E85 questions
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 294
Likes: 11
From: Charlotte NC
E85 questions
So I have used E85 and still do on my BMW 535i twin turbo with a tune. By adding 40% E85 it boosts my octane which allows the piggyback controller to add more boost and spark which gives more HP. Its definitely noticeable and I can run 3-4 more lbs of boost on my 535.
Everyone here seems to run meth and I have been looking into it. Its a no brainer adds more octane and cools IAT for more spark and power.
I guess my question is does anyone here run E85 instead of meth and is it safe for our fuel systems? Is it something we should be doing or just do meth?
Everyone here seems to run meth and I have been looking into it. Its a no brainer adds more octane and cools IAT for more spark and power.
I guess my question is does anyone here run E85 instead of meth and is it safe for our fuel systems? Is it something we should be doing or just do meth?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 294
Likes: 11
From: Charlotte NC
so the question is about mixing E85 and premium to get a octane boost. Like I said I do this in my twin turbo 535i and it allows me to run more boost and timing according to the logs.
Again I am planning on Meth anyway in the future and car runs fine no issues. Just thinking if it works on my BMW why not my boosted C6
Again I am planning on Meth anyway in the future and car runs fine no issues. Just thinking if it works on my BMW why not my boosted C6
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From: Providing the most proven supercharger kits for your C5/6/7 609-752-0321
so the question is about mixing E85 and premium to get a octane boost. Like I said I do this in my twin turbo 535i and it allows me to run more boost and timing according to the logs.
Again I am planning on Meth anyway in the future and car runs fine no issues. Just thinking if it works on my BMW why not my boosted C6
Again I am planning on Meth anyway in the future and car runs fine no issues. Just thinking if it works on my BMW why not my boosted C6
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 294
Likes: 11
From: Charlotte NC
so for my BMW with the Burger piggyback controller, I can just add E85 and it self tunes. Basically it will add boost until it detects knock then opens the waste gate, with 40%E85 I can get to 18 lbs of boost for a heavy car its pretty fast actually. I guess because it has a electronic waste gate they can get away with that, we really don't have that do we? Guess I answered my question....
So we can use E85 if we get a tune then.
Plan is to talk to some tuners in the Charlotte area to see next steps, more than likely Meth and a smaller pulley along with tune. Think I am going to send the unit in for a rebuild its got almost 30K on it and could use a freshen up. Doug who to send unit Paxton? Also this had a mild ECS tune back in '10 had 570 RWHP, I think with Meth, smaller pulley 650 should be easy.
Any one dealt with anyone in the Moorseville NC area I know there is a few good ones.
So we can use E85 if we get a tune then.
Plan is to talk to some tuners in the Charlotte area to see next steps, more than likely Meth and a smaller pulley along with tune. Think I am going to send the unit in for a rebuild its got almost 30K on it and could use a freshen up. Doug who to send unit Paxton? Also this had a mild ECS tune back in '10 had 570 RWHP, I think with Meth, smaller pulley 650 should be easy.
Any one dealt with anyone in the Moorseville NC area I know there is a few good ones.
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Joined: May 2004
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From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
Do you have HP Tuners at all?
You really need to add a flex fuel sensor before running E85, there's too much variation otherwise. BMW's are far more advanced in terms of being able to adjust themselves on the fly than GM's. GM's pretty much run what you set them at.. they have no sensors for adjusting fueling at WOT.. so it's 100% dependent on the tune.
With a flex fuel sensor you can set it up to change timing and stoich AFR automatically as ethanol content changes. It's a really awesome setup. If you don't know who to buy this from let me know. I also know how to set all this up
I assume you have the rest of the fuel system needed to run E85? It needs about 30% more fuel than regular pump.
I also do quite a bit of tuning for other people. If you want me to take a look at it just let me know.
You really need to add a flex fuel sensor before running E85, there's too much variation otherwise. BMW's are far more advanced in terms of being able to adjust themselves on the fly than GM's. GM's pretty much run what you set them at.. they have no sensors for adjusting fueling at WOT.. so it's 100% dependent on the tune.
With a flex fuel sensor you can set it up to change timing and stoich AFR automatically as ethanol content changes. It's a really awesome setup. If you don't know who to buy this from let me know. I also know how to set all this up
I assume you have the rest of the fuel system needed to run E85? It needs about 30% more fuel than regular pump.
I also do quite a bit of tuning for other people. If you want me to take a look at it just let me know.
Last edited by schpenxel; Nov 9, 2015 at 04:40 PM.
