The latest station grand opening is Wednesday the Mobil station in Fullerton. However, all three classes of fuel may be marketed as E85 at various times during the year. Adding 10% ethanol to unleaded gasoline raises the octane by 2 - 3 points. E85 has an octane rating between 100 and 105. While we promised we weren't going to go there, it appears that the political winds are shifting toward a permanent commitment to ethanol fuels. However, if ... before filling up with E85 check your car is compatible with fuel. The guys also dive into some tuning differences between the two fuel types (E85 tends to be more forgiving of tuning errors) and cover the pros and cons of using each, especially on the street. Here the green solution may be the ideal performance solution as well. Not only that, there is also controversy about how the E85 octane rating is calculated in the first place! I do have E85 near me. Of course, flex-fuel vehicles aren’t the only kinds of vehicles that can take E85. Refer to your owner’s manual or manufacturer to ensure your lawnmower, chainsaw or other equipment is compatible with ethanol-blended gas, or for tips on how to preserve … E85 enjoys a high-octane rating that is always above 100, letting your engine run cleaner and driving better, more-optimized performance at all times. This averaged value, also known as antiknock index or AKI, is the number shown on gas pumps here in North America. But on older cars in particular, gaskets, seals, and hoses will need to be updated to ethanol-compatible materials, as in the long term the exposure will shorten their service lives. "There's no sense even trying it with this boost and compression," Urban says. E85 contains less energy per gallon compared to conventional gasoline; therefore the engine needs more gallons of fuel for the same distance (up to 28% more with E85). Kumar said on 91-octane premium he gets about 450 hp, but on E85 (which has an octane rating […]. While it seems confusing, this is done mainly to offer better cold-starting performance-which is a problem with ethanol fuels. https://www.powerequipmentdirect.com/stories/1691-The-best- Some people convert their gas-only cars to run on E85 by tweaking the on-board computer. Not long after we talked in Costa Mesa, Vann got his Subaru up to 152 mph at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. It seems to hit every hot button in public policy, from global warming to farm subsidies to oil dependence. Support my Channel here! Even on a normal non-promo day, E85 usually is cheaper than regular gas. You will read claims that can vary by a tremendous amount. Ethanol blended gasoline has actually been available for a number of years as E10. This number can vary depending upon some complex ways that octane is measured which do not take into account E85’s ability to cool the inlet air. E85 is rated at 100-plus octane, up to 105 octane or more. Class 1 or "pure" E85 contains 80 to 84 percent ethanol, while the remainder of the blend is commercial-grade (around 85 pump octane) gasoline. One is the elimination of bare magnesium, aluminum, and rubberparts … Increase the octane rating though and we can often make more power. Not this time. There are a few major differences between FFVs and non-FFVs. (The vast majority of American ethanol is made from corn, although other sources can be used. Josh Ksiazkiewicz is a GM Powertrain engineer and one of GM Performance Division's resident E85 gurus. Recently we looked in on a dyno shootout Urban conducted featuring gasoline versus E85. E85 is comprised of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline and is derived from fermented starch and sugars. If your wondering what E85 is, it is a blend of 85% Ethanol and 15% unleaded gasoline. Without retuning, you could probably safely push it to 17% E85 and 83% 95-octane, giving about 15% ethanol and 96.7 octane. Despite the flex fuel's higher octane rating (103 in this case), the flex-fuel nature of the Tahoe's 5.3-liter V8 engine prevents it from taking full advantage. Pure, 100% ethanol has an octane rating of 113. And that points directly to one of the clear tradeoffs with E85: When you pump in roughly 25 percent more fuel, you take an approximate 25 percent hit in fuel economy as well, though it can be offset somewhat with careful tuning. That was the main motivator for Wongsar Vann. E85âs octane rating is 105, but it provides even better performance because of the cooling capacity. If you have any questions, ideas or feedback, please send all inquiries to: We only have 91 octane fuel. Theyâre still using E85, so theyâre still part of the Corn Army. It has a base octane rating of 105 and has the bonus of added cooling properties that add even more knock resistance than racing fuels with the same rating. San Diego-based Pearson Fuels gave Vann a $50 Amazon gift card. Fuel Freedom is a non-profit with a simple mission: break America's oil