E 85 in my 73 Ford
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From: Topeka, Kansas
E 85 in my 73 Ford
Just in case anyone was wondering what happens when you fill your older ford truck with E 85,, it will make your truck run like @#*^ . At first I thought my points had went south. After researching E 85 I found that to run this fuel, you will need to re-jet the carb with ones that will pass about 25% more fuel. I was told that ethanol is a highly oxygenated fuel and needs less air to burn. To keep from having to drain my tank I was told to set my choke at half way. That did the trick, it is running great for now.
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From: Topeka, Kansas
Along with the rubber problem, I was wondering if I should run a lead substitute additive. I am pretty sure that my 73 360 is still set up for leaded fuel. They said E 85 burns clean and leaves no deposits, I imagine that is really hard on my valve guides.
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Hmmm not sure how compatible or if a lead substitute would even work with E85.
You are right you would need to jet up, between 15-30%. It isn't so much that it needs less air to burn, but it produces less BTUs than straight gasoline, therefore, it takes more FUEL to equal the output of gasoline.
If building an engine for E*% I would start with very high compression to take advantage of the high octane, maybe 14-16:1 and start with a carb already set up to run on alcohol and then accordingly jet DOWN for E85.
Just some thoughts anyway.
Josh
You are right you would need to jet up, between 15-30%. It isn't so much that it needs less air to burn, but it produces less BTUs than straight gasoline, therefore, it takes more FUEL to equal the output of gasoline.
If building an engine for E*% I would start with very high compression to take advantage of the high octane, maybe 14-16:1 and start with a carb already set up to run on alcohol and then accordingly jet DOWN for E85.
Just some thoughts anyway.
Josh
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From: Topeka, Kansas
So basically if I re-jet my carb, My mpg will really drop. as if 9-10 wasn't bad enough! Long story short ,I thuoght I would be saveing some money by buying e-85 for 15 cents cheaper per gallon but now I know that I am going to have to push 25% more fuel into the engine. I guess I lost this round.
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Easily a 15-30% drop in economy. That's why you would need to start from scratch and build a high compression, moderate duration engine. But if you add up all the machine costs and parts you would have enough money for a couple thousand gallons of gasoline.
To each his own.
To each his own.
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From: iowa
you really don't want to keep running E85, as well as the above mentioned problems that strong of alky will begin to corrode the aluminum in the carb body and cause it to eventually clock the jets.
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What about this 10% Ethanol they're selling now? Same deal?
My 76 is setup for unleaded, so that's no big deal.
My 76 is setup for unleaded, so that's no big deal.
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From: Topeka, Kansas
Thanks Mr. billet 390, seems that you have really done your homework on this subject. You mentoined that the carb would corrode. How could that be addressed? I don't think ford or anybody ever used anything except aluminum for carb buiding.
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From: iowa
Mrcorey, that is addressed by hard anodizing the alum, if you look at alky carbs used in racing the insides of the carbs are all anodized to protect the alum from the corrosive affects of the alcohol. E10 isn't strong enough to really cause the issue and I believe E20 is still ok, I don't know at what level it will start to cause issues. now the rubber hoses are a different issue I am not sure at what level the Ethanol will start attacking the rubber but of coarse the lower levels like E10 will take a lot longer so may not even be noticed if it does at all. I do know a lot of people blamed E10 for rotting hoses when it first came out back in the 90s but no one seemed to notice that the hoses were 20yr old to start with and were probably getting bad as it was and the ethanol just finished them off. the 80s vehicles didn't seem to have the immediate problems so what a concept huh?
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I have also heard of people having problems with older fuel pumps. The e85 damages them also. Even the e10 or 20 can cause problems after a period of time. However, if you have replaced your fuel pump in the last 10 years or so you should not have too many problems, as most replacement pumps have been made to correct this issue.
The "older" rubber hoses, seals, etc. that were not exposed to high temps are made of a buna type rubber. The newer stuff is of a vetrified style. It is capible of higher temps, as well more resistant to things like alky.
The "older" rubber hoses, seals, etc. that were not exposed to high temps are made of a buna type rubber. The newer stuff is of a vetrified style. It is capible of higher temps, as well more resistant to things like alky.
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Ethanol isn't the same as Methanol or Alky. Far less corrosive. The main issue is rubber lines and needle/ seats and the fact it produces far less effeciency than gasoline.
There are couple guys over at FordFE.com that are currently running E85 and are reporting nice quartermile numbers taking advantage of the high octane.
Josh
There are couple guys over at FordFE.com that are currently running E85 and are reporting nice quartermile numbers taking advantage of the high octane.
Josh
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My bad, vetrified rubber lines, seals etc are more "chemically" resistant than buna rubber.
Buna rubber seals better, but does not last long when exposed to certin liquids or heat above 200 F degrees.
I work with rubber o-rings and seals all day long so this is one thing I know.
Buna rubber seals better, but does not last long when exposed to certin liquids or heat above 200 F degrees.
I work with rubber o-rings and seals all day long so this is one thing I know.