Thread: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel?

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  1. #1 Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
    Perma-Banned! JK LOL Explicit_Spade's Avatar
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    If I were to set everything up for E85, but wanted the ability to run gas without having a laptop with me to switch tunes could this be done?

    What if the high octane settings were for the 85% ethanol and the low octane settings were for 91+ octane gasoline.
    Quote Originally Posted by W-Body Store
    Remember, GM engineers didn't take into account your need for speed.
    Daily Driver: 06 Grand Prix GT / 9.4:1 CR / IS3 Heads / Ported Gen V / ZZP Headers / HPT Pro / Pulleys: 4.25, 3.8, 3.5, 3.4, 3.2, 3.0, 2.9, 2.7
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  2. #2 Re: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
    GrandPrix Junkie SgtMarshal's Avatar
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    I don't really know, but I would be surprised if the programming allowed a switch like that
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  3. #3 Re: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
    GTP Level Member 97AutoXVette's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Explicit_Spade View Post
    What if the high octane settings were for the 85% ethanol and the low octane settings were for 91+ octane gasoline.
    I would love to know this as well, cause I would consider it. I have "heard" that our 3800 tunes only use the high-octane table, and that they do not sense octane content. Not sure if that is true though. Would need some more experienced folks to chime in on that.
    1998 GTP sedan: sold, 1999 GTP coupe #1: sold, 1999 GTP coupe #2 on E85: totalled
    2002 GTP sedan:
    3" downpipe|PLOG|poly mts|160 T*|60# Injectors|ZZP Intake|1.8 YT RRs|Ported Gen3|Ported ZZP S2 TB|E85|FP rewire|ZZP FSIC|WP UD Pulley|2.8 MPS|HP-Tuners
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  4. #4 Re: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
    Donating User Swiggles's Avatar
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    That's how the flex fuel cars it. I'm sure there's more to why the pcm switches to the low octane table, more knock of something..
    No more GP 04 Impala SS Indy:
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  5. #5 Re: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
    Turbo is the way to go. Fivefingerdeathpunch's Avatar
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    They go to a low octane table when knock is present and in a way mixes both tables together to pick a timing number to use. Otherwise without knock it uses the high octane table.

    3800 computers do not sense alcohol content in fuel, they are too stupid to do that. Flex fuel vehicles either have a virtual FF sensor that uses the o2 sensors to sense a change in oxygen in the gases, then it guesstimates a alcohol content to use. Then the computer has 2 other timing tables along with adders and multiplers for alcohol content. It's far more complex that anything these cars could handle. The other way is a real flex fuel sensor to measure alcohol content, that too uses the same tables but is far more accurate.

    If you owned an early LS1 car there is a company that installs a 2nd "memory stick" in the computer that will allow for 2 seperate tunes on the same computer. You just have to flip a switch to swap between the two.

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  6. #6 Re: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
    Perma-Banned! JK LOL Explicit_Spade's Avatar
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    This is all theory, but... on an e-85 tune, wouldn't 91 octane/ E10 fuel cause knock and would force the PCM to revert to the low octane table?

    Stoich for 91 Octane/E10 would be (14.7 x 0.90) + (9.00 x 0.10) = 14.13 AFR.
    Stoich for E85 would be (14.7 x 0.15) + (9.00 x 0.85) = 9.855 AFR.
    Stoich for winter/blend E70 would be (14.7 x 0.30) + (9.00 x 0.70) = 9.310 AFR

    With that being said, if you set the AFR for E85, once the gasoline is noticed as causing KR by the PCM (which will happen due to the lower octane) and it reverts to the gasoline/low octane tune, the car would just run rich.

    Who has a stock donor car locally that I can try this on? lol
    Quote Originally Posted by W-Body Store
    Remember, GM engineers didn't take into account your need for speed.
    Daily Driver: 06 Grand Prix GT / 9.4:1 CR / IS3 Heads / Ported Gen V / ZZP Headers / HPT Pro / Pulleys: 4.25, 3.8, 3.5, 3.4, 3.2, 3.0, 2.9, 2.7
    Projects: 86 Monte Carlo SS / 98 Sonoma / 74 Honda CB750
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  7. #7 Re: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
    GT Level Member willie14's Avatar
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    I cant remember what thread I read this on but arnt we able to run a mix blend of E85 w pump gas around 30% for E30 without creating any adverse effects? Are there any advantages to running this mixed blend or Is one just wasting time doing so?.....
    98 Grand prix SE to GTP conversion( in works). Full body conversion in works, drilled n slotted rotors, ceramics, all new suspension, custom CAI, NGK wires/Vpower plugs, SD headers, 180 Tstat, AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF PAINT BABY!! Tuned by E&J performance.
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  8. #8 Re: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
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    Wouldn't you need to also change the fuel tables? Not sure how you could accomplish that without flashing every time you switched fuel.
    1998 Grand Prix GTP aka The Family Sedan
    CAI, 1.8 rockers, U-bend delete, 3.4 pulley, tuned by me
    1999 Turbo Grand Prix
    L36 turbo build in progress
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  9. #9 Re: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
    GrandPrix Junkie SgtMarshal's Avatar
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    I'm running a 40% 91/E85 blend now. it is a bit of a fuss to calculate the ratios and use a gas can at the pump. All I have done is tune the mass air flow sensor because ethanol makes the car run leaner. I am planning on switching to pump E85 in the next couple weeks. the problem I run into is that the gas station that sells E85 is 90 miles away, so I will be using gas cans to keep the car filled up. I don't drive the Grand Prix everyday, so it should be fine.

