E-85 Gasoline Experience C3
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 65
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From: La Pine Oregon
E-85 Gasoline Experience C3
Did a search . nothing found . I was just pondering !
Any body have experience trying E85 in our C3 cars.
I'm very regretful for all the 10% ethanol blend
I have to run here in Oregon. I get less power in
my experience with all our cars not just my vette.
'74 L82 350 4-speed
Also have 2000 Caddy Escalade w/350.
I found that E85 is only 15% Gasoline and the rest
is Ethanol ........ That's got to be Wimpy fuel ??!!!!
Any body have experience trying E85 in our C3 cars.
I'm very regretful for all the 10% ethanol blend
I have to run here in Oregon. I get less power in
my experience with all our cars not just my vette.
'74 L82 350 4-speed
Also have 2000 Caddy Escalade w/350.
I found that E85 is only 15% Gasoline and the rest
is Ethanol ........ That's got to be Wimpy fuel ??!!!!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 174
From: Fort Wayne IN
Mainly, because alcohol eats rubber. If your fuel tank has a bladder, you would have to pull that out of change the tank. You would also have to replace all the rubber fuel lines in your fuel system with ones certified for alcohol. You would have to change your fuel pump since the diaphragm in the stock fuel pump would eventually disintegrate. Since I don't know of any mechanical fuel pumps that are ethanol compatable, you would probably have to go electric and re plum everything.
Now once you get the E-85 to the carb, you will have to take that completely apart and change all the gaskets, get new metering blocks made for ethanol, and since ethanol contains less energy than gasoline, you would have to increase your jetting substantially.
Next disassemble your engine and replace every gasket that may come in contact with fuel. Check every surface the fuel comes in contact with to ensure the fuel won't react with it. After than is done you will need to adjust your timing to run on E-85.
Once all of this has been done, you can only use E-85. If you want to switch back to gasoline or any other ethanol / gasoline mix you will need to re-jet and re-tune your carb and adjust your timing again.
And then at the end of that all, you can't drive it on public roads anyway since converting a vehicle that was designed to operate on unleaded gasoline only to operate on another form of fuel is a violation of the federal law.
Now once you get the E-85 to the carb, you will have to take that completely apart and change all the gaskets, get new metering blocks made for ethanol, and since ethanol contains less energy than gasoline, you would have to increase your jetting substantially.
Next disassemble your engine and replace every gasket that may come in contact with fuel. Check every surface the fuel comes in contact with to ensure the fuel won't react with it. After than is done you will need to adjust your timing to run on E-85.
Once all of this has been done, you can only use E-85. If you want to switch back to gasoline or any other ethanol / gasoline mix you will need to re-jet and re-tune your carb and adjust your timing again.
And then at the end of that all, you can't drive it on public roads anyway since converting a vehicle that was designed to operate on unleaded gasoline only to operate on another form of fuel is a violation of the federal law.
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 65
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From: La Pine Oregon
Wow, Thank you bluthundr,
As usual ANY Question on this forum gets the attention of someone
who can educate us in the REAL answer to our query. I have learned so much since I got my first Corvette about all kinds of problems and solutions to problems. But I really have learned a lot on this Forum .
I'm so glad you all share yourselves so freely with us .
The E-85 answer hit the nail squarely on target . It is not practical!!
As usual ANY Question on this forum gets the attention of someone
who can educate us in the REAL answer to our query. I have learned so much since I got my first Corvette about all kinds of problems and solutions to problems. But I really have learned a lot on this Forum .
I'm so glad you all share yourselves so freely with us .
The E-85 answer hit the nail squarely on target . It is not practical!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,053
Likes: 4
St. Jude Donor '03,'11
Mainly, because alcohol eats rubber. If your fuel tank has a bladder, you would have to pull that out of change the tank. Only 3 years had rubber liners You would also have to replace all the rubber fuel lines in your fuel system with ones certified for alcohol. Fuel lines are not going to instantly disintegrate. I've been running 10% for 30 years You would have to change your fuel pump since the diaphragm in the stock fuel pump would eventually disintegrate. Since I don't know of any mechanical fuel pumps that are ethanol compatible, you would probably have to go electric and re plum everything. Again. Fuel pumps will last for years with 10%. 85% is not going to instantly cause it to split out.
Now once you get the E-85 to the carb, you will have to take that completely apart and change all the gaskets, get new metering blocks made for ethanol, and since ethanol contains less energy than gasoline, you would have to increase your jetting substantially. Everything here BS except for the jetting
Next disassemble your engine and replace every gasket that may come in contact with fuel. Check every surface the fuel comes in contact with to ensure the fuel won't react with it. After than is done you will need to adjust your timing to run on E-85. BS, BS, timing? maybe
Once all of this has been done, you can only use E-85. If you want to switch back to gasoline or any other ethanol / gasoline mix you will need to re-jet and re-tune your carb and adjust your timing again. It may be possible to find a middle ground where its too rich on gas and a little lean on alcohol. My 75 carb has idle and the mid range adjustment. You might be able to go full lean on gas and full rich on alcohol and make due.
And then at the end of that all, you can't drive it on public roads anyway since converting a vehicle that was designed to operate on unleaded gasoline only to operate on another form of fuel is a violation of the federal law. BS, BS, BS
You'd have to arrest 10s of millions of people using ethanol right now. You'd need a lot of ***** to do that.
