Converting to E85 (ethanol fuel)

[740volvo]

[Koston740]

Originally Posted by gsellstr

You're kinda SOL until you get enough fuel to feed the injectors, regardless of pressure. Lines won't be an issue for the time being, but the volume certainly will.

$100 for the Mustang pump drop-in upgrade.

is the stock mustang pump a walbro.

[cosbySweater]

just simply swapping pumps is not gonna fix anything, i tried and failed, swap pumps and upgrade the wiring to w bigger gauge to see real improvement

[740volvo]

.

[cosbySweater]

i run a single whinebro 255 with 10 gauge wiring and it has kept the fuel pressure right where it should be all the way to 30 psi.

[gsellstr]

Originally Posted by falunbrick

just simply swapping pumps is not gonna fix anything, i tried and failed, swap pumps and upgrade the wiring to w bigger gauge to see real improvement

Eh?? Bumped up the wiring inside the tank, running the stock wiring for the rest of the car. Voltage at the sender connector is within .2v of battery voltage at high load, fuel pressure hasn't been an issue to 20psi on mine. Stock pump was 3-4a nominal, walbro is 8-10 max at full pressure which these cars will never see (hopefully).

As for Koston's question, depending on where you get the pump, may be a walbro. The Airtex E2366 (I believe, the specific number is around multiple threads, I just don't remember off-hand), is a Walbro, only downfall is it doesn't have a check valve in it like the stock pump. It's not an issue on LH2.4 or any system that primes, but 2.2 doesn't prime prior to cranking.

[cosbySweater]

stock wiring powering a relay switching to 10 gauge off the battery

[lookforjoe]

Interesting read.

Trying to decipher out of the original posts just what I need to calibrate my fuel maps to for use of E85. What seems to be stated time again is a 42% increase in injector (size? flow?)

Running ME4.4, laptop programmable fuel, ign & WOT maps.

I can calibrate my main fuel map for any injector size, currently 650cc (@ 3 bar, approx 710cc @ the 3.8bar I'm running now), I can adjust regulated pressure.

Running 20psi (PTE6262) boost I'm hitting over 85% duty cycle on my setup, so I'll need larger injectors to run the same boost level?

Tuning should shoot for AFR .85? I'm tuning for AFR 12.5 with gasoline. I can calibrate a data gauge in Innovate for Ethanol - AEM gives a chart to scale from, but it just says Ethanol, doesn't specify E100, E85, etc... also I should switch the WB02 for Lambda display for more accurate tuning ?

When calibrating for idle/cruise, I'm shooting for 9.0:1 correct?

Any current tips or suggestions from those with experience?

[pelicanflyt]

Have any of you longer-term E85 users experienced any adverse side effects? Has anyone changed to different oil or do more frequent changes with E85? Seems to be a recognized need (more OCs) when using it, from what I've read around the web.

[thelostartof]

I am still doing 5k oil changes with 0-30 castrol oil with no major issues seen here. I have been running e85 since '09.

[740tankDriver]

i have been running nothing other than e85 alcohol for about three years. only thing observed as a negative is what was already observed is the carbon gum buildup on the valves and injector tips. running fuel system cleaner is a neccessity, from what i have observed. i run a bottle of redline fuel system cleaner every oil change. no problem.

the gum buildup is the only issue.

[thelostartof]

Originally Posted by 740tankDriver

i have been running nothing other than e85 alcohol for about three years. only thing observed as a negative is what was already observed is the carbon gum buildup on the valves and injector tips. running fuel system cleaner is a neccessity, from what i have observed. i run a bottle of redline fuel system cleaner every oil change. no problem.

the gum buildup is the only issue.

Or you could just run some chevron 91/93oct fuel every 3-4 tanks add 1-2 gal of normal pump and that helps also.

[gsellstr]

Same here, just the deposits on the valves, nothing on the injectors even. Been on E85 since may '12.

[740tankDriver]

based on my morning cold-start condition, where the engine is difficult to fire, i was considering a dry nitrous induction setup for aiding cold-start engine start. nozzle install past the throttle body...perhaps at the cold-start valve location or egr port location. any dangers of unwanted ignition and /or explosive results?

