Thread: thinking about a basic e85 build

So iv been reading around and there seem to be others(Honda guys) using e85 and getting good results. My question is for a VE to run on e85 and make good power what has to be done timing wise and whatnot. As far as the motor goes I was thinking GregV pulleys Sr16 fly N1 came along with Sr16 pistons ebay header and 3inch exhaust. I'm guessing with the e85 it will be around 230whp...



I'm just thinking out loud what else needs to be done to achieve some decent numbers from using e85???

You will need some bigger injs. To run e85 take the inj size you would use for your goals and multiply by 1.47. This is the size you'll need for e85. Also e85 will require 30-50% more fuel.

To take advantake of the fuel you will need to tune your timing map aswell. Good luck let us know how it goes.

I'm also converting to e85 over the winter along w upping my cr.

30% is much more realistic for how much more fuel you'll need. 50% is nuts.

You'll need injectors capable of flowing about 30% more fuel, and that might also mean you may need a fuel pump upgrade. E85 has the same AKI (anti-knock index) as 104 octane gasoline so you can use that to figure out how lean you can go and what kind of timing you can use. I still aim for around 12.8:1 as shown on the wideband oxygen sensor for air:fuel ratio. As for timing, you can get much closer to MBT (mean best torque) with E85 because of the knock tolerance so you'll be able to run a bit more timing if that's what will make more power. It's maybe also possible to go past the MBT point by advancing too much even without getting knock, so you'll want to tune on the dyno obviously.

Here's our main thread on E85: http://www.sr20-forum.com/turbo/13613-e-85-a.html

It is turbo centric, but most of the info still applies.

In the end, you won't make much more power using E85 unless your engine right now is knock limited. Usually engines are knock limited on 93 octane, but sometimes not.

Well real world results.... 30% more fuel in places part throttle and idle but wot ppl have seen the need for up to 50% more fuel.... and also e85 is exygenated so there are gains from that alone. The knock threshhold is far better then regular 104oct. Granted the octane is about equal to that but it is much more resistant to detonation. Also because of its cooling effects during combustion...

I'll have to take your word for it on the 50% more fuel. That must be an N/A thing. We didn't find that to be the case on the turbo car.

The octane rating of E85 is 94-96 (R+M)/2 (page 31 in that PDF). For the reasons you mentioned, its anti-knock index is much higher than its octane rating would let you believe, and it is equivalent to gasoline of octanes much higher than 96. How high? That's been debated I guess. The conservative estimates are around 104-105 (R+M)/2 (I believe based on scientific testing) but you're not the first one to say they've experienced E85 to have a similar octane rating to 116 (R+M)/2 or even 120 (R+M)/2. For me the jury is still out.

Well its just a thought as of now, there's aren't many gas stations around yet for me to get the e85(not daily driven). So with the e85 I can throw alot of compression and/or timing at the motor?

Yah you can throw more compression at it, more timing, and run leaner, or any combination of the three. Using the abilities of E85 to run more compression is going to produce the most power of those three options (should be obvious).

Get custom cp's piston with around 13-13.5:1 cr and the follow:
Manley or eagle rods
184c cams/ s&r
Custom 4-1 to suit.
Custom intake mani
Calum rt tune w e85
G spec pullies

This might get u close to 230 whp if that's what you are lookin for.

What he said.

Id go even higher cr though, esp with the 184cs. Eith e85 you don't have to be worried to run 14-15:1 cr. Make sure to do a nice clean up in the cc aswel.

i would run 15:1 and coat the piston tops at a min just to make sure you can get every last deg of timing in it!!