What Do You People Know About This E85 Fuel ?

[discopotato03]

Hi all , has anyone done any research into this E85 fuel blend or tried it for themselves .

I tried a quick search into these "converter" gadgets that are supposed to tell engine managements systems what the ethanol to fuel ratio is so that they can adjust the timing tables to suit .

I like the idea of the 105 octane but are there any issues to overcome .

If it becomes a goer it certainly has the potential beat the eco nazis in the emissions stakes .

Cheers A .

Edited June 26, 2008 by discopotato03

[R31Nismoid]

But... you use more of it. Kinda like LPG really in concept of cheaper price, but less km's to a tank

ie, if you needed 550's and were close to the limit, using E85 you'd need the next step like 740cc to get you the extra flow

[sh@un]

and you'll cause even more people in poor countries to starve by pushing up the price of corn to make the ethanol

(i know, i know- we make ethanol differently here in Oz)

[Roy]

If it becomes more readily available i will be running it. Triple 888 racing just performed a test using it and by all reports the thing made the same power, same starting when hot / cold and same torque, throttle response etc etc. Only thing is the consumption. Will be interesting to see over the next few weeks once they have pulled down the engine for inspection how it stacks up against normal PULP for wear

[madbung]

Is this just a higher blend ratio or something different again?

[R31Nismoid]

If it becomes more readily available i will be running it. Triple 888 racing just performed a test using it and by all reports the thing made the same power, same starting when hot / cold and same torque, throttle response etc etc. Only thing is the consumption. Will be interesting to see over the next few weeks once they have pulled down the engine for inspection how it stacks up against normal PULP for wear

Im sure there would have been more room for them to run more timing, being its 105, so if they did... more power and so on

Just like going from the Shell 98 to the 100, 20-30rwkw wasnt uncommon for a 350rwkw car

[Johnny]

if this is the one im thinking of its a 15% petrol to ethanol mix.

ferrari and lotus have tuned both their elise and f430 to run on the fuel with a nice torque and power increase, yes it used more petrol per km but being only 15% petrol the arabs might wanna start worrying and get back on their camels.

[eMsta]

if this is the one im thinking of its a 15% petrol to ethanol mix.

ferrari and lotus have tuned both their elise and f430 to run on the fuel with a nice torque and power increase, yes it used more petrol per km but being only 15% petrol the arabs might wanna start worrying and get back on their camels.

yeah i was thinking, the major problem would be to tune cars to use it? But its going to have to be reliable - i.e not screw up the engine. I think the United e10 fuel screwed up our old cars......oh well....we sold them anyway

[Johnny]

yeah i was thinking, the major problem would be to tune cars to use it? But its going to have to be reliable - i.e not screw up the engine. I think the United e10 fuel screwed up our old cars......oh well....we sold them anyway

hmm good point about reliability, i believe that ethanol when used for long periods corrodes rubber lines and can literally crack them.

rememmber that ethanol is alcohol and basically methylated spirits. possibly may even destroy/corrode valves/head gear etc

[rev210]

I can't wait till one day we are all forced to run this sort of stuff

running on alcohol? yes please!

[DECIM8]

Wouldnt alcohol cause a cleaner flush through the engine? Sure it could crack pipes but same thing happens eventually to any pipe/tube/rubber.

Im interested as it will make massive reduction in cost.

[jdmser]

I don't think the hoses and what not cracking is an issue as there are quite a few flex fuel vehicles(come from the factory with the capability of running regular petrol or E85) driving around here. Converts would just need to be retro fitted. If the US would stop subsidizing farmers to not grow corn. Yes, that's right, we pay farmers here to not grow corn. It keeps the price up so the rest of the farmers can make money. There would be more than enough corn to feed everybody and make loads of E85. Finally, we need to adjust the way we think about cr's, boost, and timing. With E85 all of the normal limits can be increase and some of the milelage could be reclaimed.

Edited June 26, 2008 by jdmser

[cuppas]

also, your exhaust will smell like anus.