[pelicanflyt]

Did a before and after dyno and saw 25WHP gain (8WTQ) with just 30% E85 / 70% 91 octane petrol. Car runs fantastic with that blend. Any greater E85 proportion, though, and get a CEL for lean. Also, the intercooler weep hole seems more active (more discharge).

[gsellstr]

Haven't had the deposits or CEL on mine, even running straight E85. I will say, TLAO's chip had a VERY nice 8-8.5 AFR from 3k-6500 in boost on the dyno while running the stuff, which is right where it should be in boost.

Orie tried a blend in both of his cars with nothing but pure win results, smoother, way more grunt, etc.

Hit the yards with the neighbor yesterday, he filled his Ranger up afterwards at Arco, 2 miles later it was running like crap, pinging, etc. even at cruise with the a/c on. Suggested he try tossing in a couple gallons when he gets a chance, see if it helps that tank run worth a darn, waiting to hear the results.

[twann74]

Hi!
This post has not been used for a long time, but has anyone converted their NA 740 to run on e85? I have a b230e and want to do so by swapping injectors. Stock injectors are 203cc @2.5 bar (at least I think).

I'd like to find injectors that can be straight swapped. If I want to increase the size by 42 to 60%, the bigger injectors should be 288cc-324cc @2.5 bar. However I can't find anything smaller than greentops which are 337cc @3 bar.

I'm afraid it's too much and the car will run too rich. Does anyone have another bosch reference that would be straight swapped or simple to install?

I am already running e85 on my subaru impreza but I installed a flexfuel kit on it, and I want to do it the turbobrick way on the 740. Running e85 is an huge saving in France (0.5€/l compared to 1.5€/l for petrol).

Thanks!

[linuxman51]

337cc at 3 bar is going to be a little bit smaller at 2.5 bar.

[OttoB]

337cc @ 3,0 is 307cc@2,5 bar. So pretty close, but you need resistor pack with greentops.

[linuxman51]

not if you use 850 turbo injectors..

[MikeSr.]

That’s what I have in the LS V8!

[MoTT]

And here I am with my shovel to dig up this post.

The idea of running E85 on my 89' 740T (with 1986 engine) has been on my mind for a long time but now that the gas is crazy high it's becoming a necessity.

I read the entire post and I still have some question if some people are still here since it's an old post.

I wanna do things the right way so i'm thinking about bigger injectors, fuel regulator and a new fuel pump. My main question is how my car is gonna react to this since I don't have the chance to have a LH ecu on my car. Since it's an older one, it's running with motronic and of course without O2 sensor. So, no correction.
However, I do have an AEM uego (wideband) at my disposition to help me. Every infos I found here and there on turbobricks and on the net only speak of LH2.2/LH2.4 but nothing for the motronic. Maybe it's a lost case...

I own the car for now 6 years and I've done nothing to upgrade the car yet. This year I'm thinking of a new turbo and some boost. Since It's likely an engine with small rods I'm not going to be insane with the boost and I think 200-250hp will be plenty for this engine.

So tl;dr
I was thinking of 550cc injectors (maybe Bosch EV14)
Fuel regulator
Bigger pump

Am i doing it right ?

[Kjets On a Plane]

Do you have ethanol for cheap in Europe / a similar govt. subsidy scam for it like we do (takes more hydrocarbons to make it & depletes the soil/uses precious irrigation/fresh water that could be used for actual useful food instead of fuel) effing fat-cat a-hole scam Iowa corn lobby...
Isn't propane cheaper there?

Given it's less energy dense, octane/quality is all over the place/wildly inconsistent on E85 for compression/optimal spark timing for optimal longevity & efficiency, it's corrosive/can ruin parts if it sits badly, I doubt it's really any cheaper?/worth it?

Propane doesn't pay road tax, never goes bad, no pumps required, doesn't stink/no cat to steal or required for non-stinky exhaust & octane is fairly compatible w/most N/A engines anyway?
But liquid propane injection also isn't 'cheap' to convert to properly?

If you wanna be cheap & have more time than $, vulture waste veggie oil w/ a diesel & do all the work to treat it/filter it/deal with it on a or vulture half-full propane tanks, learn how to refill/recombine them DIY & resell them if you have a 'gas' car?

Short of that, vintage car that has no laws/smog, permanent plates & bootleg EV conversion?