E85

How to run e85 fuel reliability

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i use it in my drag car and street car.did go up here from 3.39 to 3.59

step 1; buy a good E-85 carb. Not a junk one
step 2 make sure pump and lines are alcohol compatible
step 3 pour E-85 fuel into tank and use this in the fuel.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/LUCAS-OI...SQkbEAQYAiABEgLrLvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
there is a learning curve just like anything else. Birdtracker

Do you test every "batch" of fuel to make sure it's 85%? I've heard it can vary and needs to be "adjusted" somewhat.

I get mine from a Mejier gas station. I don’t think it matters. I do test every once in a while but mine is really close. Birdtracker

Helps to use same station. Our local one is never under 85 and most times is closer to 87.

Absolutely. Birdtracker

We only have one chain around here that has E85 and what they really have is E70 year round, but at least it is consistent. I haven't tried it yet, I setup everything for it I just haven't made the move.

E85 was available at a lot of places here for a while, but not as much anymore. If I ever make the jump to a blower, I'll switch to E85.

Do you really need to change over to the green E85 metering blocks? I have Quickfuel metering blocks on my carb now and I was wondering if I could just modify them or should I just spend the $200 on the QF E85 kit

Gus

Stations around me (SE Michigan) are generally E70 from about October to Mid May. I test until I find 83% or above and then fill my barrel. I top off a barrel at the end of the season before the percentage drops so I have good fuel to start the next season with. I add 1 oz of Lucas safeguard ethanol treatment to each 5 gallons of fuel.

The E 85 metering blocks are different and do make a difference.
I have a 4150 based 1050 that was set up for E 85 by an up and comer that used gas metering blocks and it was dangerously lean.
We pulled to 4000 and shut it off , went up ten jets and got the same result.
Switched to a fresh Quick Fuel 850 and it corrected the lean condition , but was now under carbureted.
Up here in Mn. , they use a winter blend that is about E-55 until May , then dump E 85 on top of what ever is in the tank , and by mid June , it is consistent 85%.

Thanks
I have the Pro-Form 1050 annular body now with Quick Fuel blocks, bowls, and baseplate. It runs very well right now so that's why I hesitate to change the blocks but I guess I will have to completely change my tune anyway with the new fuel.
Maybe when I bolt the new blocks on my A/F ratio will be dead on

Gus

I couldn't get a A/F ratio gauge to work to save my life. I bet I have at least 5 of them and at least 2 sensors for each one. AEM won't even give a reasonable display. I went around that for about 6 months and finally gave up. Birdtracker

Looks like I'm going to need a new fuel pump and regulator that is safe for methanol too. Now the tally is approaching over the $600 mark is it worth it for a street/strip car I drive less than a 1,000 miles a year.

Gus

One reason why I decided against it. Ain't nobody got time for dat!

Some guys over-think this. When I plumbed my car years ago I used number 10 black cloth line in it and number 8 to the carb. I did this back when I was running 9.80’s on BP pump gas and W2 heads. I switched over to alcohol years ago and run the same BG400 pump and regulator. I have rebuilt the pump a time or two but you expect that on a pump that is over 15 years old. Larry smith gave me a used one several years ago so I rebuilt it and now carry a spare. Regulator has never been touched

EFI makes this much easier.

I would personally only run drum E85 if carbureted rather than chase the alcohol content.

I run it on my Barracuda. Its nothing special, small block low 11s.

I buy it at the local Sheetz store and in the beginning I was testing it all the time, but I quit because once the summer blend hit the tanks it was consistent.

Not so much of a deal like it used to be though. Last I bought was $2.39 and now its $4.00.

Still cheap 105 octane fuel though.

This is what i try to do

I tested it every time first year out, very little variability. Never checked it after that. Even if it were outta range it wouldn't make a drop in the oceans difference. In the five years I ran it I saved hundreds, maybe even thousands, of dollars in fuel costs ($2.45 vs $10/gal), more than enough to pay for itself, not to mention the times it may have won me rounds in general.

