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My car is in the shop now being upgraded for E85, Fore triple pump system, Flex fuel sensor, 1,200 cc injectors. Convert to return style fuel system
The V-3 Si was due for a rebuild. While I was at it I upgraded the bearings to ceramics and upgraded the volute to Ti. The impeller is upgraded to 7075 billet, with more bite (9/9) and better balance. With that and the bearings it can be spun to 62,000 RPM although it won't get there with a 3.33" pulley and standard crank pulley.
I plumbed a manual boost controller into the boost reference line to the BoV to be able to set a boost limit.
The more I read about E85 the better it gets.
I have been doing a lot of reading about using E85, it has a lot of benefits.
My engine runs a little hotter than I would like, 235 or so cruising on the highway, not hitting it at all. From what I understand E85 should lower the temps 10 to 15 degrees.
The flame speed is greater for E85 so there is more expansion while the piston is closer to TDC which results in more power and this is without increasing timing.
E85 contains 30% more oxygen than gasoline so you get more oxygen in the cylinder for the same amount of boost.
The latent heat of evaporation of E85 is 385 BTU/lb. Gasoline is 171 BTU/lb. This results in 40 to 50 degrees of cooling of the charge air which makes it more dense. More charge air for the same boost results in more power.
105 octane allows both more timing and a reduction of the potential for knock.
What's E85 costing you guys now? The price of corn has now doubled.
Here we have one station, I paid $4.45 a month ago. Now they jacked it to $5.35
End of last season it was $2.95
What's E85 costing you guys now? The price of corn has now doubled.
Here we have one station, I paid $4.45 a month ago. Now they jacked it to $5.35
End of last season it was $2.95
In Maryland, I'm paying $3.59 right now, but only because our RINO governor did a 30 day gas tax moratorium or whatever it's called.
Your cruising temps are high, that's something to work on too.
Last fall I got my SBE LM7 85/96 3200 r/weight Camaro out and have been hitting it with 10-15 psi, been going good.
I did some work on my fans (shrouded, single taurus fan, dual pass rad), and I cruise in the 190s.
Thanks John.
That is one of the reasons I am switching to flex fuel. Corn burns cooler. Hoping to drop 10 to 15 degrees there. I also added an Improved Racing MHX-520 oil cooler with a 200 degree valve and a Spal 9", 560 CFM fan.
Here in Iowa the station 5 to 10 minutes from my house had E85 at $2.40 last time I got some a couple weeks ago. For what it's worth our pump gas is 10% E and is currently $3.80. It's also consistently near 95% E.
No way that centri car should be running 235 while cruising. One of the benefits of the centri on a street car is lower under hood temps. I've got a 160 thermostat and have my fans on at 179 degrees. Car runs about 180-183 no matter the conditions. My IAT's barely get 10 degrees over ambient as well unless I sit for a very long time idling then they fall quick as soon as I start moving. I do use water/meth plus ethanol, but the meth isn't a factor when idling/cruising. There is no reason you shouldn't be able to keep that thing under 210 degrees or even under 190 if you choose. I don't think E85 is the answer there something else is going on.
Just a comment, but 235F cruising temps could also be caused by your tune, maybe not enough timing as an example.
This ^^^
I finally threw in the towel and enlisted Pat G's services for tuning my car after making no headway on my own.
My car would run in the 190' - 210+' range regularly and would get there fairly quickly with just light cruising and I've got a solid radiator, electric water pump setup.
Pat's base tune had many changes compared to what I started with and now during cruising it runs much cooler, struggles to get to 180 and hovers between 175 and 185 when the pump and fans kick on.
Runs infinitely better too.
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