Car Craft shed some light on the E85 fuel for us in the November 2006 issue. For those that are interested, check it out.
I am really liking this fuel. So far, so good! :)

It's a good artical isn't it!
Did you you notice the torque @ HP increase @ mid range over race gas!!

I haven't read the article yet, but I will soon. I have heard that you get less mpg with E85. Is that true?

I have heard that you get less mpg with E85. Is that true?
True, appox 25% less miles per gal. But at 50% less cost of equivalent race gas.
It's only cost effective with cars that need 100+ octane.

Consumer Reports (ha, ha) also just did a big article on E85. They tested a new flex fuel Chevy Tahoe and it got 27% lower mileage on E85 than on straight gasoline.

Consumer Reports (ha, ha) also just did a big article on E85. They tested a new flex fuel Chevy Tahoe and it got 27% lower mileage on E85 than on straight gasoline.


I think this was what I seen on TV not too long ago.(some news story like 20/20 or dateline)

I understand (and agree with) your reasoning for not wanting to run the stuff in your family car or daily driver BUT; lets say that you own a 12.5:1 big block that is built for power...NOT mpg. It cost you $6 or $7 per gallon for race gasoline And said race gasoline had to be shipped to you by the barrel or bought by the 5 gallon can. That is expensive and just a pain in the behind. Also If you want to drive the car further away than 1/2 tank, you would have to bring along extra cans of race fuel to get home.
BUT THEN A FUEL COMES ALONG LIKE E85 and makes it possible for you to enjoy your race oriented hot rod on the street (fuel at the pump, 105 octane),...... now that is something to talk about.
The reason for my intrest in the stuff is because now I have the freedom to drive my Camaro a lot more; I don't have to buy fuel by the barrel anymore(I just fill up at the pump), it cost less than race fuel, and I have not lost any power (and NO, mpg is not a concern with my car)
Yes, I did have to change carbs. Yes, I did buy a bigger pump, but in the long run I am money ahead.
Perhaps some of you remember the days when you could run high compression engines on the street and with pump gas. Until now, those days were gone. FOR ME, E85 made MY CAR more fun to enjoy.
The reason I post E85 stuff is because perhaps some of you out there have a similar circumstance.....
I also forgot to mention that the company that produced my carb tested it on the dyno before sending it to me. They made 25 more pounds of torque over race gasoline with E85.

thats my only problem i want to run gas. I dont want to have to change my carb, and pump because i dont want to have to worry about E85 since it isnt everywhere yet only the upper midwest as i live in Kansas City i still havent seen it in the city ive heard of one place. Also i cant just switch back and forth you have to keep it.

e85 will be coming up bigtime soon. In Iowa and Southern Illinois they are building stills full bore with heavy federal subsidy dollars. Just wait a few years, it'll get to you.

Smits67's point is a good one. We've been building 9 & 10:1 motors to run on available fuel for so long now that even some of us older guys have forgotten what it's like to run a true Hi compression engine. Most of the younger guys have no idea. It's been 30 years! Over about 11.5:1 you get the most wonderful "Cackle" sounds so crisp, so mean...hehe nuttin sounds like a 13:1 motor!

What is special about an E-85 carb? I would assume the jetting would be fatter but, what other changes need to be made? Sounds like a great fuel and I could sure put it to use. I wonder how long before it is out west? (California). I will run to the mailbox and see if my Car Craft has arrived.

Royce,
The folks that produced my carb are AED Performance.
http://www.aedperformance.com/Carburetors.htm

They tell me that the Car Craft article was not 100% accurate. It seems that each circuit within the carb had to be modified. It was not as simple as adding alcohol metering blocks to a gas carb and running it.
That gets it close, but not quite perfect (I first experimented with the E85, using my Pro-form 750 double pumper gas carb.....pretty good results, but was still too lean).

Ethanol plants are being built all over the place in my area. I understand that the beer factories have come to realise that they can produce millions of gallons of ethanol a year from a by-product of the beer making process that is normally thrown away.
I hope California gets some E85 soon. I hear that so far there is only one pump in the entire state!

Chris

Just this week here in Florida they are beginning to pop up. Few here and there.

I will have to do a little research on the carb mods, it can't be that hard. I am pretty familiar with Holley's and can't imagine anything magical they do that I don't have the tools to do at home. With two carbs, paying to have them modified would be expensive, plus I like ot learn and do new things myself. AED is a good company no doubt. I have plenty of time to learn since we don't even have E-85 out here yet. Hopefully soon!!

Royce,
You are right man! It can be done. Carbs are not that difficult. I can tell you this much. I could get my carb to about 90% "right" without doing any drilling.
It seemed to be the passage to the booster.....or the booster itself that kept me lean. I just happened to be a few $$ up (that doesn't happen often), and wanted to get a pro-built carb.
Let me know when/if you start fooling with the stuff. I would like to hear your results.
Chris

Royce,
... Ethanol plants are being built all over the place in my area. I understand that the beer factories have come to realise that they can produce millions of gallons of ethanol a year from a by-product of the beer making process that is normally thrown away.
I hope California gets some E85 soon. I hear that so far there is only one pump in the entire state!

Hey Royce, there's a BIG Beer plant not far from you :thumbsup:
Maybe you'll get it before us ;)
There is a guy out in the delta area talking about using corn waste and/or Popular trees as a source for it and building a distillery in the area. Guess he's still looking for investors - that's how I heard about it.

John