addiction by bringing competition to the U.S. transportation fuel market. The octane rating of the E85 that I use is 105 however, I believe that the cooling effect mentioned above is a significant factor in this fuels apparent effectiveness in preventing detonation. And before that, on my regular gas tune, it was kind of overheating a little bit after a couple laps, but after I went to E85, my thermometer stayed right in the middle the whole way. And while drivers can switch back and forth from gasoline to E85 at will with the flex-fuel vehicles currently offered by the automakers, that is some fairly advanced technology beyond the reach of most backyard tuners. E85 ethanol has an octane rating of 100-105, versus 85-95 for gasoline, but manufacturers do not tune E85 ethanol-capable engines for higher performance than their gas-only counterparts. What this means is that E85 is highly resistant to knock but somewhat sensitive to preignition, comparatively speaking. Please note that due to the high oxygenation of E85-R, the octane values are estimated. Got the need for speed? The fuel is approved for all cars 2001 and newer. The Octane Rating of E15. An octane rating, or octane number, is a standard measure of an engine or aviation gasoline capability against compression.The higher the octane number, the more compression the fuel can withstand before detonating.Octane rating does not relate directly to the power output or the energy content of the fuel per unit mass or volume, but simply indicates gasoline's capability against compression. Standard petrol is given a 91 rating, while premium unleaded is both 95 and 98. People like using FFVs. E85â²s octane rating is 100-105, considerably higher than premium gasoline (91 octane). Adding 10% ethanol to unleaded gasoline raises the octane by 2 - 3 points. Also, E85 is perfectly legal for road use, and depending on where you live, it is available straight off the fueling island at your local gas station. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to the  Terms of Use. ⦠I just thought about it: I was like, ‘Thereâs not just a small market for it. The octane rating is prominently displayed in large black numbers on a yellow background on gasoline … Between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., drivers of flex-fuel vehicles can fill up on E85 for only 85 cents a gallon. As more effort is put into maximizing an engine to take advantage of E85's higher "octane", engines achieve greater power advantages. Simply not true. Unless a blended fuel specifically states the octane rating, you can bet that the oil man has used the cheapest ethanol and gas available to create a blend percentage-based "flex fuel" that is as cost productive for them as possible. His recommendations will be conservative since we were talking about pump E85 as opposed to his companyâs version of E85 which has a significantly higher octane rating than normal pump E85. Ethanol flex fuel (formerly known as E85) has between 51% and 83% ethanol, with the remainder being gasoline. For 70-30 fuel, mechanical fuel injection nozzle areas may be needed that flow 2 to 4% LESS fuel to the engine than nozzle areas for 85-15. Since ethanol is relatively new on the consumer scene, it is just not as thoroughly documented or standardized as gasoline. This is why, in part, you may see E85 described as anywhere from 100 to 106 octane. “My base for it was strictly performance at first,” he said while filling up his 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STI with E85 at a station in Costa Mesa, California, recently. Also, aluminum fuel lines must be fabricated from standard anodized tubing. The octane rating of E85 is in the region of 105, but when combined with its cooling properties, the actual knock resistance of E85 is much higher than the octane rating would suggest. These numbers are called the âoctane-ratingâ, and are an indication of how well the fuel resists burning too early inside the carâs engine. … i try to run E50 in my T Type- it runs just as strong as a full load of E85, but still gets the same mileage as 87 octane and runs a little better after a cold startup than E85. The octane requirement of an engine varies with compression ratio, geometrical and mechanical considerations and operating conditions. Octane rating and energy content: Octane rating has nothing to do with a particular fuel having more or less energy, intrinsically. With no other changes except in the software calibrations, on E85 the engine made 524 lb-ft of torque and 546 hp. 3. And just to let you know where he is coming from: The 730hp, 496ci Rat motor in his personal hot rod, a '69 Chevy half-ton pickup, runs on E85 with a Demon carburetor. The octane rating indicates a fuelâs power to withstand denotation or knock. That would be disappointing if the suppliers find a way to reduce the octane rating because IMO that is the major advantage to this fuel. Fuel