So the time has come to where we are planning on turning the boost up on my Integra and shooting to make 700+whp. I am torn between running e85 vs c16. Now both have an advantage and disadvantage I am sure, I just need to figure out which one is a better option.

E85 is 2.85 a gallon where I live, but requires 30% more fuel and you run a risk of an inconsistant blend.

C16 is consistant but the $15 a gallon kinda deters me. I know you gotta pay to play but damn.

My fuel setup consist of:

Deatchwerk 1000cc injectors (100psi base pressure makes them close to 1600cc)
Full Blown Hanger with twin Walbro 255's
Edelbrock Rail
-8 Feed/-6 Return Lines
Aeromotive FPR
Aeromotive Filter
Stock tank


Now some people have been telling me that you can't run c16 in the same tank as pump gas. I have said there is a petcock on the tank that makes draining it real simple haha. That way I could drive it on the streets with out spending $15 a gallon but could drain pump gas and put the good **** in when I wanna go to kill mode.

Fuel cell is out of the question as there is no room in the trunk due to roll cage. So whats the deal, any pros/cons between the 2 that I am missing?

 

My opinion: E85 all day every day.

1.) Testing the E85 blend is much easier than draining the tank. Also, the factory plug isn't designed as a repeated use ordeal. They even sell meters that display in real time what your blend is. So you can drive/change maps accordingly. Also, you can always make the blend to whatever you want by adding or subtracting fuel.

2.) You can tune for the differences in blends and load a different tune at the gas station. A brand new laptop only costs around $250 for the one that fits in your glove box. You will have to switch tunes for race gas anyways.

3.) E85 sounds to be readily available... What happens when you run out of race gas? At $15 a gallon are you really going to fill the whole tank then drain and try to save every last penny worth? With E85 you could switch between regular gas for when its not available and ser to low boost and back to E85 when it's there again. Assuming you went with detail #2.

There are more BUT I am assuming you are talking about a daily driver. So my opinions are more biased in that direction.

 

Funny enough people that run on race gas don't "run out" during their runs. They pretty much plan for that before leaving the house. Its not used like filling up the tank at a gas station. What we do is plan that night, run the race fuel, then go home..

Out this way we use a lot of race gas and meth water. Very few E85 users here.

 

Why yes of course, any responsible person would "plan ahead". This is the same reason i live in a "safe" neighborhood yet carry a gun. The problem is that you never know what's going to happen let alone if you get distracted (chasing some young lady around). Also, are we talking to a kid or even an irresponsible adult that also forgot to bring condoms? Again, it was all just my opinion - nothing factual.

 

The car used to be my daily driver but has sadly, yet excitingly grown into more of a race car then anything else. I don't wanna have to carry around a laptop with me everywhre I go and constantly change the maps due to an improper blend.

 

I see where you're coming from, but you'd be surprised at the logic some people will forget that others use in their use of a project car.

 

E85 is LOVELY if your serious about your build, and the inconsistencies in mixture are easily made up for with the proefi flex fuel sensor system for their engine management systems, which I am particularly fond of. Especially in cases where E85 is available in some locations, but when you move out of that location your stuck on 91 or 93 or whatever might be available at the time.

Race gas is still probably the most commonly used option for the weekend racer in my opinion, my buddy brings his laptop to the track, buys a gallon or two of race gas there at the track and dumps it in his car which is typically on just above a 1/4 tank, and loads his race gas tune and makes his passes. Then when he goes to leave he loads his stock premium gas tune back on his car, and he drives home.

 

5 gallons of C16=75 bux
5 gallons of- e85=14 bux, and entry into the event, and from the pump

the blend seems to be more of a myth than anything with e85 or atleast an easy crutch to blame failure on anyways.

 

I use c12 but my power is much lower than your goals. I drain my tank the night before, but the c12 in and then load the car on the dolly and hit the track.. when I get home the racegas comes out and the 93 goes back in. I would not want to be messing around with draining tanks and swapping fuels at the track because im lazy.

 

lol got to love honesty

 

Def consider a standalone with a E sensor like ProEFI or something of that nature.. if you're going to go e85.

 

 

People get way too caught up in "inconsistencies" of E85.

We have a station across the street from my shop that I test once every couple weeks to check the blend. 10 months out of the year it tests between 84-86% ethanol. The other two, it's usually 75% or so.

As far as tuning goes, most street cars are not tuned on the ragged edge of using ethanol's useable margin of safety, so the reduced amount of ethanol during the two months out of the year the ethanol content drops, the worst problem you have is a car that runs slightly richer, and makes a touch less power.

Don't worry about an ethanol content sensor and fancy engine management if you're dealing with a street car. Just grab yourself a wideband, learn how to read it, and watch it.

You'll be fine, provided your tuner isn't a complete jack wagon.

- Derek

 

people listen to to many others that have never ran the stuff

simply put it is the ****, and is hard to beat.

car fails hell lets just blame e85 because i have never had an issue before blah

 

My tuner is the one telling me to go e85 haha, couple of my buddies are screaming for me to go c16, so many decisions lol. I am gonna do some more reading up on both fuels. I appriciate the help

 

The way i see it

If you drive the car on the street in kill mode, then e85

If its a dedicated track car, the c16

Unfortunatley we dont have e85 in ct, otherwise id be all over it. Now everytime we want to turn it up, we have to plan for it, and it kinda takes away from the whole streetable side of things if you ask me

 

But ive never used e85, so maybe its one of those "the grass is always greener on the other side" type deals hahaha

 

Your out of injector, get the big boy ID2000's

 

e85 is also a proven race fuel as well hell didnt T1 run like 8.70 with it last year in vegas

 

You can always buy barrel e85, if you worried about it. More expensive than from the pump, but still a lot cheaper than race gas. I ran c16 last year at $14.10/gal, this year i am probably going to run barrel e85 thats about $4/gal.

 

Yeah a 55 gallon drum will most likely be bought regardles of which fuel I end up going with.

 

I had the same issue this year as well. I ran e85 from the pump all last year and i went through alot of gas just driving it to work, weekend nights, etc. I'm not complaning about it just noticed my self at the pump alot more then running 93. I retuned this year with 93 because the TRUE e85 wasnt coming to my area untill early May and didnt want to wait that long for a tune. Honestly it's kinda pointless to be making over 450 on the street anyway due to traction issues as i'm sure you are well aware of. I just didnt like the maintence behind the e85 and the fact that it doesnt stay TRUE e85 year round and not many gas stations sell it near me.

What I did/reccomend to you is just tune on pump (93) for "low boost" and then tune with c16 and come out on the street with a good boost by gear setup for "kill mode"

 

While you guys are busy spending time switching back and forth from "stun" to "kill", I'll have already won all the money. I appreciate your donations.

 

[QUOTE=93supercoupe;47458786]The way i see it

If you drive the car on the street in kill mode, then e85

If its a dedicated track car, the c16


This

 

Yeah the car is stupid on the street right now with 517whp, I highly doubt it would ever be raced on the highway on race gas. I do a ton of drag racing, 1-2 times a week with 5-6 passes a night. We are turning the boost up so I can be more competative at national events and local IFO's