PCM Diagnostics & Tuning HP Tuners | Holley | Diablo
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Tuning for corn gas?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 06-28-2006, 01:38 PM
  #1  
TECH Veteran
Thread Starter
 
robertbartsch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Hartsdale, NY
Posts: 4,055
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default Tuning for corn gas?

Any thoughts on this? My car hates the stuff!
Old 06-28-2006, 01:59 PM
  #2  
TECH Senior Member
 
horist's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Lake Zurich, IL
Posts: 7,036
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

standard VE tuning... correct your fuel trims...

10% ethanol decreases the overall efficiency of gasoline slightly (~3-4% maybe)

Though shouldn't take much tuning if any unless your fuel trims are all over the place ... the midwest has used the 10% ethanol blend for as long as I can remember... and my car's never had a problem running on it ...

Even w/the current mods, didn't take a whole lot of time tuning (and that was more so because of the large cam and converter than the gas)
Old 06-28-2006, 02:32 PM
  #3  
TECH Fanatic
 
Runn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Tranås, Sweden
Posts: 1,130
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

My car loves the stuff

I´m running 100% E85 and the car feels alot stronger.
Old 06-29-2006, 09:35 AM
  #4  
TECH Veteran
Thread Starter
 
robertbartsch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Hartsdale, NY
Posts: 4,055
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Maybe it is the NY corn is not as good as the stuff grown out west or in Sveeeeden? We use genetically modified corn in our NY petrol (gas). The "moded" genes must be junk, however!

Is Uncle Sam still subsidizing the corn farmers? This is bull. Let's subsidize Exxon too - they only made $9 BILLION USD after tax last quarter.
Old 06-29-2006, 12:12 PM
  #5  
TECH Resident
iTrader: (17)
 
ZL1Killa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: NC - Charlotte area
Posts: 3,747
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by Runn
My car loves the stuff

I´m running 100% E85 and the car feels alot stronger.
what did you have to change on your car?

are you talking about the actual E85 which is only 15% gasoline? don't you have to do more than just tune for that?
Old 06-29-2006, 01:44 PM
  #6  
TECH Addict
iTrader: (10)
 
SSpdDmon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Commerce Twp, MI
Posts: 2,918
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

I was under the impression you need a certain kind of tank, fuel lines, pump and injectors to run the corn gas...not to mention you get 25-35% less economy out of Ethanol since it doesn't produce the kind of energy regular gasoline does. I fill up 12 times/month as it is. 3 more $25 trips to the gas pump hardly seems more economical to me. I know GM doesn't list our cars under there fleet of FlexFuel vehicles. I wouldn't run more than a 10% blend unless you are 100% sure it's ok to run that way...just my $0.02.
Old 06-29-2006, 02:55 PM
  #7  
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (1)
 
SmokingWS6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: St. Louis MO
Posts: 1,795
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 1 Post
Default

Originally Posted by SSpdDmon
I was under the impression you need a certain kind of tank, fuel lines, pump and injectors to run the corn gas...not to mention you get 25-35% less economy out of Ethanol since it doesn't produce the kind of energy regular gasoline does. I fill up 12 times/month as it is. 3 more $25 trips to the gas pump hardly seems more economical to me. I know GM doesn't list our cars under there fleet of FlexFuel vehicles. I wouldn't run more than a 10% blend unless you are 100% sure it's ok to run that way...just my $0.02.

Correct. If you run E85 on a stock ls1 you will have problems.
Old 06-29-2006, 03:11 PM
  #8  
TECH Junkie
iTrader: (4)
 
MrDude_1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 3,366
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by horist
standard VE tuning... correct your fuel trims...

10% ethanol decreases the overall efficiency of gasoline slightly (~3-4% maybe)

Though shouldn't take much tuning if any unless your fuel trims are all over the place ... the midwest has used the 10% ethanol blend for as long as I can remember... and my car's never had a problem running on it ...

Even w/the current mods, didn't take a whole lot of time tuning (and that was more so because of the large cam and converter than the gas)
i had to add about 7% across the board when they switched gas here...
Old 06-29-2006, 03:59 PM
  #9  
TECH Resident
iTrader: (17)
 
ZL1Killa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: NC - Charlotte area
Posts: 3,747
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by Runn
My car loves the stuff

I´m running 100% E85 and the car feels alot stronger.
so what in the hell did you do to your car?
Old 06-29-2006, 08:05 PM
  #10  
TECH Addict
iTrader: (10)
 
SSpdDmon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Commerce Twp, MI
Posts: 2,918
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by ZL1Killa
so what in the hell did you do to your car?
I hope this is his way of being sarchastic (unless he completely modified his fuel system).
Old 06-30-2006, 08:22 AM
  #11  
TECH Junkie
iTrader: (4)
 
MrDude_1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 3,366
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by SSpdDmon
I hope this is his way of being sarchastic (unless he completely modified his fuel system).

no, hes in sweden, and he modded his car to run on the stuff.. its not hard. your tank and fuel lines are compatible plastic.. injector Orings arnt a problem... the largest hurdle is the fact that you have to supply alot more fuel..
but this is off topic.. i think the topic starter was refering to the 10% ethnol they blend into standard gasoline now... if you want to know more about Runn's conversion, search under his name.. if i recall, he posted a good bit up about it.
Old 07-01-2006, 03:37 PM
  #12  
TECH Fanatic
 
Runn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Tranås, Sweden
Posts: 1,130
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Originally Posted by SSpdDmon
I hope this is his way of being sarchastic (unless he completely modified his fuel system).
No...

