E85 FlexFuel Conversions for C7 Corvettes
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 24,035
Likes: 2,342
From: Gilbert AZ
And if e85 sitting in a tank is an issue, just swap to regular gas before storing a car for winter. That is the joy of flex fuel. You can run either. Going on a long road trip with no e85 available, just run premium. Want to store the car for 6 months, run it low, get a tank full or premium and let it sit just like normal. There is really no down side at all to a flex fuel car besides the cost to set it up.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 10,709
Likes: 7,101
From: Fulshear, TX
Sitting a few months won't hurt anything. If you're worried, just get a bottle of the Lucas ethanol stabilizer for a few bucks at Walmart. It's not like its minty fresh straight out of the pump, it's sat in storage tanks, railcars, etc.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,004
Likes: 68
From: Cincinnati OH
From what I can tell the harnass and installation of the Flexfuel kits don't look too bad. Is the tuning a pain in the *** switching to Flexfuel? I'm trying to get a handle on what it would cost to have someone install the kit if I didn't do it myself and tune.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,050
Likes: 35
From: At the Office (in NC)
When I was racing the car earlier in the year, I gained 2mph (Same weather as previous weeks, 1600-1700 DA) in the 1/4 mile from the extra spark advance that the car was able to take before spark knock with E85. Whether it was a good thing or not, I had been so busy I wasn't able to make it to the dyno and I was street tuning the car on the way to the track. The main idea here is that the knock thresholds were much higher with the higher alcohol content fuel. The C7 has a very good fuel system from the factory that should be able to support a substantial amount of power. The car is currently producing 534rwhp / 498rwtq.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 10,961
Likes: 2,643
From: Texas Hill Country
depends on what part fails. if you alter anything in the computer, whether it is flex fuel, full tune with custom operating system, or you just want to alter your speed limiter, throttle response, or tire size, gm MIGHT deny your claim if it is powertrain related.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,375
Likes: 328
From: CA.
St. Jude Donor '13-'14-'15
Regardless of ethanol content----Whereas a Silveardo Flex fuel truck starts at 14.68 at 0 % all the way down to 8.98 at 100 %
So one has to believe the C7 is NOT correct as they are both have the new DI engine /E92 computer
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,519
Likes: 7
From: Indy
My setup is up and running, i have a very details post with over 10k views. Feel free to see how it turned out. With headers, and E85, I Put down 472whp and 481wtq! car is a beast now, easy a 130mph trap car
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
Why do I ask? Using E85 in non-FFVs can cause increased emissions and catalytic converter wear, as well as premature deterioration of fuel-system components, because ethanol is corrosive. FFVs use special fuel tanks, lines, and pumps designed to be more corrosion resistant.
A "tune" can't address all that, can it?
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 10,961
Likes: 2,643
From: Texas Hill Country
What a difference from the LS days.
My C5Z needed a 408 and a healthy cam with ported heads, LTs, ported FAST, etc etc to get 480 rwhp/tq.
Now all you need are headers and different fuel. So awesome.
My C5Z needed a 408 and a healthy cam with ported heads, LTs, ported FAST, etc etc to get 480 rwhp/tq.
Now all you need are headers and different fuel. So awesome.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 10,961
Likes: 2,643
From: Texas Hill Country
If this is such a switch, why didn't GM engineer it in to begin with? Rent there component degradation issues with the fuel system and/or engine? I'm not talking about storing the car for 3 months, I speaking to issues that would/could happen doing the driving season.
Why do I ask? Using E85 in non-FFVs can cause increased emissions and catalytic converter wear, as well as premature deterioration of fuel-system components, because ethanol is corrosive. FFVs use special fuel tanks, lines, and pumps designed to be more corrosion resistant.
A "tune" can't address all that, can it?
Why do I ask? Using E85 in non-FFVs can cause increased emissions and catalytic converter wear, as well as premature deterioration of fuel-system components, because ethanol is corrosive. FFVs use special fuel tanks, lines, and pumps designed to be more corrosion resistant.
A "tune" can't address all that, can it?
Basically, if your fuel system can support it you will be fine.
I run E85 in my C7 and my 2015 6.2L 1500 daily driver (also not Flex Fuel from GM) full time and my C7 sits for long periods of time.
They both fire right up and run great. I have put 1900 miles on my C7 in the first year (April to April). It is not driven much.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,050
Likes: 35
From: At the Office (in NC)
Starting to sound to me like 500whp without a cam is easily doable on E85.
Probably just need ported intake mani/tb and a good intake (along with the headers/x-pipe obviously). Nutty!
Probably just need ported intake mani/tb and a good intake (along with the headers/x-pipe obviously). Nutty!
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,050
Likes: 35
From: At the Office (in NC)
T-Stat is a good idea too - forgot about that
I'll all ears on what you make tho
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,050
Likes: 35
From: At the Office (in NC)
mine with the Texas humidity, need to do the 160 thermostat, was at E60% when dyno pulls done- cooler weather, 160 tstat and full e85, who knows where I would end up
LMR C7 Corvette Cold Air Testing - YouTube
LMR C7 Corvette Cold Air Testing - YouTube
E60, LMRs CAI, and what else? Headers and exhaust I assume?