is a probably stock motor with 91.

 

[donniekak]

I trapped 107 in the 1/4 in a full weight 1g with the only mods being a 16g, 850's, a walbro 255, and an eprom chip, full stock intake, and exhaust. But, if you ever plan on making some real power, you will eventually need a fmic.

 

[richard33]

I want to clear the air here about E85 and knock because what I said isn't misinformation, you won't show signs of detonation in a log and melt engine components using gasoline tuning methods that most do.

Tuning a car using the knock sensor (since most of us aren't old like Glenn ) is common practice and the safe way of doing things without completely destroying your motor. Detonation (knock) occurs from increased CC pressure and temperature, both of which E85 reduces because of its higher octane and lower ignition temperatures that create cooler cylinder temps. Engines that detonate sipping on corn juice don't show one degree of REAL knock in the log, they simply melt. This is often caused by pre-ignition, which is something completely different than knock, or from in increase in EGT's created by the longer burn time of E85 and not enough timing advance.

Simply put, knock is created by uncontrolled fuel ignition in the cylinder because of high pressure or heat, both of which don't happen because of E85's lower burn temp. Truthfully, I believe that running E85 using the stock SMIC and a 16g @ 20psi is possible because whatever heat the SMIC can't take out of the intake air the E85 will deal with during the combustion process.

I'm in no way saying that your engine can't fail running E85, you just won't see the signs of knock/detonation when it does.

I appreciate the educated response. Unfortunately I don't have a smart sounding answer to counter that . Just my logs showing knock. Especially when I fixed a leaky BOV and the boost went from 28 to 45. Lets just say my log wasn't pretty and my headgasket didn't make it through the ride.

 

[gofer]

I appreciate the educated response. Unfortunately I don't have a smart sounding answer to counter that . Just my logs showing knock. Especially when I fixed a leaky BOV and the boost went from 28 to 45. Lets just say my log wasn't pretty and my headgasket didn't make it through the ride.

I bet that 45psi WOT pull was worth the blown headgasket, imagine what would have happened had you been running 91/93. Were you logging?

 

[richard33]

I bet that 45psi WOT pull was worth the blown headgasket, imagine what would have happened had you been running 91/93. Were you logging?

What actaully happened was the thermostat housing gasket popped and started leaking coolant everywhere. The headgasket barely blew though. I had to reset my log quickly to watch the temps to make sure the car didn't get hot getting back to the shop. My check engine light flashed though which means it knocked a good bit . It sucked but the head shop is quick with resurfacing so it was running in a couple days.