E85 vs Gulf 116 unleaded

[digital911]

My car is currently setup for 93 pump. Quick run down, it's an 04 factory long block, TVS 2.3, return fuel system, 60# injectors, dual 265lph pumps. Puts down 625whp/580# tq @ 19psi on pump 93. It also has an unleaded 116 tune, although I have yet to try it out. It's supposed to add about 60whp/tq.

I am very interested in going E85 as a couple stations recently popped up here.

So I called my tuner and he basically told me to stay away from E85 because:

1) The quality of E85 you're going to get is more like E60-E70.
2) So if you get bad E85 the car will not run at all, it has no flex fuel sensor (or whatever you call it) in the ECU to "tune on the fly" the quality of E85 your getting - like newer vehicles have.
3) Even on good E85 he says they are only seeing ~20whp increases.
4) E85 will destroy my fuel system over time - even a system that's E85 compatible. And that it will turn to water after a week or so of sitting.
5) Since I have to get larger pumps and injectors, he says just buy the Gulf 116 unleaded from him. (100+ bucks for 5 gallons!)

So my questions are:

1) Is he just telling me this because he wants to sell race gas?
2) How do you all run E85 from the pump and not worry about it's potency?
3) What are average increases in WHP and TQ going from pump 93 to pump E85?
4) Anything else I need to know to make this a successful transition?

thanks!

 

[bigmoose]

Step #1, find new tuner.
Step #2, run e85

He is just trying to sell race gas. if your system is e85 compatible it's not an issue. Studies have also shown that ethanol is just as effective at knock resistance all the way down to 50%. Unless you let your e85 sit in an open tub in the summer it will not get that much water. I run e85 and store my fuel for months without issue since I have it sealed well.

I picked up 50whp with my KB 2.2 on 18#s. I've also checked my A/F on my e85 tune when running E70 and it is slightly leaner but still safe.

 

[speedoflife]

Step #1, find new tuner.
Step #2, run e85

 

[digital911]

Step #1, find new tuner.
Step #2, run e85

He is just trying to sell race gas. if your system is e85 compatible it's not an issue. Studies have also shown that ethanol is just as effective at knock resistance all the way down to 50%. Unless you let your e85 sit in an open tub in the summer it will not get that much water. I run e85 and store my fuel for months without issue since I have it sealed well.

I picked up 50whp with my KB 2.2 on 18#s. I've also checked my A/F on my e85 tune when running E70 and it is slightly leaner but still safe.

Do you run pump E85? If so do you test it or just assume it's good?

Which part of the country are you in?

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[R3dfireCobra]

Step #1, find new tuner.
Step #2, run e85

+100

 

[bigmoose]

Do you run pump E85? If so do you test it or just assume it's good?

Which part of the country are you in?

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I live in RI but get my e85 in CT at the pump. I test it by monitoring my short term fuel trims to see how off it is from my e85 tune. I've never had an issue of it being far off where I needed to adjust my tune.

 

[c6zhombre]

Step #1, find new tuner.
Step #2, run e85

.

X 1,000,000

The car I own is now on year 8 of running ethanol. No fuel system "eaten alive" and no issues with E85 consistency. But I do test it every time just to be sure.....because gas stations and delivery services can make mistakes. The car starts first fire like clockwork. Fuel filter and plugs clean as a whistle. Search my posts in the distillery section and you will see pics of the yearly maintenance....all items are shockingly clean, like I mean brand new looking after sitting in ethanol for a year.

 

[oldstv]

While I haven't been running e85 for very long the fuel that i have tested was good 85 every time. I bought it from the pump at two different stations and both were dead on 85. The fuel came from Tallahassee Fl and West Palm Beach Fl.
While sealed in a race gas can for about three months it was still good.

 

[digital911]

I live in RI but get my e85 in CT at the pump. I test it by monitoring my short term fuel trims to see how off it is from my e85 tune. I've never had an issue of it being far off where I needed to adjust my tune.