Why?
Our local pump E85 use to vary from E75 winter mix to E85 summer mix, I learn to buy enough of the pump E85 in the summer to last my racing year, 30 to 60 gallons
I would fill all 6 of my 5 gallons plastic fuel jugs and let it sit in my race car enclosed trailer over the winter and it would check from E86 to E89 % the next spring, I would mix a little of the current year pump E 85 to bring it down to match the E85 tests

Sure that works. Just saying I would buy drum fuel if carbureted as I would rather not do that. (have a bunch of fuel jugs, testing/mixing them all)


I've seen a wider range of alcohol content at the pumps around me, 55% to 85% which means I would have to buy drums of E98 to mix anyway.

You need to find out what chemicals the makers of E85 use to make E98 stay mixed in it to make it E85 down to E55.
I tried adding E98 to our local pump E85 to make it E90, it would NOT stay mixed for very long after shaking it in the 5.5-gallon plastic jugs, the E98 would settle to the bottom of the jugs in or near to 20 minutes
The alcohol is thicker, heavier than gasoline and will separate and settle to the bottom

Interesting, I've not had that issue. I'm just adding E98 to the fuel tank of cars and run them for 10 minutes or so while watching the fuel composition sensor.

Once mixed the composition sensor would read the same alcohol content, even on an overnight cold start/drive it stays consistent.

What is a Fuel Composition Sensor?
Is it for late model EFI vehicles that can use different ratio of alcohol content from today's gas pumps?
I'll have to dig out my alcohol fuel hydrometer and check the specific gravity of some of my pump E 85 left over from last year and check the E98 I still have sealed up in the bottles I bought from Wal Mart last year

don't the "multi-fuel" vehicles use a fuel compensating sensor ?
if so, i'm not sure where it would be mounted, or what it would look like.

Yes, and can be used with aftermarket efi as well, it's what I have on my Charger.

You set it up to automatically adjust fueling vs alcohol content. Ignition timing as well.

They can be mounted on the feed line or return line. I have it on the return line-

I don't know that I would run one of those sensors in the feed without a bypass like Motion Raceworks makes. I have mine in the return and after installing the fuel pressure goes up a few lbs when running both pumps engine off, so it is a restriction with the small line size. It isn't a problem racing the car, it only runs both bumps when its wide open for the most part and the engine is consuming enough of the fuel it still allows plenty of return flow.

If I ever redo my fuel system I will use the bypass and put it in the feed but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

https://www.motionraceworks.com/pro...rovmTIJ6TaAE7xdvslW1EX2UapRoCvKQQAvD_BwE

I think the bypass fitting is a nice option as I'm sure the sensor would be a restriction at some point.

Have ran it in the feed line however on several 900-1000rwhp cars

Hey Cab do you have any issues of moisture separation when you store all that fuel for weeks at a time? I have read conflicting information about storing E85 for a few weeks or more.
I have been researching all the myths and misinformation about corrosion and moisture build up in my fuel cell. I think I will be OK with my current cell, pump, and regulator.

Gus

That is good to know!

Not that I know of, I have let several full plastic jugs sit in the trailer stored in my driveway from early Sept. to late April here in Bend, OR. It gets well below freezing for weeks on end a lot here
I'm sure, hoping, methanol is a lot more apt to do that than Ethanol does: scope:

I have been testing with a tube the ethanol from HEB. I live in South Texas and the fuel tested 83% in January and last week I tested it and it was 85%. I will be going to the dyno soon. Would you use it in a 540 with indy heads at 13:9 compression? Anyone tried it? Fuel is 3.89 at the pump.
Renegade e85 sells for 385 for a 54 gallon drum? WHich is 7.11 per gallon.
Would it be better with renegade or is the the same thing?
I

We are running a 540 with 440-1 heads and 13.7:1 compression. Been running pump E85 for 3 seasons now. If the percentage is 83% or above you should be good. Our engine seems to like 32 degrees timing. We tried going up to 36 but didn't make anymore power just made it harder to start.

