So I was curious if anyone ran E85? I know a lot of things have to be changed in order to run it (stainless steel lines, rubber that complies, etc), but it seems like some folks that need higher octane for higher compression engines are starting to run it. I know some hot rodders are buying parts specifically for E85.
This isn't an E85 and the Government bashing thread, I just want to know if people have ran it, pros and cons, etc.
With boost you can make MONDO power.
That is the extent of my knowledge.
A big concern that comes to mind is how fast E85 is liable to pick up water in a vented fuel system, both at the tank and at the carb. Probably not an issue if it's driven daily, but most classics aren't.
Another thing is "E85" can legally be as low as E51, so if you tune a carb for 85% you could end up running pretty rich on some pump fuel. Also an issue if you're looking at E85 for the octane. Flex fuel cars have ethanol sensors to automatically adjust the tune, I know you can use a GM flex fuel sensor with megasquirt for this.
I've known a couple guys who have done it. When you say classic car, that implies a carburetor - a big thing to worry about is having a carb that's compatible with e85. It can be really corrosive if it sits in the carb for any length of time.
Classic Car = I would use E0 gasoline
They were not made to run on corn squeezins!
In reply to bentwrench:
In my (somewhat limited) experience E10 is not an issue in old stuff so long as it's driven at least weekly and the fuel stabilized if it will sit (double dose of blue stabil), with special attention paid to the carburetor(fill through the vent with 2 stroke oil).
Kenny_McCormic wrote: Flex fuel cars have ethanol sensors to automatically adjust the tune, I know you can use a GM flex fuel sensor with megasquirt for this.
A lot of new stuff doesn't use ethanol sensors anymore. They have software that uses o2 sensor feedback to adjust the fuel map and "assume" some ethanol content.
A few years ago HOT ROD was doing a lot of articles on high compression engines that were being built for muscle cars in the Midwest where E85 is very available. As long as you have the proper equipment in your fuel system (vents, lines, etc.), and don't plan on doing long trips, it could be a cheap ticket to big power.
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