SCM_Crash

Yeah, my dad uses a NG truck too. His biggest complaint is that when the tanks aren't full the truck has a hard time making it up hills. He works for the city and they took his diesel truck away. LOL

There's definitely a reason for it. The flex-fuel sensor that detects the type of fuel running through the line is (drum roll please...) $1100!!! I've seen the part myself and it's a fist sized sensor that obviously does NOT cost that much to make or stock. It's BS how much those parts cost.

Just because GM spends a billion dollars on every flex-fuel vehicle doesn't mean everyone has to. Obviously with the many thousands of people running E85 in "converted" cars, they're not using the sensors or anything. They're just upgrading their injectors, tune and maybe their fuel pump. Converting your car doesn't mean you have to change every last thing in it. That's just plain old stupid.

Think about what E85 is for a moment. It's the inverted mix of what we're already running. Here at the pumps in California, we have at some pumps 10% Ethanol and 90% gasoline. There are even pumps that are 15% Ethanol and 85% gasoline. The 10% is a mandatory mix. In the case of E85, we're just changing the ratio. We're not changing what's in it. Why would you think that we need a billion bells and whistles to make a slight change to our mix? Our cars are already dealing with it as it is. The only difference here is that the energy density and the octane levels are different.

I don't even get why we're arguing this still. It's a stupid argument; showing how well educated people argue against ignorant lemmings with random opinions. This might as well be an argument about religion.

904pizza

Is there a list of e85 tuners per state?

Jewjenk

You are right it is inverted-----85% alcohol, 15% gas, so bottom line is if your vehicle is not certified E85, then you run the chance of ruining your fuel system-BOTTOM LINE........Want to take a chance and put it in a non-certified vehicle, then go ahead, it's your car, your money.

The original poster asked if it was feasible and got yeas and na's......So for anyone who wants to CHEAP out and put lower cost E85 in the car then go ahead, we are all adults. Most posters were posting that the car was not designed for it and it would be at his own risk. That swapping the fuel system was cost prohibitive for the return. Now he has to decide. No need to fuss about it....

arobber

Corn is food, not fuel!! Quit sucking from the gov tit and get back in the game. This is just another scam being played on the 'dumb-***' consumer. Don't be one!

tjZ06

"Most posters" are uneducated and simply spouting off unsubstantiated opinions. So who cares what "most posters" are saying?

I don't run E85 because I'm cheap. I just put a built LS7 with a true ARE dry-sump in my car, and we cut no corners. I chose E85 because it's 104 octane available at the pump where I live (as well as the cooling effect).

You say the original owner asked if it was feasible and got "yeas and na's". Well who cares about the "na's" when there are people actually running E85 and actually doing it.

That's like asking if the world is flat, and getting some "yeas and na's" and listening to the na's despite the fact that science backs the yeas.

Sure there's "no need to fuss about it" but there's also no need for you to add your $0.02 every-other post when you have no experience and no factual information to share. You're simply giving your uneducated opinion on a topic you clearly don't understand.

I actually have to agree with you. As I've said before in this thread I don't believe E85 is a good solution for reducing our dependency on foreign oil, nor is it a true green solution. That doesn't mean I won't take advantage of 104 octane at the pump while it lasts!

-TJ

Tom73

Is the E85 104 octane widely available in your area or are you tied to just one station (and unable to travel any further than a half tank away)??

SCM_Crash

LOL! Once again, it's not going to hurt your fuel system. Just because you say it will, doesn't mean that it is the truth. There's lots of LSx Fbody and Corvettes out there that have been running for YEARS on E85.

I remember reading this back in 2006:
http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/fuelin...r-ls1-e85.html

This guy is still running E85 in his car to this day. What you fail to understand is that all OBDII certified cars can run E85 without hurting the fuel system.

Once again since you definitely need to be told more than once to understand; all OBDII certified cars can run E85 without hurting the fuel system.

"Why?" you may neglect to ask because you're obviously very short-sided on this is because GASOLINE MIXES TODAY HAVE ETHANOL IN IT!!! END OF STORY! IT JUST HAS IT! YOU CANNOT GET RID OF THE STUFF!!! YOU'RE PUMPING IT WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT! IT'S IN YOUR TANK AS WE SPEAK!!!