Drifting
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From: St. Petersburg Florida
Premium Supporting Vendor
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Providing the most proven supercharger kits for your C5/6/7 609-752-0321
I do like the availability of increasing timing etc all on it's own, but you're right with just adding meth being far less expensive.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 294
Likes: 11
From: Charlotte NC
wow guys you really missed what I was asking. I was wondering why I can just dump 40% E85 into my twin turbo BMW and get 4-5 more lbs of boost so why cant I do it that easy on the vette?
I think part of the answer is the BMW has electronic waste gates and if it detects knock it opens bleeding off boost. We don't have such a thing on the vettes. Also at my BMW's mod level I don't need a bigger pump as the duty cycle is not 100% to keep up with boost using e85. I know if I go more E85 and more boost I need a bigger pump.
I just wanted to know if it was as easy as dumping in E85 for more octane but apparently not. I see a Alky controller and tune in the next couple months just need to find a good shop in Charlotte.
But then again its going to rain forever here I haven't been able to take it out in weeks. 14 inches since September its every frickin day...
I think part of the answer is the BMW has electronic waste gates and if it detects knock it opens bleeding off boost. We don't have such a thing on the vettes. Also at my BMW's mod level I don't need a bigger pump as the duty cycle is not 100% to keep up with boost using e85. I know if I go more E85 and more boost I need a bigger pump.
I just wanted to know if it was as easy as dumping in E85 for more octane but apparently not. I see a Alky controller and tune in the next couple months just need to find a good shop in Charlotte.
But then again its going to rain forever here I haven't been able to take it out in weeks. 14 inches since September its every frickin day...
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 16,667
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From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
wow guys you really missed what I was asking. I was wondering why I can just dump 40% E85 into my twin turbo BMW and get 4-5 more lbs of boost so why cant I do it that easy on the vette?
I think part of the answer is the BMW has electronic waste gates and if it detects knock it opens bleeding off boost. We don't have such a thing on the vettes. Also at my BMW's mod level I don't need a bigger pump as the duty cycle is not 100% to keep up with boost using e85. I know if I go more E85 and more boost I need a bigger pump.
I just wanted to know if it was as easy as dumping in E85 for more octane but apparently not. I see a Alky controller and tune in the next couple months just need to find a good shop in Charlotte.
But then again its going to rain forever here I haven't been able to take it out in weeks. 14 inches since September its every frickin day...
I think part of the answer is the BMW has electronic waste gates and if it detects knock it opens bleeding off boost. We don't have such a thing on the vettes. Also at my BMW's mod level I don't need a bigger pump as the duty cycle is not 100% to keep up with boost using e85. I know if I go more E85 and more boost I need a bigger pump.
I just wanted to know if it was as easy as dumping in E85 for more octane but apparently not. I see a Alky controller and tune in the next couple months just need to find a good shop in Charlotte.
But then again its going to rain forever here I haven't been able to take it out in weeks. 14 inches since September its every frickin day...
Yes, BMW has electronic waste gates.. GM computers don't even have a way of controlling waste gates, much less making adjustments based on ethanol content.
Like I said.. BMW are far more advanced.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 294
Likes: 11
From: Charlotte NC
I was wondering why I didn't see anyone really using e85. All the bmw guys use e85 and what you said makes sense. With a tune, down pipes, CAI and meth some guys are running very low 11's or just into 10's. With a inline 6 in a heavy car.
My vette is way more fun so much more raw but the bmw is fast too and holds 5. Getting used to what the vette has need more power captain!
My vette is way more fun so much more raw but the bmw is fast too and holds 5. Getting used to what the vette has need more power captain!
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 16,667
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From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
I had a 550i for a while.. if I were doing it over again I'd get an E92 with the turbo 6 cylinder. Those things have ridiculous torque curves and with only a few mods are seriously fast
On GM vehicles, basically at WOT there's no sensor that can tell the computer whether it's running richer or running leaner than it's wanting the AFR to be.. so it's 100% dependent on figuring out how much to fuel inject via fueling calculations only.. there's no feedback loop to tell it how far off it is. With wideband O2 sensors BMW's can adjust fueling all the time, so different ethanol contents, etc. are easy to adjust for
On GM vehicles, basically at WOT there's no sensor that can tell the computer whether it's running richer or running leaner than it's wanting the AFR to be.. so it's 100% dependent on figuring out how much to fuel inject via fueling calculations only.. there's no feedback loop to tell it how far off it is. With wideband O2 sensors BMW's can adjust fueling all the time, so different ethanol contents, etc. are easy to adjust for
Last edited by schpenxel; Nov 9, 2015 at 09:37 PM.