E85 Fuel

Randy87T

New Member
Oct 1, 2009
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Iowa
Hi all

I'm Randy. I have been absent from the forums a couple of years but now have some time to tune on the supra so I am back.

I did a search on E85 fuel but didn't find anything. I have heard that the turbo cars run better with the E85 fuel. Supposedly the engine runs cooler, can developement more power and it eliminates detonation. Can someone give me some info and requirements for running E85 on our MKIII or direct me to a thread that can answer my questions?

Take care
Randy87T
 

Warpath

Help me Jeebus!!
Oct 28, 2008
135
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St.Louis
I have offten wondered this as well. My f-150 is a flex fuel truck, & I have used e85 in it. The only thing I really noticed is alittle more power & it gets even less gas milage than with 87 oct.
 

Randy87T

New Member
Oct 1, 2009
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Iowa
I got this from a guy I just met that owns an Olds National. He runs straight E85 but due to the 30% increase in fuel volume required (due to the alcohol) that he uses injectors that are three times larger than stock (79lb injectors ??) and has two Walbro's in the fuel tank. I have 550's and a single Walbro. He says that since my fuel system is smaller that I should start with only four gallons or so and start leaning out the fuel from there while watching egt's. Add more gallons of E85 until I find a nice comination.

Randy87T
 

mark1987supra

work in progress
May 26, 2008
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Des Moines
The issue with e85 is it is alcohol. Being so it will eat any lines and seals, that are not rated for it. The guy with the grand national was also correct that it will also probably require a larger injector or higher dwell. That being said in order to convert over you will need to make sure that your fuel pump, all fuel lines (including return), any fittings on the fuel rail(ie. pulsation dampener), and injectors can handle alcohol. I think the stock fuel rail and hard lines should be fine but I may be wrong. Also a fuel computer (like SAFC or simmilar piggyback or standalone) and a wideband would be recomended.
 

mkIIIman089

Supramania Contributor
Mar 30, 2005
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Ohio
Ethanol fuel (10 or 85 or 100) is a step backwards from gasoline, in almost every conceivable way.
 

Poodles

I play with fire
Jul 22, 2006
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Fort Worth, TX
LOL

Um, no. It's higher octane and cheaper than gasoline right now. Basicly it's cheap race gas and in a car with forced induction it will allow you to run more boost.

Doesn't have as many BTU's as gasoline so it will have lower milage, but as you're building for power, who cares?
 

gofastgeorge

Banned
Jan 24, 2008
944
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Texas
A lot of info on the subject on http://www.e85forum.com/
Like the injectors needing to be 25% larger.
And everything on a modern EFI system being OK with E85 already.

Just using a S-AFC, and dialing up the signal won't do it,
as most ECUs will have the injector on time (pulse width) at nearly 85% at full throttle, full boost, and max RPM already.

You possibly could do it by jacking the fuel pressure up, then using a S-AFC to fine tune the system.

And I have talked with the Walbro pump distributor about it (http://www.fuel-pumps.net/),
and they say their pumps will work just fine with E85.
I would not use one of the chinese knock-off pumps with it though......
 

mkIIIman089

Supramania Contributor
Mar 30, 2005
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Ohio
Poodles;1473368 said:
LOL

Um, no. It's higher octane and cheaper than gasoline right now. Basicly it's cheap race gas and in a car with forced induction it will allow you to run more boost.

You need ~25% more to safely maintain power levels of gasoline, E85 is what... $.20 cheaper than gasoline per gallon? That doesn't add up to cheaper at all!

Corn ethanol is worthless, from a business/cost, performance, and longevity perspective.
 

Randy87T

New Member
Oct 1, 2009
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Iowa
This thread is not about saving money on gas it's about making horsepower and doing it more safely than using gasoline.

Thanks everyone for the links. I will check them out.
 

turboguy327

New Member
Sep 11, 2009
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Rochester ny
E-85 is a great fuel. Its basically streel legal race gas. A local guy has a Mk4 and has been running E85 for about a year now. Its all about the tune and A/F. He was making around 800 rwhp with stock internals. Not sure on the boost levels but he is also running meth. I can see if I can get him or his tuner on here if you like.
 

Randy87T

New Member
Oct 1, 2009
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Iowa
turboguy327;1473531 said:
E-85 is a great fuel. Its basically streel legal race gas. A local guy has a Mk4 and has been running E85 for about a year now. Its all about the tune and A/F. He was making around 800 rwhp with stock internals. Not sure on the boost levels but he is also running meth. I can see if I can get him or his tuner on here if you like.

Yeah... I've heard it's a great fuel for turbocharged engines. From everything I've read so far all I need to do is change out my 550 injectors for some 680-720's since I am using the Lex afm. Otherwise it will run too lean.

Also have a T61 with 3 inch exhaust but the fun part is the four inch downpipe with an electric dump. Got most of the supporting mods such as afpr, safc, avcr, bigger intercooler, etc. Not sure what hp I make but should be around 400. If I get the injectors changed out and run e85 then power should come up substanitally with a good dyno tuning session. The smart thing to do is get on the dyno now and then again after the bigger injectors are installed and running e85. Then would know exactly what the gain would be. But money is a bit scarce nowadays.
 

Randy87T

New Member
Oct 1, 2009
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Iowa
turboguy327;1473531 said:
E-85 is a great fuel. Its basically streel legal race gas. A local guy has a Mk4 and has been running E85 for about a year now. Its all about the tune and A/F. He was making around 800 rwhp with stock internals. Not sure on the boost levels but he is also running meth. I can see if I can get him or his tuner on here if you like.

oh and forgot to mention that it would be great to bring him in for suggestions/questions.
 

grimreaper

New Member
Jul 2, 2008
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Dallas
you'll have to adjust the tune with the season changes. Some what small doses in regular gas has an immediate affect on AF/r. Careful! Meth and e85?! thats got to be a lot of boost + timing!