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Switching to E85

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Old Feb 9, 2020 | 11:35 AM
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Default Switching to E85

So I have been doing bunch of mods here and there to the vett over the winter.
i just ordered a e85 kit and will install before she goes on a Dyno this spring.

also check out my Instagram channel at lastcorvette
and my YouTube channel with the same name!

Since I have no idea If it’s tuned it will be a good baseline for me and tuned to run on E.

i have CAI, headers and straight piped with cat deletes into a Corsa axle back exhaust.

plan is to add cam and heads this year and finish her off with a east coast supercharger.

thats why I am going to setup E now and also when I do my cam I will replace and pin my pulley.
that way steering rack only comes out once lol.

what do you guys think current mod on E will make?
i will post results in April.
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Old Feb 11, 2020 | 11:24 AM
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if auto Maybe 410rwhp
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Old Feb 11, 2020 | 11:55 AM
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converting to E85 required bigger injectors, fuel pump and special fuel lines also if you let it sit for a while without running chances are there will be water in the bottom of the tank.
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Old Feb 11, 2020 | 12:05 PM
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Would love to be able to do this (if was a lot easier). I run E85 in my tuned F-150 Flex Fuel 5.0 and love it.
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Old Feb 11, 2020 | 12:21 PM
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Finally, I'm early enough in an E85 thread to ask this question.

Why do the E85 conversion?

Alcohol absorbs water, bad.
MPG drops, bad.
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Old Feb 11, 2020 | 12:35 PM
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Originally Posted by GigG
Finally, I'm early enough in an E85 thread to ask this question.

Why do the E85 conversion?

Alcohol absorbs water, bad.
MPG drops, bad.
simply because you can run with higher boost without detonation E85 octane rating is much more than the best pumps gas you can get
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Old Feb 11, 2020 | 12:45 PM
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Originally Posted by captain vette
simply because you can run with higher boost without detonation E85 octane rating is much more than the best pumps gas you can get
That makes sense. But I've seen posts of people with non-boosted cars talking about doing it.


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Old Feb 11, 2020 | 12:50 PM
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Originally Posted by GigG
That makes sense. But I've seen posts of people with non-boosted cars talking about doing it.
My 5.0 F-150 is naturally aspired / non-boosted. I don't believe you need a boosted vehicle to get benefits - but mine is flex fuel from the factory. I wouldn't have switched otherwise. The tune definitely helped also with power, though I don't have a dyno to back that up with numbers. The lower MPG is offset by the lower cost per gallon - and I'm fortunate to have a flex fuel station in my tiny town fairly close to the house.
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Old Feb 11, 2020 | 12:55 PM
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Originally Posted by dkpnkc
My 5.0 F-150 is naturally aspired / non-boosted. I don't believe you need a boosted vehicle to get benefits - but mine is flex fuel from the factory. I wouldn't have switched otherwise. The tune definitely helped also with power, though I don't have a dyno to back that up with numbers. The lower MPG is offset by the lower cost per gallon - and I'm fortunate to have a flex fuel station in my tiny town fairly close to the house.
I've never driven anything with more than 10% ethanol. But with that 10%, I documented a 9.5% drop in MPG. This was over two, 8 hour round trip drives over two days. I was filling up with no ethanol fuel on one end and 10% on the other for the return trips.

With numbers like I saw I hate to imagine what E85 does.
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Old Feb 11, 2020 | 01:21 PM
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I love when vett owners talk about MPG lol
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Old Feb 11, 2020 | 01:36 PM
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And yes e85 is being installed because eventually I will run a east coast supercharger. Gains on e are 80+ over pump
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Old Feb 11, 2020 | 02:49 PM
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Originally Posted by C6fromtheD
I love when vett owners talk about MPG lol


If you're concerned about MPG, you're doing it wrong!
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Old Feb 11, 2020 | 02:58 PM
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If the MPG trend from 10% ethanol continues with E85 I'm pretty sure the driver of anything would be concerned.

That said, I didn't know it was that much higher octane and while the increased boost from a blower would certainly increase HP the higher octane alone is not going to increase HP.
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Old Feb 11, 2020 | 04:14 PM
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Originally Posted by GigG
If the MPG trend from 10% ethanol continues with E85 I'm pretty sure the driver of anything would be concerned.

That said, I didn't know it was that much higher octane and while the increased boost from a blower would certainly increase HP the higher octane alone is not going to increase HP.

that's kinda wrong... the lower ignition temp is what allows us to maintain and exercise the boost we are making without knock. you get elevated octane at a lower ignition point, which is why you use more and why MPG is down. I use the same boost levels on pump and e, i just make more power with increased ignition timing at the same heat range as pump. Just putting e85 in a car and tuning for it will increase HP if only slightly, but provides cooler intake charge for the same power and is cheaper at the pump by a lot.

Personally, I love the smell of corn in the morning and using pump once a year to store my car reminds me how much it stinks and sucks *** for power (no cats).

Last edited by sonnysucks; Feb 11, 2020 at 04:15 PM.
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Old Feb 11, 2020 | 10:00 PM
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Originally Posted by GigG
That makes sense. But I've seen posts of people with non-boosted cars talking about doing it.
ive seen friends cars pick up 20-30rwhp from doing the flex fuel kits so in todays world getting any extra HP without getting into a bank loan or using your house equity is probably common or just easier to do plus you can run both 93 pump or the E85 so IMO a win win and im sure there are some other little benefits to running the E
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Old Feb 12, 2020 | 06:52 AM
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Correct me if I'm wrong but stock LS3 injectors and factory pump should cover you on Flex if your just mild bolt ons right?
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Old Feb 12, 2020 | 08:41 AM
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If you are just adding e85 kit there is no need to replace injectors or the fuel pump.
get it tuned and fuel table blend unlocked and setup.

if you plan on boosting your car the answer is yes.

when I do my heads/cam/fast Intake I will also upgrade injectors and pin the pulley. That way once charger is installed I am half way there.
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Old Feb 12, 2020 | 09:53 AM
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Originally Posted by Omega Doom
ive seen friends cars pick up 20-30rwhp from doing the flex fuel kits so in todays world getting any extra HP without getting into a bank loan or using your house equity is probably common or just easier to do plus you can run both 93 pump or the E85 so IMO a win win and im sure there are some other little benefits to running the E
20-30 HP from nothing but a Flex-Fuel kit? I just don't understand how a <10 octane boost can do that.
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Old Feb 12, 2020 | 10:05 AM
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You need to understand the basics first. You run cooler, you also run much higher octane which allows for a much extreme fuel and timing tables compared to pump gas. This hp increase doubles or triples when vehicle is super charged.

tune needs to be done regardless in both cases.
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Old Feb 12, 2020 | 10:08 AM
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In a stock setup you will only gain 3-5 hp but with mods you can really start to see what E gains are all about.
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