economy varies depending on such things as driving conditions, temperatures and tire pressure. The two properties are (mostly) unrelated. How does vehicle mileage with E85 compare to conventional gasoline? Pure ethanol has an octane rating of 113, and thus Ethanol blends have an overall higher octane rating. ), “Thereâs a lot of us at the track that run E85,” Vann said. Yes, you will need more, just as you have heard-considerably more, in the range of 25 percent. He races the souped-up car at various race tracks in Southern California, including Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, east of Joshua Tree National Park. What drivers may not realize is the gasoline they currently use has 10% ethanol in it. On the day we met Vann and Jones, E85 at the station was priced at $2.199, compared with $2.95 for regular. So while E85 is often described as 105 pump octane, its actual rating can vary depending upon the seasonal blend. Freiburger and Dulcich also used Holley Ultra XP carburetors tuned for gasoline and for E85. On late-model cars it's not a big problem since they are already designed for fuel blends up to E20 (20 percent ethanol). The real difference here, of course, is that one fuel is an expensive racing blend while the other sells for less than regular. E85′s octane rating is 100-105, considerably higher than premium gasoline (91 octane… Got the need for speed? E85 is examined as a racing fuel. In fact, E85 contains approximately 80% less of these gum-forming compounds. “When you switch to E85, you’re part of the Corn Army. (W2W tests its pump-gas engines on 100-octane for safety's sake, then performs its final validations with 93-octane pump fuel.) Because the ethanol content in E85 varies between 51 percent and 83, the octane rating can vary as well. Performance. The first time I had it at the track, I didn’t overheat once. Still running 10.2:1 compression and E85, at 13 psi of boost the engine made an easy 833 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 rpm and 850 hp at 5,900 rpm. As a direct replacement for petroleum, ethanol also displaces toxic chemicals such as benzene. But it's no huge deal: Simply know that when running E85 and other ethanol blends, you need to step down one to two heat ranges cooler on the spark plugs, and watch for other potential hot spots such as sharp edges on the piston domes and chambers. Lucky us: We get to bypass all the left-wing poppycock and right-wing folderol and focus on this issue solely as it relates to hot rodding. This fuel combines ethanol-free unleaded gasoline with a fuel stabilizer to prolong the life of the fuel. However, we are not going anywhere near that pie fight. So if a fuel supplier only quotes the higher RON octane number for a product, it may give the impression that the fuel has a higher octane rating than a competitorâs fuel. E85 fuel can give you a significant boost in power and torque without breaking the bank for racing fuels. The selection of octane ratings available at filling stations can vary greatly between countries. The good news is that all things being equal, when tuned properly E85 will make at least as much power as gasoline of comparable octane, and often a little more. Funny, isn't it? This allows them to run efficiently on conventional gasoline. Other common misconceptions: Octane has nothing to do with the speed of combustion, or the heat of combustion. Some … Unlike pump fuel whose octane ratings can vary, these fuels are consistent from batch to batch. On the other hand, when the Indy Car League converted from methanol to straight ethanol, dynamometer tests revealed a reduction in power after the conversion. Ethanol blended fuels pump up the octane rating, but they actually have less energy than low-octane gasoline. Drivers have noticed more torque using E85 compared with dirtier gasoline. Flexible Fuel Vehicles optimized for E85 use can benefit from this high octane rating. E85 is typically about 20 cents / litre cheaper than ULP but the lower price is unlikely to off-set the increase in fuel consumption. What we can do is compensate for it by delivering more fuel mass to make up the difference.". It has a base octane rating of 105 and has the bonus of added cooling properties that add even more knock resistance than racing fuels with the same rating. Note: the octane ratings for E85-R are estimates. There are also two ethanol-based fuels â E10 and E85 â ⦠Retail gasoline stations in the United States sell three main grades of gasoline based on the octane … Optimum air to fuel ratios would vary in E85 labeled mixtures that vary from 85-15 to 70-30. While the stoichiometric (chemically ideal) air/fuel mixture ratio for gasoline is approximately 14.7:1, with ethanol it is around 9.79:1. So the numbers were very similar for both fuels, with E85 squeaking out a slight edge. Sorry if it's been hashed out already. Check with your fuel system and fuel container