Don't like it? Get a diesel.

Oh boy... You know that we can make Ethanol out of almost anything grown, right? They're working on bamboo ethanol now since bamboo grows very fast. Bamboo isn't food, so would you be happy if E85 was made from bamboo? Or would you have more opposition like "No, I like to eat bamboo too"?

That's the only reason I personally don't run E85... There's only one station in my area and its 15 miles from my house. Then next 2 stations after that are 30+ miles and 40+ miles. I live in Los Angeles.

Interestingly enough, it looks like almost every gas station in Las Vegas has an E85 pump, except from what I've heard, they're almost aways out of E85.

rebelheart

Mostly as moot point anyways as the E85 experiment is going the way of the dodo bird.It is energy intentsive to produce and has lost it's Gov funding.

Jewjenk

At least someone understands.........

Fact> E85, the alcohol in it is mostly made from corn/85% alcohol.

What does that mean, well if more resources are put to making fuel alcohol, then the corn used is taken away from livestock feed. That means food prices rise, milk, beef, pork anything made from these products. Also means pet foods increase. Anything that uses CORN SYRUP. and it goes on and on. E85 was and is subsidized. That is why it is cheaper then gas.

Sure you can design and make a Vette or any other vehicle to run on E85. That is not in question. I do believe that the question in action was it feasible to replace components in a non E85 certified vehicle so that it could SAFELY run, without having alcohol related problems. If someone wants to convert their Vette to run on E85, it is the same as converting a Vette to run solely on electric or kerosene. It can be done, it may cost more then you're willing to invest, is it practical as a daily driver in your area?

I also think that most people are confused as to what E85 is. Most that I talk to think that it is simply gasoline with 15% alcohol in it instead of the regular 10% found at many pumps. When in actuality it is 85% alcohol with 15% gasoline mixed in.

So as I said before, you can put whatever you want in YOUR vehicle and then if it's wrong, then pay the piper later......

SCM_Crash

Not totally correct. That's just what they want you to think. They obviously succeeded with you.

The bi-product of making E85 from corn is what they feed live stock with. There's no loss of livestock feed while making E85. Please do your research before saying these things. Ignorance spreads else easily like wild fire. Also, you should know that the corn used to make E85 is not from the same fields our food corn comes from. That farmer side show act put on about E85 hurting food supply was a mutually beneficial lie. Big oil and farmers both gained from that lie.

Now that these lies have been exposed, here you are still spreading the gospel about how E85 hurts our food supply and livestock feed supply.

Bring on the factual opposition or gtfo.

Tom73

Please post links to back up your statement. Without back up you are the one showing ignorance. Talking big and bold does not make you right. Let's see the proof of your statements

But let's leave these issues alone. The question posed by the OP was "Is it possible to convert a LS-1 to E85?" Easy answer is YES. Second part of the question would be is it cost effective? Answer would be depends.

As posted by several if you want to convert to run only E85 it is a fairly easy conversion. But if you want to be able to run E85, or Gas, or any combo of them, then you must have the sensors to tell the computer what is in the fuel line and the computer programing to adjust the tune on the fly for whatever combo or gas and E85 is coming through the system. The flexability to run both would not be cost effective.l

SCM_Crash

Don't ask me for links and they say you don't want them. Of course I'm going to have proof. I've researched the crap out of this for my own uses. I obviously won't recall every site I found information or studies on, but it only took me 2 minutes to find sites with the same information. Here they are, since I seem to have to do all the leg-work for you guys.

http://www.energyforusall.com/?p=971
http://chooseethanol.com/news/entry/...more-valuable/
http://corncommentary.com/2009/09/22...d-feed-hungry/ <-- This is an interesting one... Just found this.
http://e85.whipnet.net/ethanol.faq/make.ethanol.html <--- Explained that Ethanol is made from feedstock. Not our food stock. Also explains that it doesn't need to be food at all, and could be grass or algae that we make it out of.


BTW, a simple google search will end most internet arguments. Just remember that most arguments have two sides: An informed side, and an opinionated side.

