e85
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,037
Likes: 9
From: Kasson, Minnesota
Not my original plan, but I will be running my 521 street stroker in 77 F250 4x4 with E85. I have 10:1 compression with my current cam and I don't want to have to get a bigger cam to run pump gas, so I'm going with an E85 750 CFM carb. I will be very curious to see what kind of performance I get and how much ethanol it will burn.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,628
Likes: 0
From: Northeast Nebraska
When will your 521 be up and running? Im curious to know how it comes out. Im gettin close to ordering my 545 rotating assembly and Ive been tossin around the idea of gettin between 10-10.5 CR to run E85.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,037
Likes: 9
From: Kasson, Minnesota
I don't plan on getting very good mileage at all. I wouldn't with gasoline either. I just want to be able to run my street motor without having to add Octane booster or Racing Fuel. Ethanol is a nice alternative for higher compression street engines.
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,931
Likes: 12
From: SW Michigan
not quite...
Bob, efficiency burning ethanol isn't as simple as counting BTUs per gallon. You are quite correct that ethanol has about 2/3 rds of the BTUs per gallon of gasoline, but there is more to it than that. Ethanol also has a much faster flame speed than gasoline, AND a wider limit of flammability. How the fuel map on a flex fuel car is programmed makes a huge differance in what fuel mileage you will get. One of the fellows on an E85 forum has his car running just fine on a 16.8 fuel ratio........I'll bet he isn't losing 1/3 of his potential mileage. DinosaurFan, on work's old cast off 'puter
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
From: Southeast Iowa
The biggest benefit without a doubt of E85, is it's abbility to resist detonation, pricewise compared to race gas. Where I live, a gallon of E85 is 2.55 or so and has an octane rating of 105 (summer blends anyway), and race gas is 6-7 a gallon. So run a Quickfuel 750 E85 carb and 12:1, it will be fun.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
From: Burr Oak, IN
Polish Premium
Most of my buds who want more power with thier chips with out burning expensive pump premium use what we call POLISH PREMIUM. As you can tell, South Bend area has a heavy Polish population and it is a term of endearment-not a cutdown. Anyway, they simply put in a 50/50 mix of regular 87 octane gas, and E85-which results in about a 93 octane rating-and this is a conservative rating. I use this mix in my 97 Escort with a chip and love it. No pinging here, it has 127,000 miles on it and have been using this mix for 20,000 miles. Also, if you search other threads you'll find I've been running my truck on e85 for over 50,000 miles with stock injectors, fuel lines, pump ect...and had no trouble. I do have a custom tuned chip tuned for E85 though. But if you use a 50/50 blend, you could use your premium fuel setting on your tuner and the PCM should have enough latitude to compensate.
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,344
Likes: 12
From: Sioux Falls SD
I have a Diablo Sport two tune chip in my 99 Ranger with 2.5L and 5speed. One tune is for E85. My E85 MPG is good in city but poor on highway due to open loop over 80% throttle. I plan to have it retuned to keep engine in closed loop even at full throttle.
As it is I can break even at $.58 spread in price.
As it is I can break even at $.58 spread in price.
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