E-85 Questions.

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Cope

Cope

Fusing with fire
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I would like to hear your thoughts on running and building a race motor for E-85?

13-1 Static Cr. With E.F.I.

Is it better than 110? Should I just bite the bullet and go full alky? what about E-85 blends? whats its octane rating? This car will get fuel in the S.F. Bay area, and hopefully some longer than 1/4 mile trips. Will I be able to find fuell?

Is this even worth thinking about?

Thanks for the time and advice.
 
Have no experience with e-85. Have plenty with methanol. Methanol is said to have octane rating of just over 100 I believe. But the level of cooling as it evaporates makes detonation unlikely. And it runs well rich. So extra fuel for more cooling. E-85 should respond in a similar fashion. However I have heard the mix can vary quite a bit. Plus these fuels pull water out of thin air. Meth will pull it thru a plastic fuel jug. With e-85 when it pulls enough the alky/water will separate and sink to the bottom of where ever its at. Then the water starts up,corroding things. So extra precautions must be taken with these fuels. If its worth it is up to you.
 
I'm swapping two cars, nothing like your build over to e85 since they finally put a station reasonably close. Make sure you get a quality carb set up. Some out there aren't very good.

About $5 to a comparative $8+ for race fuel, no brainer to me.

Drain the e85 out if you plan on parking for long periods and fill it with a small amount of race fuel.
 
j par said:
Lol- FILL with SMALL AMOUNT of race fuel -- lol :poke:
Click to expand...

you will burn way more fuel w/ alcohol, don`t know if after said and done, how the cost will compare to gasoline. bet it`s more expensive .
 
In my experience the carburetor corrosion was the problem. Hard to blow an engine up with E85 but I still won't use it any more in my engines. For now on I'll build them for pump premium.

With E85 you'll need an 8:1 or 9:1 air/fuel ratio. With our 13.5:1 compression 500 ci single Dominator wedge at 12:1 A/F we had 800 degree exhaust gas temperatures and 680 HP. 11:1 A/F gave us 900 degree exhaust gas temperatures and 760 HP. 10:1 A/F was 1000 degree exhaust gas temperatures and 840 HP. Finally we saw 928 HP at 8.5:1 A/F. The intake manifold had ice forming on the outside of it through out the dyno session, that alcohol really cools things down.

Guess I should add that E85 wasn't available in my area so I bought Ethanol in 55gal drums and made my own E85.
 
I had a high compression small block in my Demon and it was not worth the trouble to deal with the cost of race gas and having to find it. The small block in my D50 runs on 93 octane and makes about 150 more HP than the high compression motor in the Demon. I will never build another motor that requires more than super unleaded.
 
I've been running it for four years now with no problems. I check the fuel when I buy it. The motor mad 13 less Hp on e85 but 23 more FT# torq. I believe they say its 110 octaine. Mark Sullins did the carb for me and works great.
 
Just remember "pump" E-85 is inconsistant. It is 85 % ethanol MAX. It can be anything lower, and usually is lower. You will really need to check the % of each batch you buy. You can buy an ethanol test set at most small engine repair/parts shops for less then $10.00
 
I can't thank you all enough for the true info.

I'm in contact with Holly, mega squirt and alky diger, leaning to alky digger, on 110 octane.

In the end it's not my choice, just my advice and what I want to drive/what we can afford.

Thanks again for all the time and advice.
 
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