Thread: possibly converting to ethanol

so i have about a month and a half before i'm going to have the chance to have the grand prix built. relevant info: top swapped, s2x cam, gen III with a 3.4 pulley at the moment, and 42.5# injectors. tossing around the idea of converting to ethanol before tuning.

the big question is, are the injectors big enough? i've read you need about 30% more fuel through the whole map, and our stock ones are 36#. so that's roughly 45 pounds per hour, but i'm assuming that's peak? meaning i would starve the injectors at high engine speeds. if there are any useful links you guys know of, please post them, i looked around for awhile and couldn't find much.

and then, the car is a 99, so the fuel tank and lines are safe for E85 right? i thought i remember that the 97s and 98s had metal components and have issues with E85.

and the the fuel pump. safe bet that's going to have to be upgraded at some point, or at least rewire it for more current?

So should be ok with a rewire and 42.5s down to about a 3.2

you really think i'll be ok with the 42.5's?

Would be close, if you can find 60s buy them.

Im gonna buy 60's. But what happens if you get a full tank of E85 and injectors arent big enough? Are you going to drop pulleys? How close are your injectors now with that 3.4 and cam?

i have no idea. it hasn't been tuned, so i was thinking of converting it now and only paying once for a tune. i think i'm gonna try to get in contact with the shop i want to tune my car and get their opinion on it

ethanol because it's much cheaper than an intercooler setup and i feel like i'm in need of a cooling mod.

darkhorizon, are you talking about after i tune for the current setup on gas? because i feel like i'm long past not having to tune

Originally Posted by Poil336

ethanol because it's much cheaper than an intercooler setup and i feel like i'm in need of a cooling mod.

darkhorizon, are you talking about after i tune for the current setup on gas? because i feel like i'm long past not having to tune

He is saying just plug in un-tuned, they are larger adding fuel instead of tuning.

e85 and Stock injectors with a cam sub 3.3 pulley will not work, i maxxed mine with rockers back in the day.

Originally Posted by darkhorizon

if you are not going crazy with it, you could put some blue cobra "39#" injectors in and swap directly to E85 when you do the swap without tuning. Then just toss on your 3.2-3.0 pulley and call it a day on a stock PCM.

I really hope youre joking or Im reading that wrong...

I gotta say with all the e85 stuff ive messed with, I really dont think those 42.5s will be enough... that being said, they could be but youre not gonna be able to go any further really on e85 with anything less than 60s... unless youre keeping it under about 3000rpm for the rest of its life...

honestly if you are not tuning it yourself... or having a local guy do it... and having to pay EVERY time for a tune...

I would recommend not going ethanol...

eventually i'll have a tuner. seems like it's best to stick with gas at the moment and shoot for next track season

id say yes your best bet is to wait to convert till you get a tuner... yes

I've heard of the e85 having problems with the metal tank. I'm thinking the tank didn't get switched until 00. My parts 99 gtp had a metal tank.

Originally Posted by dsmuts

I've heard of the e85 having problems with the metal tank. I'm thinking the tank didn't get switched until 00. My parts 99 gtp had a metal tank.

false.

seriously. super false.

yeah, ethanol becomes a pretty good conductor and causes deterioration of metal parts.

Originally Posted by Bio248

false.

seriously. super false.

What part its false? I'd like to know in case I ever get e85 close to me and can make the switch.

Originally Posted by dsmuts

What part its false? I'd like to know in case I ever get e85 close to me and can make the switch.

the way i've heard is that ethanol becomes a conductor for electricity, like the current going to the fuel pump, and carries that charge through anything metal, which eats away at the metal parts of the fuel system, such as the metal gas tank. i'm sure somebody could add more input