Corvette Don

007Duc

SCM_Crash, save your breath. These people are not worth the oxygen. I think you and only a handful of people on this thread have a clue. The rest probably still think the world is flat. Really though, thanks for all the hard fought research. I had done this same hunting about two years back, but don't have the availablity to feasably benefit from the switch to a strictly E85 Z06 even though I'd like to. Also of note, some people may be confusing Ethanol with Methanol, both alcohol based fuels but Methanol is much more corrosive and was used decades ago in race cars. Makes me remember old 80 video of indy pit crew members rolling on the ground like they were on fire but you couldn't see any flames. Truth is, they were on fire! That was how cleanly Methanol burns. Oh, and for anyone who really wants to know the physics of building an engine to run on these different fuel and the benefits here is an interesting read:

http://www.enginebuildermag.com/Arti...n_anymore.aspx

SueTaing

I was going to use an ethanol content analyzer tied to my AEM EMS so changes in volts (eth readings) would trigger a different map but it only had so much room for maps so it wouldnt be truely flex fuel but enough to just switch to gas or top off on gas...

and to those who say it will ruin the fuel lines please let me know what changes have been made to fuel lines for e85 vehicles...

all who say this never ran eth and everyone who has been using this as $2 race gas love it

deedubb

I switched my 05 Magnuson Supercharged Cadillac CTS-V (LS6) over to E85 almost a year ago and have not had any problems yet. I switched over purely for the power (60rwhp), not the "green-ness" of it. I use more fuel, yes but could really care less about what it costs to fill the tank. If you worry about gas prices that much, you need to find a new hobby. I was able to crank the timing up about 7 degrees without any knock. The only things I had to upgrade were the addition of an external inline fuel pump (walbro 255), the tune, and a tank of fuel. I have 42# injectors that came with the blower and am really close to 100% duty cycle on them (at full boost). I've since bought 60#ers and look to adding those shortly when I install my 10% OD crank pulley as I'll be making more boost.
Keep in mind, this is my fun car and not a daily driver so I tend to stick close to town and available E85 pumps. I live in Colorado so long road trips to low elevations would require tuning anyway and I'd rather not deal with that. I would have went with a dual tune PCM (I still may do this) and utilized the option for a 91 octane tune in addition to the E85 tune in the event I am unable to get E85 but I am conscious about fuel levels and don't risk fuel starvation.
Just posting my 1st hand experience as there seems to be a lot of bro-science in this thread regarding myths about E85. I must say, the lower IAT's definitely help too

Jewjenk

Ok now, I do stand corrected on some of my information on putting E85 in non certified vehicles, check out the link from wikipedia.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E85_in_standard_engines



Nough said.............................

badugal481

I switched my '03 over to E85 about 6 months ago, no problems(with a correct tune).

Before the Vette, I had an '02 camaro that I switched over to E85 and ran it for about a year and a half with no problems(also had an "e85" tune).

Also have an '87 Camaro with a supercharged 383, MSII fuel injection, with a STOCK fuel system, other than a Walbro pump. This car has been running E85 for about 4+ years. I was worried about moisture building up in the tank during the long MN winter (with the heat cycles that my garage goes through), but has not been an issue.

So as you can see, I love the stuff.

Is there anybody out there that HAS tried it in their Vette and had problems with it?

If so, what problems did you have?

BTW, with all the taxes that I pay every year, I don't feel so bad sucking on this [gov't] tit.

tjZ06

Yeeeeeeeeah, because the Wiki is far more reliable and accurate than the dozens of us who are actually running E85 in LSXs, and the hundreds running E85 in Evos.

-TJ

maxgee

Been on E85 for 3 years now on single turbo custom set up. The advantage in running on lsx cars is for power, if you are doing it for a DD, might not be a good idea b/c it's not found at every station. I've had time to tweak my tune via HPtuners over the last 3 yrs and get 22mpg on my 02 Camaro SS vs stock SS 23mpg.
here's a good video I watched awhile back on E85.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuOs1yap8mU

I'm an auto insurance adjuster and will say this. We noticed in the field more cars having issues related to bad gas. Most of the cars having this problem are BMWs and MINIs using regular fuel with the 10% ethanol and sitting for weeks between being driven.
I drive my SS mainly on the weekends and won't let her sit more than 2 weeks without at least starting it up. I have a 04 Cobra on E85 for about 6 months and tweaking the tune with SCT every couple of weeks to get the best performance, while trying to get near stock economy out of it.