X 1,000,000

The car I own is now on year 8 of running ethanol. No fuel system "eaten alive" and no issues with E85 consistency. But I do test it every time just to be sure.....because gas stations and delivery services can make mistakes. The car starts first fire like clockwork. Fuel filter and plugs clean as a whistle. Search my posts in the distillery section and you will see pics of the yearly maintenance....all items are shockingly clean, like I mean brand new looking after sitting in ethanol for a year.

While I haven't been running e85 for very long the fuel that i have tested was good 85 every time. I bought it from the pump at two different stations and both were dead on 85. The fuel came from Tallahassee Fl and West Palm Beach Fl.
While sealed in a race gas can for about three months it was still good.

On average, how much extra WHP/TQ can I expect switching from P93 to PE85?

Anyone know of a reputable tuner that can tune PE85 on an 04 cobra in the Gulf Coast area? Specifically I am in the New Orleans area.

 

[c6zhombre]

While I haven't been running e85 for very long the fuel that i have tested was good 85 every time. I bought it from the pump at two different stations and both were dead on 85. The fuel came from Tallahassee Fl and West Palm Beach Fl.
While sealed in a race gas can for about three months it was still good.

I sealed a gallon with tested E85.....left it in my garage for 9 months, tested it again got E85. Saw no water contamination whatsoever....dropped it in the car ran great.

 

[c6zhombre]

On average, how much extra WHP/TQ can I expect switching from P93 to PE85?

Anyone know of a reputable tuner that can tune PE85 on an 04 cobra in the Gulf Coast area? Specifically I am in the New Orleans area.

I run a 18psi gas tune with ultra conservative timing....makes 560. I have a 22psi E85 tune with massive timing it makes 714, butt loads of low end TQ. 600+ right off idle. I've run the E85 tune almost exclusively for years, the motor is 14 year old factory and is stronger than ever.

I suggest 04sleeper tune your car, send him a PM

 

[bigmoose]

Like I said above I picked up 50whp with my KB. I did it more for the protection and the power was a bonus.

If you don't have a good tuner near you there are some reputable ones that do remote tuning on this site, you would just need a wideband.

 

[badcobra]

Run e85 and don't look back. Who wants to run around on leaded race gas @ $20/gal? What a crock!

 

[digital911]

Run e85 and don't look back. Who wants to run around on leaded race gas @ $20/gal? What a crock!

well technically it's unleaded but I completely get it about the price!

 

[digital911]

I run a 18psi gas tune with ultra conservative timing....makes 560. I have a 22psi E85 tune with massive timing it makes 714, butt loads of low end TQ. 600+ right off idle. I've run the E85 tune almost exclusively for years, the motor is 14 year old factory and is stronger than ever.

I suggest 04sleeper tune your car, send him a PM

Like I said above I picked up 50whp with my KB. I did it more for the protection and the power was a bonus.

If you don't have a good tuner near you there are some reputable ones that do remote tuning on this site, you would just need a wideband.

I sent 04sleeper a message, lets see what he says.

Any ideas on a TVS 2.3 setup on increases from 93 to E85?

 

[R3dfireCobra]

04Sleeper is the man! Many can attest to that, including myself

 

[jwcobra03]

Who has E85 in the New Orleans metro area?

 

[Comp04svt]

I have a TVS car on 19 psi, mods and power numbers are in my sig 93 vs e85, but picked up 69whp and 53wtq

Aside from having my fuel pumps take a dump after the first season on e85 due to the pumps being advertised originally to be compatible, I've had zero issues with e85. I keep e85 in it 24/7 even storing it for the winter with zero issues. Fires and runs just like stock.

Get yourself a tester from summit cheap and you can check the quality periodically.

 

[oldstv]

I think my gains were about 60rwhp with a tvs. I was running ms109 and paying through the noise for it.

 

[digital911]

Who has E85 in the New Orleans metro area?

Racetrack in Slidell and Pontchatoula

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