The Truth about E-85

[331lx]

Ok guys I wanna switch to e-85 for my 331 and I keep getting mixed reviews about it. Some people say its awesome, some people say its pointless to switch and others say it will destroy fuel lines and tank. Assuming a person has the adequate fuel pump and injectors what would be the pros and cons of switching to corn fuel. if you have ran this fuel please give your opinion and experience with switching thanks

[Mista Bone]

Jeff to the red phone please.

#1 problem I see with corn fuel, you never know what blend you'll be getting from the pump. Right now you'd get a 70/30 blend at the pump.

[jktruckin06]

I'll go ahead and rant about it. For a daily driver, you get less fuel mileage... OK, it is cheaper but if you figure out the costs, you will still be losing money with e85. Annnnd even if it got you better mileage, just look up all your tax dollars that are going to pay for subsidies to corn farmers. You are paying for the corn to be grown in the first place.

If you're looking for HP performance alone... do it!

[cobraman302]

Pros- increased power, ability to run higher boost on a "pump" fuel, and the cool factor of being corn fed.

Cons- Inability to get fuel "anywhere" I would be hesitant to take an e-85 only car on a long road trip in fear of not finding an E-85 station when in need. You should have a regular gasoline tune in your tuner/flip chip still for safety. Also, increased cost of switching fuel system components to make up for the extra fuel needed to run E-85. Also, fear of inconsistency of fuel mix...but there are hand held portable testers that you can use before filling your tank. Also, some tuners don't like using it. I asked Adam about switching to E-85 when I was going turbo on the 97 Cobra, he advised me not to.

Personally I would do the switch on a forced induction car if its a weekend cruiser/warrior. I would not do it to a car that would be driven daily, and/or is non aspirated. Just my opinions/thoughts though.

[Jeff88coupe]

Well...it depends on your application for E85 if it makes sense to use it or not. I've run it for about the last 4 years in my mustang.

For a daily driver flex fuel vehicle..probably not worth it. You need to calculate your mpg for both gas and e85 in miles per dollar to really see which is better for you. The local cincy Kroger gas stations that carry E85 sell for for 60 cents less per gal than 87 all the time.
For a performance application it makes sense to use if you take advantage of it's potential...it's cheap race gas. I.E. run enough compression or boost to make running 93 pump gas not a option. E85 has been proven many times to safely make just as much HP as C16 race gas on boosted setups. It also works well on at least moderate nitrous setups. I use to run it on my old 347 efi nitrous motor...worked great.

Personally I'll never run anything but E85 in my turbo car as along as I can still buy it in the area. Kroger gas stations keep the summer E85 blend year round at their pumps in the cincy area..not sure why but that's what the Kroger regional gas station manager told me.

[331lx]

I want it strictly for performance. I will also have a pump gas tune incase I am somewhere where there isn't e85. I am running a high compression nitrous motor so I think I can benifit from e85 plus there is a station right by my house. The car will never see cold weather so I should be getting summer blend all the time.

[331lx]

The car is mainly a strip car other than cruising around town on weekends and driving to track. I usually never go far from home. So does e85 destroy fuel lines and tanks or is this bs I hear.

[kennebellcobra]

The car is mainly a strip car other than cruising around town on weekends and driving to track. I usually never go far from home. So does e85 destroy fuel lines and tanks or is this bs I hear.

I only switched to it this year but have had the tank out and saw no signs of any trouble.

I did a lot of research on it before I switched and came across guys that have been running for years with no problems.

Be sure and change your filter often after the switch.

[331lx]

I only switched to it this year but have had the tank out and saw no signs of any trouble.

I did a lot of research on it before I switched and came across guys that have been running for years with no problems.

Be sure and change your filter often after the switch.
I to have been doin a lot of research. I called Anderson and they are dead against it. I always hear things about the tank corroding from it but no o.e has yet to show pics or evidence of it

[05yellowgt]

I've been running E85 going on 4 years now and there have been zero ill effects. The only thing to watch out for is using paper fuel filters. The ethanol can have an effect on the glue used to hold the filter paper together. Switch to a stainless steel filter and no worries.

[kennebellcobra]

I to have been doin a lot of research. I called Anderson and they are dead against it.

Did they give you a reason?

[cstreu1026]

There should be no concern with it corroding anything made of steel. We always have 6-8 regular steel 55 gallon drums of 195 proof ethanol here at work. I've never seen one leak or corrode because of the contents. The only issue I see with it on older steel fuel lines and tanks is that it can dissolve deposits left behnd by regular gas.

[331lx]

Did they give you a reason?

Told me it would ruin tank and lines

[331lx]

And they told me there to many negatives that outweigh the positives from using it but I hear so many great things that make me wanna use it.

