Who here dailies an E-85 vehicle?
I'm going to be tuning my car for E-85, within the next couple weeks and I'm unfamiliar with owning an E-85 car.
What are some of the pros and cons?
Obviously, finding locations that have E-85 can be a pain in the ass. There is a location down the street from me that carries it so that's not a problem. I'll also be able to reflash my ECU (since I own the software key) with a secondary 91 octane tune for for long trips.
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My general knowledge of high-ethanol fuel:
1. Goes bad much quicker than conventional gasoline; better have a fuel stabilizer if you're going away 1 month+
2. Creates more gunk than conventional fuel
3. Fucks up carburetors; if you have fuel injection, you're good to go.
4. Not all gas stations have E-85 (Which country do you live in?)
Anyone correct me if I'm wrong.
You spend more than you save.
About my fourth point:
I know that OP has a station with E-85 fuel in his neighborhood, but if he runs low on fuel somewhere else, he's fucked.
Basically, OP will have to make sure the tank is filled up every morning and avoid very long car trips (or carry gallons of fuel in the trunk...)
Shit gas mileage. Supporting the big corn lobby.
I live in the U.S near a major city so I have ready access to it in a few locations along my usual routes.
I hadn't read about the build-up issue, guess I'll look into that. I may just outright replace my fuel filter before the tune.
Yeah, I did read about the increase in volume consumed vs. cost. You do end up spending a little more but MORE POWAAAAAAAAAAA
This is really the only reason I'm considering it. I have a few locations near by. Apparently if it's an emergency I can use 91 octane or higher if I take it easy.
I used an OFT to tune my FR-S for E85 and it's been good. Gas mileage is something like 20% less but the gains are everywhere in the power band so I'm not complaining.
What were your gains overall you think?
My Fiesta is tuned for an ethanol blend, but I can swap to a 93 map without reflashing the ECU if E85 is inconvenient.
That's what I plan on doing. How's the fiesta liking the E85?
It's a night and day difference from 93. They are both maps tuned by a top ecoboost tuner, it adds about 10whp/30tq over the 93 (for totals of around 225whp/275tq or so).
A friend just bought a canned e30 tune for stratified and reported the same (over Cobb OTS Stage 3 93). If you can have multiple Maps on the same tune it makes life way easier.
Probably like 10%-15% of original HP/TQ.
Unfortunately mazda is a little aidsy with their ECU's so it does require a reflash every time. The upside is that I get a copy of the software that will allow me to do it at home from my laptop so that's neat.
10/30 Is pretty beast though. I can wait to see what it's like. I've been talking to the tuner and we're guesstimating around 30whp/30tq from just tuning it. Possibly more with E85. Making ~210whp/210tp on an N/A 4cyl is gonna be fucking goofy.
How often do you oil changes for the additional hydroscopic properties of E85? like 4-5k?
I honestly didn't adjust my maintenance schedule, but I usually do an oil change every 5k-7k miles anyway. I don't run E30 full time, usually just when I want to have some extra fun.
My map slots are set up for 93/E30/91/low boost economy tune and can be swapped between whole the car is running (so nice). Having Cobb support for the STs is huge.
Hopefully there isn't long term downsides.
There is Cobb support (HEH PUNS) on the 1st gen mazdaspeeds but I think 2gen something changed to ruin that
God I wish it were that easy.
I saw a big sign on a liquor store once that said
100% ETHANOL, NO GAS
kek
Just asking, but why would you use E85 over LPG?
>112 RON vs ~102 RON (E85
>better energy density, so your range isn't hurt
>higher latent heat of vaporistion, for extra intake charge cooling
>phase change from liquid to gas, for some more effect of said latent heat of vaporisation
The only argument I could think of would be availability.
Not all fuel injection systems are good to go though. You need an electronic system, with all the lines, rubbers and anything degradable replaced so it can take E85. Also, your fuel pump or injectors need to spray in more fuel, so you might need bigger ones.
You can use flexfuel systems, that way your ECU simply compensates for not having ethanol. You'll lose power, but it'll get you home.
Definitely availability.
I could see maybe paying for a tune if I tracked/autocross more often but I autocross maybe twice a year.
E-85 is the best performing fuel I have ready access to. After that I have plenty of 93 octane is the most abundant.
It is the cheapest high octane fuel you can get though.
E85 tuning the FRS/BRZ has always had good results, the factory tune is bad, even on regular fuel
>that torque dip
Most newer vehicles are able to run it with a tune, the most common issues are fuel delivery like you stated (pump and injectors)
Fuel delivery isn't a problem for my vehicle apparently. He said he's done about 6 clients and 2 test vehicles on my model car and fuel delivery is well within the capability of the fuel pump because it is a ford/mazda part that supposedly is used in flex fuel vehicles. Injectors can put out the volume needed.
For flex fuel vehicles, is there still the same loss of economy but gain in performance vs. regular fuel?
It's only really worth it if your car is tuned for it.
The reason it's so good is because it has a cooling effect on the engine and high octane to prevent knock. This means you can run absurdly high amounts of boost.
If you run it without being tuned to take a lot more boost (and make more power), you're just going to rage at the amount of fuel you waste.
It burns 55% faster than conventional pump gas.
Great power gains though and makes an engine like a rb26 much safer.
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Do not even think about running it unless you have an aftermarket ecu and had your car on the dyno to get properly tuned to run more boost.
Others have also mentioned the seals, but for the amount of fuel you'll burn it's not worth it until you have it properly tuned to make a lot of power.
It does not just automatically give more power. Your car must be tuned to take advantage of the different fuel and adjust the air/fuel ratios accordingly.
ask.metafilter.com
There's some decent reading in here.
Running higher octane without a tune is insanely ignorant anyway, it wont harm the engine but you're wasting your money
E85 however has different stoichiometric values. That's why there's loss in economy, E85 runs like 10:1 while 87 is something like 14:1.
As for the seals, I was under the impression that rubber corrosion hasn't been a thing for years since the whole flex fuel movement and since every manufacturer has been pushing fuel economy.
I get a good smell of E85 after running my FR-S hard, and the next time I go to start it up while it still smells it won't start right away. It'll crank a few more times than usual. Not sure if that's an issue with the E85 itself or something else.
My chassis code is e85 does that count
Cold starting is a thing with E85.
are you not priming the fuel pump?
It does it regardless if the engine is still hot.
How do I do that?