If you dont trust me check the differences betwen the 5.3 flexi and the 5.7 LS1. You will be surprised. Of course you have to make alot of tuning to get the car to run good. And bigger injectors....

Search a little...
Old 07-01-2006, 10:18 PM
  #13  
TECH Resident
iTrader: (17)
 
ZL1Killa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: NC - Charlotte area
Posts: 3,747
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

thanks
Old 07-01-2006, 11:00 PM
  #14  
TECH Addict
iTrader: (10)
 
SSpdDmon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Commerce Twp, MI
Posts: 2,918
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by Runn
No...

If you dont trust me check the differences betwen the 5.3 flexi and the 5.7 LS1. You will be surprised. Of course you have to make alot of tuning to get the car to run good. And bigger injectors....

Search a little...
If you still run that gas in a year or two, post up and tell us how your seals are holding up.
Old 07-02-2006, 12:55 AM
  #15  
TECH Apprentice
iTrader: (4)
 
camrsz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 302
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post

Default

I use e 85 in my ls1 73 camaro. I have an all alcohol compatible fuel system. The car does feel more powerfull tuned on e 85. Another thing I noticed is the engine temps run about 20* cooler.
Old 07-02-2006, 08:35 AM
  #16  
TECH Resident
iTrader: (17)
 
ZL1Killa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: NC - Charlotte area
Posts: 3,747
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts

Default

they would run cooler because it doesn't burn as hot
Old 07-02-2006, 09:48 AM
  #17  
Teching In
 
TunedPower's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Southern California
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by SSpdDmon
I was under the impression you need a certain kind of tank, fuel lines, pump and injectors to run the corn gas...not to mention you get 25-35% less economy out of Ethanol since it doesn't produce the kind of energy regular gasoline does. I fill up 12 times/month as it is. 3 more $25 trips to the gas pump hardly seems more economical to me. I know GM doesn't list our cars under there fleet of FlexFuel vehicles. I wouldn't run more than a 10% blend unless you are 100% sure it's ok to run that way...just my $0.02.
Correct. I think it'd be tough to find many stations with 10% ethanol, much less the E85 stations.
Old 07-06-2006, 10:21 AM
  #18  
On The Tree
 
Rabidbandit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Jersey
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

10% is going to be everywhere....what do you think replaced all that MTBE the EPA was screaming about Ethanol is offically the new octane booster for gasoline. I ticks me off that they say it's more difficult to blend ethanol into gasoline...their just looking for ways to jack up the damn price. The midwest has been using it for years...93 was the same price as 87 for the last 8 years in my town. Everybody's worried about the drop in fuel economy with E85...we have it all over Nebraska. My Pop's new Chevy with the L59 5.3 loves it after he threw a MagnaCharger on it. Gets about 18-20mpg Hwy...unloaded of coarse. It's a Ext. cab short box 4x4...incase you where wondering. I'd think as long as you have high compression or some type of forced induction...you can do better with E85. If they have variable compression engines that switch from like 9:1 thru 12.5:1...you would probably see no drop in performance! Ofcoarse...if they decide to produce something like that. Anyway that's my take on it
Old 07-06-2006, 12:57 PM
  #19  
TECH Junkie
iTrader: (4)
 
MrDude_1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 3,366
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by Rabidbandit
10% is going to be everywhere....what do you think replaced all that MTBE the EPA was screaming about Ethanol is offically the new octane booster for gasoline.
yup.
the sunoco across the street from me switched to it while i was running a SD openloop tune... i ended up redoing most of my VE table about 7% according to my wideband.
i can now tell who uses what by reading the wideband... if im a little on the fat side, its more MTBE type fuel.. if im a little leaner or dead on, im on the 10% blend stuff...

but for the most part, i fillup at the same sunoco.... because its across the street from me.
Old 07-06-2006, 02:28 PM
  #20  
On The Tree
 
Rabidbandit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Jersey
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Did ya have to mess with the timing tables switching over... had to up the value some...VE adj. only about 4% here. Not as critical as your setup with the SD...but I want every last drop out of this thing. I'm also looking to add two cylinders to my ride in the future...let me know how your S10 swap turns out I have a brand new 350 Dart block sitting in plastic in storage...just haven't thrown the guts in yet. Your goin' with a genIII but I think I'm going to stay GenI...a little more budget. Damn Dart block is the most expensive part of the combo. For the price I payed for it you'd be jealous



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:01 PM.