Now once you get the E-85 to the carb, you will have to take that completely apart and change all the gaskets, get new metering blocks made for ethanol, and since ethanol contains less energy than gasoline, you would have to increase your jetting substantially. Everything here BS except for the jetting
Next disassemble your engine and replace every gasket that may come in contact with fuel. Check every surface the fuel comes in contact with to ensure the fuel won't react with it. After than is done you will need to adjust your timing to run on E-85. BS, BS, timing? maybe
Once all of this has been done, you can only use E-85. If you want to switch back to gasoline or any other ethanol / gasoline mix you will need to re-jet and re-tune your carb and adjust your timing again. It may be possible to find a middle ground where its too rich on gas and a little lean on alcohol. My 75 carb has idle and the mid range adjustment. You might be able to go full lean on gas and full rich on alcohol and make due.
And then at the end of that all, you can't drive it on public roads anyway since converting a vehicle that was designed to operate on unleaded gasoline only to operate on another form of fuel is a violation of the federal law. BS, BS, BS
You'd have to arrest 10s of millions of people using ethanol right now. You'd need a lot of ***** to do that. Last edited by turtlevette; Aug 8, 2009 at 11:18 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,132
Likes: 14
From: A town SC
WRONG...Holley has manufactured ethanol carb, dont know if its released yet.And yes any gas engine will run on ethanol if its converted properly. As for power if tuned right theres actualy a power increase,BUT more fuel consumption compared to gas...
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Racer
Joined: Dec 2008
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From: Topeka Kansas
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14,’18
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,132
Likes: 14
From: A town SC
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
Likes: 42
So if it's been converted/adapted/modified, then it's not a regular car.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,132
Likes: 14
From: A town SC
If it looks like a duck quaks like a duck, I believe id call it a duck...Yes its a regular car, i guess if you have a car running race fuel it s not a regular car either... People read about this feul before you bash it. its 110 octane thats cheap compared to race fuel. sometimes you catch it being cheaper than 87. only drawback is the cost to convert and availibility...
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,132
Likes: 14
From: A town SC
Oh and by the way if you want to convert your C3 come see me since you obviously lacking the info to do so...
Last edited by forvicjr; Aug 9, 2009 at 12:19 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,209
Likes: 33
From: Texas-out west
death to e-85 and all greenies. it will in the end cost more as it cost more to produce, takes things like corn needed to feed people and govt subsidizes those who make it. you should think diesel which was orignally touted as going to be less than regular .... yeah right that really 
happened e-85 gets worse gas mileage so more from your pocket, al gore and his bozos are trying to snow everyone, if you listen that is your choice but don't try to make me believe or use your bull****.
happened e-85 gets worse gas mileage so more from your pocket, al gore and his bozos are trying to snow everyone, if you listen that is your choice but don't try to make me believe or use your bull****.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 10,643
Likes: 8
From: Foxfield CO 1970 Convertible
If im not mistaken an L98 is an engine. is installed in a CAR to me that equals experience since its been driven over 25000 miles. with E85... dont try to cover your ignorance to the subject when you havent even tryied it. E85 wont run in a corvette. this is hillarious Oh and by the way if you want to convert your C3 come see me since you obviously lacking the info to do so...
Oh and by the way if you want to convert your C3 come see me since you obviously lacking the info to do so...I'll jump in here...
An unmodified C3 might run on E85, but it will run extremely poorly. (This will result in high school children driving Kias making fun of your Vette as they pass by...) Here's why:
1) The carb is jetted for gasoline volumes, not ethanol volumes
2) The compression is too low to take advantage of any of the octane benefits of E85
3) The timing will be off because it is set for gasoline
If you modify your car to take advantage of E85, then it won't run correctly on regular gasoline.
Of course, new cars have computers which can instantly change the engine conditions to compensate for the fuel being used. That's why you can run E85 in some newer cars with only minor problems.
If your car runs at all it's because you modified it. What changes did you make?
Redstingray74 has already discovered what a lot of us already know - the fact that simply using E10 has a significant negative effect on performance and mileage in an unmodified C3.
Last edited by Z-man; Aug 9, 2009 at 04:03 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
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Z-man I think our new friend forvicjr is trying to say that he's converted his L98 powered Corvette to enable it to run on E85. At least I think that's what he's saying. I don't think any C3 came with an L98 so either he has a C4 or a highly modified C3.
In any case, your point about not being able to run on E10 or 'pure' gas are very valid as are the points about reduced performance, increased consumption and as yet unknown long term damage due exposure to 85% concentration of ethanol. Maybe forvicjr has been sniffing his E85 and his spelling is another side effect.
However, it does serve to answer the OPs question that no, a regular (ie non-modified) C3 will not run on E85.
LT1driver- I wouldn't wish death on the greenies as that's the easy way out, just force them to pay from their pocket the extra expense that the rest of us are now burdened with. Two of my other hobbies- baking and brewing- are considerably more expensive now due to the jacked up prices of barley and wheat, thanks to E85. It's one of the biggest scams going.
In any case, your point about not being able to run on E10 or 'pure' gas are very valid as are the points about reduced performance, increased consumption and as yet unknown long term damage due exposure to 85% concentration of ethanol. Maybe forvicjr has been sniffing his E85 and his spelling is another side effect.
However, it does serve to answer the OPs question that no, a regular (ie non-modified) C3 will not run on E85.
LT1driver- I wouldn't wish death on the greenies as that's the easy way out, just force them to pay from their pocket the extra expense that the rest of us are now burdened with. Two of my other hobbies- baking and brewing- are considerably more expensive now due to the jacked up prices of barley and wheat, thanks to E85. It's one of the biggest scams going.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,725
Likes: 5
From: Minnesota
The main drawback is that you lose 20-30% of your gas mileage unless you modify your engine to take advantage of the high octane. Ethanol is a scam for the benefit of corn farmers. It's just that simple. Around here E85 had it's day in the sun a couple of years ago. Since then the usage has dropped considerably and the number of pumps dispensing it has also gone down. Seems the more people find out about it in the real world the less they like it.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
Likes: 42