    to the original poster: it is a simple thing to have multiple tunes saved with hp tuner, and switching back and forth would only be a matter of draining the gas tank, filling up with the desired fuel, and then loading the associated tune.
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  10. #10 Re: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
    Donating User Swiggles's Avatar
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    Or have a spare pcm with the e85 tune and you can just swap pcms. You would have to wait for the shifts and fuel trims to learn again tho.
    No more GP 04 Impala SS Indy:
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  11. #11 Re: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
    GXP Level Member coolone's Avatar
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    Just carry an extra pcm in the trunk set for the alternate fuel and when you fill up, swap the PCM's...

    done...
    Overkill BBC Cam, YT 1.8 RR's, Rhodes Lifters, STGII Heads, GenV, Pacesetters, 3" Exh to Tips, TEP Trans. N*, ID 75# injectors/E85 coming soon
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  12. #12 Re: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
    GXP Level Member GTPpower's Avatar
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    This could possibly work, but not that great. The change doesn't happen immediately.

    But, the problem is, your fuel trims won't be able to change fueling enough.

    Also, running e85 (unless you aren't really using it) and then going to 91, will be pretty hard on the motor with all the knock it will see.


    2001 GTP Drag Car - XPZ, Tischler heads, Upsidedown M90 IC'd, e85, Gen V, 2.3 w/ 5%OD
    2005 F350 6.0 - studded, deleted, tuned
    2001 GTP - cam, headers, nitrous, stock trans - 11.83 @ 116 <$2k in mods - sold
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  13. #13 Re: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
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    Quote Originally Posted by Explicit_Spade View Post
    This is all theory, but... on an e-85 tune, wouldn't 91 octane/ E10 fuel cause knock and would force the PCM to revert to the low octane table?

    Stoich for 91 Octane/E10 would be (14.7 x 0.90) + (9.00 x 0.10) = 14.13 AFR.
    Stoich for E85 would be (14.7 x 0.15) + (9.00 x 0.85) = 9.855 AFR.
    Stoich for winter/blend E70 would be (14.7 x 0.30) + (9.00 x 0.70) = 9.310 AFR

    With that being said, if you set the AFR for E85, once the gasoline is noticed as causing KR by the PCM (which will happen due to the lower octane) and it reverts to the gasoline/low octane tune, the car would just run rich.

    Who has a stock donor car locally that I can try this on? lol
    You can't just go putting in different Stoich settings into the PCM. It will always run Stoich no matter what as the O2 sensor only reads Stoich. So when the car is running correctly on E85 it's running at 9.8:1. All I needed to do in order to run E85 on my 05' was change the IFR table by 34%. I have my wideband set to read on a gas scale because when talking to people they don't really know rich/lean on a E85 scale so it's just easier to state you are 12:1 or 15:1 than it is to say you are at 6:1 or 10:1. Just seems more people understand gas over E85.
    An engine is an engine no matter the size.... I think Dr. Seuss said that... or maybe it was Big Weld....
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  14. #14 Re: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
    GXP Level Member 91parkave's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by J57ltr View Post
    You can't just go putting in different Stoich settings into the PCM. It will always run Stoich no matter what as the O2 sensor only reads Stoich. So when the car is running correctly on E85 it's running at 9.8:1. All I needed to do in order to run E85 on my 05' was change the IFR table by 34%. I have my wideband set to read on a gas scale because when talking to people they don't really know rich/lean on a E85 scale so it's just easier to state you are 12:1 or 15:1 than it is to say you are at 6:1 or 10:1. Just seems more people understand gas over E85.
    no its whatever you set stoic in the pcm is hat it will command. raping ifr is completely unnecessary if the right Stoich Is input.
    06 GXP | 222/227 cam/cartuning turbo kit on 8psi/meth/e85 coilovers/ still on stock trans at 130k
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  15. #15 Re: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
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    The O2 can't read anything other than Stoich anything on the rich or lean side is just a guess this is why we run a wideband. I guess I could see that if you punch it in as a different amount, but it didn't seem to work on my 05'. Then again skew doesn't work either.
    An engine is an engine no matter the size.... I think Dr. Seuss said that... or maybe it was Big Weld....
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  16. #16 Re: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
    GXP Level Member GTPpower's Avatar
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    It may command whatever stoich is, but that's not necessarily what it will run. For instance, you can change stoich to 17.0 on a stock car, but the trims will correct it to actually run at 14.7.


    2001 GTP Drag Car - XPZ, Tischler heads, Upsidedown M90 IC'd, e85, Gen V, 2.3 w/ 5%OD
    2005 F350 6.0 - studded, deleted, tuned
    2001 GTP - cam, headers, nitrous, stock trans - 11.83 @ 116 <$2k in mods - sold
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  17. #17 Re: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
    GXP Level Member 91parkave's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GTPpower View Post
    It may command whatever stoich is, but that's not necessarily what it will run. For instance, you can change stoich to 17.0 on a stock car, but the trims will correct it to actually run at 14.7.
    trims will correct to whatever stoich is set too.
    06 GXP | 222/227 cam/cartuning turbo kit on 8psi/meth/e85 coilovers/ still on stock trans at 130k
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  18. #18 Re: Randon Thought: Flex Fuel? 
    GXP Level Member GTPpower's Avatar
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    No, they wont. Otherwise we could lean these cars out during cruise while keeping it in closed loop.


    2001 GTP Drag Car - XPZ, Tischler heads, Upsidedown M90 IC'd, e85, Gen V, 2.3 w/ 5%OD
    2005 F350 6.0 - studded, deleted, tuned
    2001 GTP - cam, headers, nitrous, stock trans - 11.83 @ 116 <$2k in mods - sold
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