[90fastgt]

I have been wanting to make the switch also for my new setup but I think my injectors are to small an I don't want to have to pay the money for bigger injectors unless its really worth it

[331lx]

any other opinions on the corn fuel

[90fastgt]

make the switch i think im goin to

[05yellowgt]

The truth is that E85 is better than the McRib!

[AntiRice427]

I ran my green 95 GT on E85 4 or 5 years ago and it was great. It def ran smoother and cooler. Not all cars will make more power with it. It just depends weather or not your combo can take advantage of the higher octane. My car is going to be on E85 next year. Those guys at anderson are very set in their ways and very closed minded. I have seen them proved wrong about a few things. I quit listening to other people. 9 times out of 10 people don't know what the hell they are talking about. They are just repeating what they hear/read from other people. The best way to figure out what works is to just try it for your self.

[90fastgt]

I ran my green 95 GT on E85 4 or 5 years ago and it was great. It def ran smoother and cooler. Not all cars will make more power with it. It just depends weather or not your combo can take advantage of the higher octane. My car is going to be on E85 next year. Those guys at anderson are very set in their ways and very closed minded. I have seen them proved wrong about a few things. I quit listening to other people. 9 times out of 10 people don't know what the hell they are talking about. They are just repeating what they hear/read from other people. The best way to figure out what works is to just try it for your self.

i agree 100%

[331lx]

I ran my green 95 GT on E85 4 or 5 years ago and it was great. It def ran smoother and cooler. Not all cars will make more power with it. It just depends weather or not your combo can take advantage of the higher octane. My car is going to be on E85 next year. Those guys at anderson are very set in their ways and very closed minded. I have seen them proved wrong about a few things. I quit listening to other people. 9 times out of 10 people don't know what the hell they are talking about. They are just repeating what they hear/read from other people. The best way to figure out what works is to just try it for your self.
U hit the nail on the head. That's what I needed to hear I am making the switch for this season

[kennebellcobra]

Just got 5 gallons Saturday from Krogers and it still tested 85%:D

It has tested 85-86% every time so far.

[dsmawd350]

think i might give it a try this spring see how much i can make on 96lb injectors and a magnafuel 625 for a cheap alternative to race gas. dont think ill be able to flow enough to make big power though so i might still run c16 at the track

[331lx]

Just got 5 gallons Saturday from Krogers and it still tested 85%:D

It has tested 85-86% every time so far.

Nice I was gonna buy a steel drum full at the beginning of season so I have the same mixture for whole race season. Is this ok or will it go bad like gas after sitting a few months

[kennebellcobra]

Nice I was gonna buy a steel drum full at the beginning of season so I have the same mixture for whole race season. Is this ok or will it go bad like gas after sitting a few months

I've read as long as its sealed in a dry location it will be fine.

[331lx]

I've read as long as its sealed in a dry location it will be fine.

Great thanks man

[90fastgt]

Do most of the Kroger's sale e85 I'm goin to make the switch to I think I'm goin to try on my 42s an hope there enough if not I will have to change them no big deal Adam at s an m said he though I should be able to get 400 rwhp With the 42s or close I was hoping for more but we will see what next season holds

[flyin2jz]

What kind of combo are u Planning on running. 400 is nothing for 42s. They are good for around 550 or so na

[90fastgt]

Its milled gt 40s with 1.6rr e303 cam on 9 pounds from a superchargerwith stock bottom end they say e85 requires bigger injectors an pump then normal gas or race gas

[kennebellcobra]

Do most of the Kroger's sale e85

I know the ones around this area all do.

[Jeff88coupe]

I know the ones around this area all do.

Not all of the Kroger gas stations carry E85 in town...but I do know the stations in Hebron, Latonia, and Finnytown do. I'm sure there are others though.

[NXcoupe]

I started playing around with E85 back in 06/07. A lot of folks thought I was a moron for trying it and putting it in my car. They talked about 'corrosiveness' of alcohol, and that it was going to eat up my engine, etc, etc. Well, I tuned quite a few of my friends cars at the time, working through different methods of how to richen the a/f up enough yet have good throttle response and cold running performance. My purple GT I drove for the past year was on E85 and E70, wrote two tunes, and had a switch chip on it. The car has very high compression and running race gas was out of the question. My car made 470 rwhp with 42lb injectors, and a GSS340 pump in the tank, stock lines, stock rails, stock regulator. My vert made 600 rwhp on a stock block 347 with low compression and only 13 lbs of boost at peak. I drove it everywhere, and had three tunes, E85, E70, and premium gas for long trips. Drove it every chance I got, never had one issue with it in any of my vehicles. I tuned John's car when we put it on E85, Justin's GT, and quite a few others. I have yet to gain hp by swapping for a good octane fuel over to E85, but that doesn't mean it can't happen, I just haven't seen it.
If you need a good high octane fuel for your car to run properly, then this is the fuel for you. Turbo or blower cars really can see the benefit because of the reduced chance for detonation due to the cooling effect of ethanol and the high octane. I have not tried it with nitrous, but I know after following Jeff's progress that it is a very good option there as well.
The only issue I ever had with E85 was really a non issue, as I had a newer tank that had been sitting around for a while, got it sumped, filled it up and after a few miles started losing fuel pressure. I pulled the filter apart and every bit of grease and sludge out of that new tank was in my filter screen. I cleaned it a couple more times and from then on it was fine.
A higher capacity fuel system and filter system always is a plus when using E85 on high hp combos. I just wanted to see how stock stuff would work with it and found my 393 loved it. I also found out that you can detonate on E85, it is possible. I wanted to explore the limits of E85 and this is the latest one I found.

