84 C4 - E85
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 144
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From: Marco Island Florida
84 C4 - E85
With gas prices predicted to soar, I wanted to ask the question about the E85 fuel in an 84 C4. I know there can be damage with the newer injectors, but what about the older ones?
Does anyone have an educated guess? I used to run straight alcohol in a few carbureted engines many years ago without issues. Since the C4 injection system is just a glorified carburetor I wondered if there would be significant issues.
Thanks for your help.
Does anyone have an educated guess? I used to run straight alcohol in a few carbureted engines many years ago without issues. Since the C4 injection system is just a glorified carburetor I wondered if there would be significant issues.
Thanks for your help.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,551
Likes: 36
From: Jenks OK
Not that good, the alcohol is rough on the rubber and steel components. Anything produced after 1995 is designed to run on e10 and might be more resistant but the early ones are likely to have more problems.
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,509
Likes: 3
From: Hazel Park MI
Any of you wanting to put it in your vette, read this link:
http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/goss/2706.shtml
http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/goss/2706.shtml
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 11,759
Likes: 174
From: Rolla Missouri
2021 C4 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist
St. Jude Donor '10 thru '25
Unless you car was designed to be run on E-85, you should NOT use it.
And your '84 (or any Corvette to date for that matter) was not designed to run on E-85.
Note: Don't confuse E-85 with the ethanol blend that is much more common.
The 5% or 10% ethanol blend will be ok if that's all can find. E-85 is 85% Ethanol though, and your fuel system needs to be designed to use it.
And your '84 (or any Corvette to date for that matter) was not designed to run on E-85.
Note: Don't confuse E-85 with the ethanol blend that is much more common.
The 5% or 10% ethanol blend will be ok if that's all can find. E-85 is 85% Ethanol though, and your fuel system needs to be designed to use it.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 118
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From: Plumas Lake CA
Check this out: http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/ Pay particular attention to the last column; "E85 MPG/BTU adjusted price". That takes into account how much per gallon you'll actually be spending based on the increased consumption.When I bought my '04 Tahoe I read up on it because I was curious. The Flex Fuel vehicles (at the time) came with bigger fuel tanks. That's so you could fill up with E85 and not have to stop as often to refill. After learning about the negative costs I never actually tried it. Not to mention there aren't very many stations around me that supply it. Now I have an '07 Tahoe which is also Flex Fuel capable and I still haven't given it a shot. Maybe one day......
FWIW,
Andy
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,382
Likes: 2
From: Kathleen FL
Unless you are using it for its 105 octane rating and for racing, it is the biggest government scam unto the American people...
Let's say that regular unleaded 87 octane cost $3.33 per gallon and E85 costs $3.00 a gallon. Say you get a combined 20 mpg on regular unleaded and 12 mpg on E85. Do the math and you'll sooner or later find out that you're spending more at the pump filling up with E85 (105 octane) versus regular unleaded. The stoichiometric A/F ratio for E85 is 9:1 and for regular gas, it is about 14.7:1. Now that's a bunch of ****! What a scam! It is only meant to benefit the Gov't and their already big pockets!
Let's say that regular unleaded 87 octane cost $3.33 per gallon and E85 costs $3.00 a gallon. Say you get a combined 20 mpg on regular unleaded and 12 mpg on E85. Do the math and you'll sooner or later find out that you're spending more at the pump filling up with E85 (105 octane) versus regular unleaded. The stoichiometric A/F ratio for E85 is 9:1 and for regular gas, it is about 14.7:1. Now that's a bunch of ****! What a scam! It is only meant to benefit the Gov't and their already big pockets!
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Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
From: Plumas Lake CA
Unless you are using it for its 105 octane rating and for racing, it is the biggest government scam unto the American people...
