Thread: [info][opinion] e85

I have been running E85 for about 2-3 weeks now and might I say the stuff is amazing. The gas milage drop was minimal, maybe 2MPGS max?

Let me give you the current mod list:

HAI
SSAC Headers
HP Tuned
3.2 Pulley (Yes. A 3.2, this is not a typo.)
E85

E85 is about 105 octane and acts like a race gas, allowing you to run very small pulleys with NO KR. Currently I am running a 3.2 w/ 20* of timing at the top end.

The story behind the switch.
One day I decided I wanted to switch to E85 just to see what the difference was if any. After reading all over the net about the stuff, I came to the conclusion that yes I want this, so I went out and bought 60# injectors, headers, HP Tuners and started teaching my self to tune. With the help of a friend of mine we had the car running E85 with in two days (We went slow ok? lol). This was still on the stock pulley, and I could already feel a difference in power. Some people were saying you can gain 50 whp just from the switch; however, I would go that far, I would say maybe 15, but who cares about that if you can run a smaller pulley just by using a different gas. Now on regular 91 octane I would still KR 2* at the top, once I started using E85, there was no KR.
Once we got the MAF tuned, and the Injectors tuned and the car running in check again we started to add timing, first 2 degrees, still no kr, then another 2, still no kr then we hit 20-21* of Timing and still no KR, we quit there as I read somewhere not to go above 21* of timing.
A week later I ordered a 3.2 pulley and a 160* T-Stat put that on, re tuned it all, still at 20* of timing w/ no KR even on 96* weather. Amazing.
As of current I am taking a break from modding and just playing with what I have now. The car is stupid fast for a "grocery getter" -- as the local ricers so kindly call it -- and I am very happy with the outcome.

Price
When everything was said and done I put about 1k into the car to get it to this point. e85 is at 3.09-3.19 depending on where you fill because of the stupid drought. Last year it was around 2.60 for a gallon of e85. Right now I am spending about 10 bucks more on fuel every month or so which I dont mind for the power and when e85 drops again in price , and I stay off the gas, Ill start to save a bit of cash.

If you are thinking about doing E85 and have access to it. Do it. The stuff rocks. Runs great. Smells great. Is Greener, and you get more power. Oh, and OPEC doesn't get your money anymore. (AMURICA! :P)

Any questions feel free to ask, Ill answer it to the best of my ability. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Ultra440

Good news. I want to do this. Did you put in a new fuel pump?

Shockingly no. I figured I will have to if I go any further, or at least a rewire.

Originally Posted by BlackGS

Congrats on the switch and learning to tune. I've been running e85 for about 2 years now on my daily driven Regal. I would say the MPG hit was a lot bigger in my case. I was getting 24-26mpg on gas, and now I usually get 17-18 on e85 even with a leaner open loop tune. I still won't switch back though. Too much fun knowing that I can always run full boost with safety.

At WOT I use a ton more fuel thats for sure, but I have it tuned for milage under cruise conditions therefore saving MPGs.

For the long term users, how do our fuel pumps hold up with the ethanol?

Read about other situations where a pump (or trio of pumps) might only last six months on E85 in a weekend warrior.

Originally Posted by JoRoW99

I agree with the OP, except my MPG loss was greater. OP, are you looking at the DIC or are you actually calculating it? cuz my MPG on the DIC only dropped like 4 mpg highway but dropped like 10 when i calculate it.

Im on the 3.4 with 21* of timing on a top swap and no knock, im going to be going down to a 3.25 next.

Calculating at the pump. Filled full, went all the way down. Did the math. Came out to like 18mpg (mostly city).

Originally Posted by JoRoW99

well i guess i was looking at the DIC for my readings initially, but yea 19mpg highway sucks azz. getting like 15-16 city. My MAF might need tuned better but i do have the cruise timing up as far as i care to tune it, as well as some tranny settings to make it shift earlier under low throttle. still crappy.

Try a MAF tune... Do you carry any fuel with you? I always have a 10Gal Tank with e85 in the trunk and a gas tuned PCM just in case

Originally Posted by gtpsleeper

Sorry but every time I see this statement I have to correct it... nothing personal... just nit picky like that

E85 is actually only ~96 octane using the Canada/US scale... the fact that it burns so much cooler is why it seems higher...

And I dont know if you did this and didn mention it but its a good idea to replace your fuel filter a couple times (i did 3 to be safe) in the first 1k miles as the ethanol will clean out a bunch of crap in your fuel tank/system...

I am seeing similar mpg changes that you are having as im mainly city aswell...


Matt, been DDing my car for over a year on e85 no problem... in fact I just installed the rewire about a week ago... and Im running a 2.8 on a genV...

our stock pumps are boss....

Lol, I always heard 105 sorrry! :P I really dont care if its 8 octane it works :P Yeah im on a 3.2 with the stock pump. I can feel it cut out when I had my shift points at 5700 but now I took that down.

IMO who cares about the octane. The stuff works really well.