E85 > *

Finally loaded up the E85 tune on my BRZ yesterday (remember these things run 12.5:1 comp stock).

Pretty nice bump in power and nearly eliminated the torque dip (in before NOCONES says he's never experienced it even though there are literally dozens of dyno graphs showing it).

Too bad I won't have the cash for a UEL header and a few other little things for quite awhile.

other benefit is that a good solid flog running E85 will soften any carbon build up on DI engines. It takes a good extended flog thrash.

Can those cars run E85 stock or do parts need to be changed?

captdownshift wrote: other benefit is that a good solid flog running E85 will soften any carbon build up on DI engines. It takes a good extended flog thrash.

The Frisbee twins have DI and port injection. So I don't think it's really a concern.

Gearheadotaku wrote: Can those cars run E85 stock or do parts need to be changed?

All you need is either an Open Flash Tablet and run Shiv's E85 tune or a Flex Fuel kit and an EcuTek tune.

You have to take some precautions with the OFT, run the tank to empty, fill with E85. Then drive a few miles while monitoring the fuel trims (the OFT does real time datalogging out of the OBD-II port). Once the fuel trims change, stop, flash over to the E85 map and drive slowly for a few miles until the computer relearns the fuel trims and done. Good to go.

It's a pretty noticeable difference. Too bad the SCCA banned it from the more street oriented classes.

wonder what your mpg will do since you have an e85 tune

i'm skeptical of any flex-fuel vehicle on a stock tune anymore since my avalanche gets 16mpg unloaded on 87 e10, and 3mpg unloaded on e85.

On the next tank I'll reset the trip odo and check it manually. The word is on E85 the cars lose about 25% in mileage vs 91/93, which makes sense.

But that's fine with me.

The gas station by my work yesterday, E85 = $1.79; 91 = $2.49............so it's about break even.

And it stinks and it's hard to find! It's nice to have the option but strictly E85 is just too hard to come by in certain locations.

In reply to z31maniac:

I was reviewing the EcuTek Tune, it looks like it costs damn near $1k for the first tune. Am I reading that wrong?

singleslammer wrote: In reply to z31maniac: I was reviewing the EcuTek Tune, it looks like it costs damn near $1k for the first tune. Am I reading that wrong?

Depends on the options and if you keep the cable for Datalogging. All the tuners return nearly the same numbers, like within 1-2% which could be do to the weather/dyno/etc.

That's part of the reason the OFT is popular. 1 time buy-in, always updating, adding new features, tweaking tunes, etc.

I wish we still had e85 locally, had it a couple years but it was before it was common knowledge (around here) that e85 is cheap race gas but by that time it was too late and no one carried it anymore.

One thing to watch - E85 is a maximum rating. It could be as low as 70% ethanol. If you don't have an ethanol sensor in the fuel system and an ECU that will tweak the numbers for you accordingly, you can find yourself in trouble from tank to tank. Probably not a big deal on a naturally aspirated car, but turbo guys who are throwing massive amounts of timing at their cars can be in for a surprise.

It smells so nice in the dyno room when we're on E.

patgizz wrote: wonder what your mpg will do since you have an e85 tune i'm skeptical of any flex-fuel vehicle on a stock tune anymore since my avalanche gets 16mpg unloaded on 87 e10, and 3mpg unloaded on e85.

I do understand the pull of E85 … especially for the forced induction guys …

but 3 mpg ??????? don't think I could deal with that …

Keith Tanner wrote: One thing to watch - E85 is a maximum rating. It could be as low as 70% ethanol. If you don't have an ethanol sensor in the fuel system and an ECU that will tweak the numbers for you accordingly, you can find yourself in trouble from tank to tank. Probably not a big deal on a naturally aspirated car, but turbo guys who are throwing massive amounts of timing at their cars can be in for a surprise. It smells so nice in the dyno room when we're on E.

Yeah, the tune on the car is designed to work from E60-E90. Just take a few miles after each tank to let the computer re-learn the STFT and LTFT.

It's pretty incredible how powerful the ECU is in this car.

wbjones wrote:

patgizz wrote: wonder what your mpg will do since you have an e85 tune i'm skeptical of any flex-fuel vehicle on a stock tune anymore since my avalanche gets 16mpg unloaded on 87 e10, and 3mpg unloaded on e85.

I do understand the pull of E85 … especially for the forced induction guys … but 3 mpg ??????? don't think I could deal with that …

To be fair, I have NEVER, EVER heard of an 82% reduction in gas mileage from E85.

z31maniac wrote:

wbjones wrote:

patgizz wrote: wonder what your mpg will do since you have an e85 tune i'm skeptical of any flex-fuel vehicle on a stock tune anymore since my avalanche gets 16mpg unloaded on 87 e10, and 3mpg unloaded on e85.

I do understand the pull of E85 … especially for the forced induction guys … but 3 mpg ??????? don't think I could deal with that …

To be fair, I have NEVER, EVER heard of an 82% reduction in gas mileage from E85.

I'd agree. That almost sounds like something else is out of whack.

Patgizz: is that typical for those years of the Avalanches since showroom new?

My next play vehicle might have a turbo. I would have to play with MS and E85 if that happens. I'll report back after this weekend

z31maniac wrote:

Keith Tanner wrote: One thing to watch - E85 is a maximum rating. It could be as low as 70% ethanol. If you don't have an ethanol sensor in the fuel system and an ECU that will tweak the numbers for you accordingly, you can find yourself in trouble from tank to tank. Probably not a big deal on a naturally aspirated car, but turbo guys who are throwing massive amounts of timing at their cars can be in for a surprise. It smells so nice in the dyno room when we're on E.

Yeah, the tune on the car is designed to work from E60-E90. Just take a few miles after each tank to let the computer re-learn the STFT and LTFT. It's pretty incredible how powerful the ECU is in this car.

So there's your fueling - how about spark? That's where all the power gains are with the stuff anyhow.

I have never experienced the torque dip... But that's because I don't own a FRSBRZ and have not driven a stock one.