[331lx]

I started playing around with E85 back in 06/07. A lot of folks thought I was a moron for trying it and putting it in my car. They talked about 'corrosiveness' of alcohol, and that it was going to eat up my engine, etc, etc. Well, I tuned quite a few of my friends cars at the time, working through different methods of how to richen the a/f up enough yet have good throttle response and cold running performance. My purple GT I drove for the past year was on E85 and E70, wrote two tunes, and had a switch chip on it. The car has very high compression and running race gas was out of the question. My car made 470 rwhp with 42lb injectors, and a GSS340 pump in the tank, stock lines, stock rails, stock regulator. My vert made 600 rwhp on a stock block 347 with low compression and only 13 lbs of boost at peak. I drove it everywhere, and had three tunes, E85, E70, and premium gas for long trips. Drove it every chance I got, never had one issue with it in any of my vehicles. I tuned John's car when we put it on E85, Justin's GT, and quite a few others. I have yet to gain hp by swapping for a good octane fuel over to E85, but that doesn't mean it can't happen, I just haven't seen it.
If you need a good high octane fuel for your car to run properly, then this is the fuel for you. Turbo or blower cars really can see the benefit because of the reduced chance for detonation due to the cooling effect of ethanol and the high octane. I have not tried it with nitrous, but I know after following Jeff's progress that it is a very good option there as well.
The only issue I ever had with E85 was really a non issue, as I had a newer tank that had been sitting around for a while, got it sumped, filled it up and after a few miles started losing fuel pressure. I pulled the filter apart and every bit of grease and sludge out of that new tank was in my filter screen. I cleaned it a couple more times and from then on it was fine.
A higher capacity fuel system and filter system always is a plus when using E85 on high hp combos. I just wanted to see how stock stuff would work with it and found my 393 loved it. I also found out that you can detonate on E85, it is possible. I wanted to explore the limits of E85 and this is the latest one I found.

Very well said. i got a 340pump and 60lb injectors so i will have plenty for e85. Maybe nxt year i will do a larger cam,dome pistons, ported heads and swap to a e85 carb

[RacerX]

The downside to "corn" ethanol is that it absorbs water from the air, thats where you get the rust from. Over a short time it separates from the gas/ethanol and you have a amount of water.

No doubt it will make more power and run cooler, but it takes more of it to do so...

When I raced a alky car we drained the entire fuel system after each race and ran a little gas through. Then put the alky back in the barrell that was sealed. Only had trouble once, maybe my fault as we tried a little nitromethane and I think it separated and caused some scary moments.

Try it, thats the only way to know it's for you. IMHO good gas is the way to go, smells better too!


DR

[331lx]

The downside to "corn" ethanol is that it absorbs water from the air, thats where you get the rust from. Over a short time it separates from the gas/ethanol and you have a amount of water.

No doubt it will make more power and run cooler, but it takes more of it to do so...

When I raced a alky car we drained the entire fuel system after each race and ran a little gas through. Then put the alky back in the barrell that was sealed. Only had trouble once, maybe my fault as we tried a little nitromethane and I think it separated and caused some scary moments.

Try it, thats the only way to know it's for you. IMHO good gas is the way to go, smells better too!


DR

I agree with ya on the smell its hard to beat the smell of c16 cuz this e85 stinks lol

[90fastgt]

I just got my chip burnt for a startup tune with e85 an put five gallons in it to start so we see how it does

[zippy94]

Kentucky has been 10% ethanol for years, And have not seen any issues with corrosion. Also I here that the greater cincy and nky Thornton's will have e-85 available 2012.

[87Pro5.0]

I think im going to run E-85 as well

[RacerX]

Nothing to do with performance but morally I don't like the idea of corn being used for fuel. It is in allmost all food products and starts a slippery slide on a national level. JMHO.







DR