[180or200]

I have been useing it for about 3 weeks in my rb25det, its almost too good to be true, goes like a zurtec!

lambda ( stoich ) is 9.8 versus petrol 14.7, wot tuned to about 7.8

i've had to add alot of fuel with the power fc, the max duty with my 740 injectors at 20 psi was 62-63% now its about 78-80%, something i never been able to before is run 24 psi that see's about 85% duty, thats with 3 more degree's ignition aswell!

currently paying $135.9 a litre

smells nice!

[R31Nismoid]

Its not out yet

[discopotato03]

Ah actually Nismoid yes it is , in Sydney I believe its at a United servo on Victoria rd - maybe Ultimo ?

I think part of what's brought it on is that Saab ? and one other mobs is starting to sell cars that can run it so they need fodder for them .

Anyway they've decided to sell it through one location I think in Syd/Melb/Adelaide to gauge the publics reaction to it .

It was in the media last week with a bit of fan fare because some people are prepared to risk engine "issues" to pay 40c less a litre than the usual cheapest grade "power kerosene" .

Metho is a bit different and from memory it's full name is methyl alcohol .

Yes I realise more ethanol has to be burnt to get the same heat output as petroleum fuels but the other benefits I find most interesting .

Ethanol not being a carbon based fuel probably means almost none of the emission nazis nastys to complain about and I suppose not having carbon buildup in an engine is not a bad thing .

I guess you have to wonder if valve seats and valve stem/guides are going to suffer in any way .

Also alcohol not being a solvent may not have the same bore washing tendancy of over rich petrol fuel mixtures .

Rev head issues aside I don't think we have quite the same problems with food and sugar here in Australia thay they have in some less fortunate places .

My guess is that the sugar cane industry here would like the opportunity to be able to produce in volume that which can be made into ethanol alcohol . Possibly the wages earnt would help local economies here - create jobs etc etc .

Personally I think Aussies probably eat too much sugar but thats only my selfish 7-10 kg overweight point of view .

The stuff you breathe in sinn city is not good on a still day so less of that can't be bad .

A bit less reliance on imported crude oil/fuels could have some positive benefits on the world stage .

The thing to watch is the overall establishment and how they may choose to tax ethanol if it takes off . I'm cynical and its debatable whether they'd let slip the opprtunity to maintain fuel tax revenues .

If I get the chance later I'll ask on some of the American boards what they think of E85 , I seem to remember it being mentioned on one ov the Evo ones there .

Cheers A .

Edited June 26, 2008 by discopotato03

[Guilt-Toy]

If your running .98's on cruise and .78's on WOT thats not that much of a difference to PULP, in AFR terms he is running about 11.466 on WOT, some people like to tune their cars to that with PULP. (my 363rwkw tune was at 11.1 afr)

and thats about 14.4 afr on cruise.... Thats not a huge difference at all, and would bring major benifits to fuel economy.

This sounds interesting... should go for a 20 or 30 % mix could we mix the stuff ourselfs?

I have been useing it for about 3 weeks in my rb25det, its almost too good to be true, goes like a zurtec!

lambda ( stoich ) is 9.8 versus petrol 14.7, wot tuned to about 7.8

i've had to add alot of fuel with the power fc, the max duty with my 740 injectors at 20 psi was 62-63% now its about 78-80%, something i never been able to before is run 24 psi that see's about 85% duty, thats with 3 more degree's ignition aswell!

currently paying $135.9 a litre

smells nice!

[Roy]

LOL, United fuels. I installed their ethanol loading/blending load out facitlity The same place stored ELF Indy fuel etc. So many ideas for my car and BOOST!

[jdmser]

This sounds interesting... should go for a 20 or 30 % mix could we mix the stuff ourselfs?

Some of the local drag racers around my part of the States have been doing it for about a year or so.

[DECIM8]

$139.5 is not cheap enough to sway me... If its only 15% fuel wtf am I paying for?