manufacturers for compatibility with ethanol and E85 blends. While mixing 85 percent 108-octane ethanol with 15 percent 93 octane would yield something in the 102 octane range, the fact is that most manufacturers mix it with 84 octane or lower. E85 Performance Power, acceleration, payload and cruise speed comparable to gasoline Fueling time: same as gasoline Pure, 100% ethanol has an octane rating of 113. You cannot get too much boost with normal pump fuels because of denotation; hence the low octane ratings. as for the octane ratings, i think E50 is something like 96 octane or so, with E20 and E30 being a little bit lower than that. (Knock and preignition are two different conditions: Knock is spontaneous combustion in the end gases before the flame-front can arrive, while preignition takes place before the timed ignition spark occurs, typically due to localized incandescence or hot spots in the combustion chamber.) Refer to your owner’s manual to … California of all places has only three. E85 is typically about 20 cents / litre cheaper than ULP but the lower price is unlikely to off-set the increase in fuel consumption. These are two things that scientifically illiterate halfwits claim all the time. At right, that’s Pearson’s Greg Jones with Vann and his ride. Well, when not out doing his Clark Kent thing with one of the most outrageous sleepers ever built, Urban handles engine development at Wheel to Wheel Powertrain (W2W) in Madison Heights, Michigan. Ethanol has much the same property, just to a lesser degree. Of course, the biggest tuning change when switching from gasoline to E85 is in fuel delivery. The Paris agreement is the shove the world needs, John Brackett made a Volt run on E85, and it was easy, Pearson’s CA expansion proves there’s demand for E85, Some drivers are blending their own premium fuel, Use our Fuels 101 tool to find an E85 station near you, Infographic: 10 homegrown feedstocks for ethanol, These customers all love E85, for very different reasons. "You just can't do this with pump gas." âIf you have a nine-second bracket car, the enhanced cooling effect of E85 can knock off a half a tenth to a full tenth of a second in comparison to gasoline,â says Benoit. The octane rating indicates the likelihood of the fuel to experience âknock.â Knock, the onomatopoeia named after the condition, is also known as detonation or autoignition. E85 is the high-octane fuel for you. But its pump octane rating is 105, considerably higher than premium pump gas (93 to 94 octane) and comparable to racing fuels. When I'm calculating ethanol content for my E85 fuel mix, I assume 10% ethanol because that's what is widely used in Michigan. That yields a final fuel rating … … There usually is. Usually when environmental and social issues arise involving cars, hot rodders get to take it right in the neck. Vann, 34, is such a believer in E85 that he entered our contest in October when Pearson Fuels held the grand opening of a station introducing E85 in Desert Hot Springs. A recent graduate of Kettering University, he is currently writing a rather thick master's thesis on ethanol fuels. Too much boost or too much ignition advance can lead to detonation on pump fuels and hence the fuel’s octane rating often limits the power we can make. The non-ethanol portion of Sunoco E85-R is comprised of highly-refined race fuel hydrocarbons for stability and consistency. E85 has a much greater latent heat of vaporization than gasoline, cooling the intake charge and thus increasing its air density-rather like intercooling or water-alcohol injection. Ethanol blended fuels pump up the octane rating, but they actually have less energy than low-octane gasoline. Octane rating. This is required by federal and provincial regulations. Rather than the octane rating, however, these fuels are named after the proportion of ethanol (also known as ethyl alcohol) contained within.This is the same type of alcohol found in the typical schooner of VB or glass … In the U.S., unleaded gasoline typically has octane ratings of 87 (regular), 88–90 (midgrade), and 91–94 (premium). Performance. E10 and E85 also have octane ratings, with E10 usually having a rating of 94 whilst E85 will exceed a rating of 100. Ethanol is used in racing because of these high-performance characteristics. Summer Fuel = low RVP rating . I wonder if your vehicle benefits from the higher octane or is your engine set up for regular gas rather than premium (93 octane), as it will run on E85⦠Increase the octane rating though and we can often make more power. For example, the 2016 Honda Civic requires fuel with a minimum octane rating of 87 while a high-performance vehicle like the 2016 Mercedes-Benz E350 requires at least 91 octane. With its knock-stifling 105 road octane, E85 is a pump fuel that performs like race fuel. E10 and E85 also have octane ratings, with E10 usually having a rating of 94 whilst E85 will exceed a rating of 100.