Very similar engine. What do you use for a cam? Mine will be 285-293 wiht 763 lift on both sides. LSA at 112 and centerline 108 and was set at 108.

What maintance do you do?

All the above and Make sure if you start it you get it up to temp every time. 160-180 deg. do not start it turn it off. I been running for 8 years

Other than oil changes every 50 or so passes we don't do any fuel related maintenance. Before we store the car for the winter I drain the fuel out of the system and remove the carb. I pull the bowls to inspect, give the carb a good coat of WD40. Put it back together. Put it in a plastic bag in a box and put it on the shelf. She is ready for the next season.

We do run 1.6 rockers so the lift is .650

Couldn't get the pic oriented right. If you click on it and click the rotate button in the bottom right you can view it normal. Or you can tilt your head sideways

Yes good point. I try and make sure its good and warm before we load it up at the end of a race day. I also try and stage the car around 170 to 180 degrees. That seems to be the sweet spot for me (runs its best ET's) Ethanol doesn't begin to vaporize until 173 degrees.

E85 flat out works good and is consistent. This was our first weekend out this season.

Our combos are very similar. I should be on the dyno in a couple of weeks. I do have more lift in the cam but my car is heavier than your daytona. Mine is a 69 road runner weight is 2950 with me in it. I will be using an 1150 Davinci that he converted into E-85.

Yeah the Daytona is 2450 with me. I am just using a QF 4150/950 no power valves with a 98 square jet. EGT's are 1100 at the 1/8 and 1250 at the 1/4 which is about perfect from what I have read. The car ran consistent 5.60's@124 at mid Michigan last weekend. Made a couple 1/4 mile test hits at Milan Dragway a couple Sundays ago and it ran 8.70@155

Good going Chuck!

How do those egt readings compare to alcohol. I finally got my RacePak egt’s straightened out last weekend and have my target number written somewhere but gotta find it.

I am not sure exactly what they should be on Methanol. We ran Methanol on the Duster and Daytona both but never had an EGT to see. I am only sampling one cylinder about 3" out from the head in #8 tube.

Thanks. After I posted that I took time and googled it. Looks like if I’m around 1100-1150 in the 1/8 I’m good.

http://www.hardtail.com/techtips/alcohol.html

NICE work team CL!!!

My son and I have been playing with this stuff for over two months. He bought a new quick fuel e85 750 but we are having a stumble or hesitation problem when leaving.It's driving me crazy but I'm not giving up.Only way I can get it to leave is make the idle mixture screws rich as hell and opening the rear transfer slot about double compared to the primary.This is a drag only effort.I haven't tried removing the power valve but leaning this way for Friday tnt.
Combo is 416
12.72 compression
Trick flow top end
Flat tops
3070 lb race weight
4.10 gears with 29" tire
8" converter
Anyone have this stumble problem and found the solution?
Son told me last night that local gas station in Maryland just tested 87% and that's the first this year.

What size squirter & do you have the 50 cc accel pumps in the front AND back with the fast rate pump cams ??

That is a big camshaft

Carb came with .035 both front and back and I've tried .045 in both and no change.Came with 30cc pumps.
Camshaft is a custom 270 at .050 and .614 lift at the valve solid flat tappet.
We have been running vp e85 and water temp 175-180 when staging.Best 60 has been 1.39 with better air than lately.
Fuel bowls are half way in site glass.I believe it has pink pump cams.

In my opinion, it needs the 50cc green pumps & get the assortment of cams for the 50cc . just like bigger jets when going to alcohol it will need more squirter volume

I have an assortment of the pump cams and could rob some 50cc pumps off of another carb i have that's not in use.
I will say this fuel is very consistent.

Play with the squirters and cam locations to see if it will react 60 quicker, if it slows down go the other way.
Don't stop until you have it the best you can get it