Let's say that regular unleaded 87 octane cost $3.33 per gallon and E85 costs $3.00 a gallon. Say you get a combined 20 mpg on regular unleaded and 12 mpg on E85. Do the math and you'll sooner or later find out that you're spending more at the pump filling up with E85 (105 octane) versus regular unleaded. The stoichiometric A/F ratio for E85 is 9:1 and for regular gas, it is about 14.7:1. Now that's a bunch of ****! What a scam! It is only meant to benefit the Gov't and their already big pockets!
Let's say that regular unleaded 87 octane cost $3.33 per gallon and E85 costs $3.00 a gallon. Say you get a combined 20 mpg on regular unleaded and 12 mpg on E85. Do the math and you'll sooner or later find out that you're spending more at the pump filling up with E85 (105 octane) versus regular unleaded. The stoichiometric A/F ratio for E85 is 9:1 and for regular gas, it is about 14.7:1. Now that's a bunch of ****! What a scam! It is only meant to benefit the Gov't and their already big pockets!
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,973
Likes: 1
From: San Antonio Texas
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
From: Plumas Lake CA
Yes, arms around trees = OK. Vettes around trees = BAD. But even though I drive a C4 and an SUV ('07 Tahoe) that doesn't mean I don't care about the environment. My girlfriend drives a Saturn.... does that count? 
j/k, I recycle. 
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
All winter fuel here is E10, and has been for years. It's required in a lot of large cities that have smog issues. It's never caused any issues in my 84.
E85 is a whole different animal. Alcohol is caustic, and will damage certain types of seals, O rings, and metal parts. The fuel system must be engineered to be resistant. Everything else above about the relative efficiency ( or lack thereof ) of ethanol is also true. There's a ton of info about it out there.
E85 is a whole different animal. Alcohol is caustic, and will damage certain types of seals, O rings, and metal parts. The fuel system must be engineered to be resistant. Everything else above about the relative efficiency ( or lack thereof ) of ethanol is also true. There's a ton of info about it out there.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,382
Likes: 2
From: Kathleen FL
On forced induction applications, I see that E85 is the preferred choice! Of course the clean burning qualities are much to be desired as well! E85 would theoretically make more power that way than regular gas could ever dream of. The fact that the octane rating is 105 is pretty much the only benefit it has over regular or even premium. Last time I checked 104 octane at the track sells for $8.00 a gallon to E85's $3.00/gal.
But if you are gonna use E85 on a Flex Fuel capable vehicle, it would be nothing more than a waste of money which tree huggers and conservationists could actually end up hating from the fact that you burn more almost twice the amount of the fuel per mile than you do using regular gas.
But if you are gonna use E85 on a Flex Fuel capable vehicle, it would be nothing more than a waste of money which tree huggers and conservationists could actually end up hating from the fact that you burn more almost twice the amount of the fuel per mile than you do using regular gas.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 230
Likes: 1
From: Covington GA
You'd either need to put in larger injectors and retune your ECU to handle E85 and run nothing but E85, or put in larger injectors and a flex fuel capable ECU to be able to switch between E85 and gas. It's not really worth the cost unless you're running a turbo making 20 psi and the alternative is race gas.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,382
Likes: 2
From: Kathleen FL
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
Likes: 22
From: San Diego, Ca
What everyone else said - plus, if you want to save bucks, go to a wrecking yard and score a Prius drivetrain with a Boombox out of a ricer. Hack in the drivetrain and record some top fuel exhaust on your Ipod. Then play it through the Boombox as you creep along at 5 mph while all the repopped SUV's, Beemers, etc are being towed to the auction block. Once they're gone, traffic will ease, gas prices will fall and you'll be able to turn on your motor. It's all dejavu if you were around in the 70's.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,284
Likes: 4
From: Canton MI
im thinking of using it on the 12.1 motor i have, i was talking to prosystems... they build all my racing carbs, and they said they can build me a carb that will run on E85, they also said i should see some power increase around 2-5% along with better cooling. the only thing is its a nitrous motor , and 105 octane is not much when ur sparying a 12.1 motor
do you guys know if octane levels can be increased ?