E 85

[phat46]

I have a nephew that runs a mud truck, he's running a blown 383 Chevy stroker motor, dynoed at 788 h.p. and 850 ft. lbs torque. He uses E 85 in it and says there's a huge power boost from it. My question, is this a sensible thing for a street motor? He says there are carbs specific for this or a carb can be adjusted for it, and EFI is an option. Does anyone here run it on the street or have any experience with it on street cars. I know the mileage is about 30% less, but we don't drive them for mileage...😬

[kb426]

Adapting late model flex fuel efi would be my choice. You would have the advantage of ethanol for performance usage and regular fuel when just tooling around. The biggest downside I see to this is the side effects of ethanol: corrosive and hygroscopic.

[enjenjo]

There are several aftermarket  flex fuel modules that you can add to a EFI system.

[58 Yeoman]

A relative on my wifes side has a Steeda Mustang, but I don't remember all the details about it, except he just spent a lot of money having the engine rebuilt. 500hp? I don't remember, but I do remember that he says he runs E85 in it.

[chimp koose]

My biggest concern would be fuel consistency as the ethanol pulls in moisture from the air . When running methanol in a bracket racing car we used to pump our drum of methanol into 5 gal jugs so we could limit water contamination. On the 2 car TAD , TA/FC team I worked on a barrel got emptied quick enough . A half full barrel is half full of air and the moisture it contains. From a good fuel perspective , it will handle a lot more compression as well as boost than pump gas . I imagine the EFI systems would have a way of altering A/F ratio and spark to adjust for inconsistency in the fuel . I just wonder about the fuel consistency vs water content when you get it from the pumps supplied by below ground storage containers . Just seems the power change with the condition of the fuel would be a bigger variable with the E85 .