Would E85 do this?
Here is a pic of my precision 1000cc after 3000 miles of use on E85 and also a pic of the tube that goes to my catch can. What would cause this. Im more concerned with the catch can tube.


thats what oil looks like after water/condensation has been hitting it for awhile
I dont know much about how e85 burns/byproducts so I cannot offer insight
Injectors look rich though
I dont know much about how e85 burns/byproducts so I cannot offer insight
Injectors look rich though
is it not tuned? lol.
never seen that out of all the ethanol cars ive seen. e70/e85/e98. ethanol burns cleaner than pump. is that sludge like, oil? if so thats a ton of blowby. and idk bout those injectors. but yea those injectors seem a little rich black to me. lol.
hows your catch can setup?
never seen that out of all the ethanol cars ive seen. e70/e85/e98. ethanol burns cleaner than pump. is that sludge like, oil? if so thats a ton of blowby. and idk bout those injectors. but yea those injectors seem a little rich black to me. lol.
hows your catch can setup?
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The injectors yes.
There is a thread on Codsm.org with multiple people seeing the same black gooey buildup on injectors. That stuff with dissolve easily in gas.
A guy tested that stuff and this is what he came up with.
There is a thread on Codsm.org with multiple people seeing the same black gooey buildup on injectors. That stuff with dissolve easily in gas.
A guy tested that stuff and this is what he came up with.
Alright, I finished my analysis of this stuff, and my finding is very unexpected. I think it will probably surprise everyone else as well. This doesn't appear to be forming because ethanol is "such a good solvent" but because ethanol is a poor solvent. I suppose it should have been obvious when others said that it "washes right off with gasoline". Why would something that ethanol is selectively dissolving wash off with gasoline? If this were something in rubber or from our fuel tanks, wouldn't that imply that gasoline would dissolve it even more readily than E85?
Alright, so what is this stuff? It is a appears to be a very large petroleum based hydrocarbon, similar to Vaseline. There isn't a single hetero-atom in the molecule (ie, the entire molecule is comprised of hydrogens and carbons), but the molecule is very large. It is also completely aliphatic (ie, only single bonds in the structure - no double or triple bonds). Where did it come from? I can only think of two different sources it could be coming from. It is either something that is mixed in with the rubber hoses that is meant to dissolve away in the gasoline, or it is a trace impurity in the 15% gasoline that is in E85 that wasn't separated during the fractional distillation process. Because it is such a large molecule, it wouldn't be very soluble in ethanol and could easily crash out of solution at the injector.
Alright, so what is this stuff? It is a appears to be a very large petroleum based hydrocarbon, similar to Vaseline. There isn't a single hetero-atom in the molecule (ie, the entire molecule is comprised of hydrogens and carbons), but the molecule is very large. It is also completely aliphatic (ie, only single bonds in the structure - no double or triple bonds). Where did it come from? I can only think of two different sources it could be coming from. It is either something that is mixed in with the rubber hoses that is meant to dissolve away in the gasoline, or it is a trace impurity in the 15% gasoline that is in E85 that wasn't separated during the fractional distillation process. Because it is such a large molecule, it wouldn't be very soluble in ethanol and could easily crash out of solution at the injector.
Well if they say gasoline dissolves it, it would make sense to run a tank of 93 octane gasoline every once in a while. Of course, with a more conservative tune & minimal boost.
Your catch can tube is from oil and coolant mixing due to blow by or headgasket issues. Its pretty much normal on boosted motors. You gotta take them off to clean them like every 6 months to a year usually.
Your probably running a bit rich as far as injectors go.
Your probably running a bit rich as far as injectors go.
There was a test of materials for e85 compatability a while back in the AM forum.
Search under user 1fstgsr or something like that. His location is wisc.
Search under user 1fstgsr or something like that. His location is wisc.
It happens in colder climates more often than warm ones.
- Derek
ok so the injectors are normal. Ill have to remember to clean them every once and a while. So if that **** in my catch can tube is just condensation or wahtever....why would anyone want to have the catch can drain back into the motor? You would assume that putting condensation into your oil would be bad...right?
I have that same junk in my catch can, its condensation.
I have a set of RC1000's sitting right next to me with about 3x more miles than yours and they look brand new, along with my entire engine and head running strictly Ethanol.
The vasolineish substance mentioned about is usually found in the fuel filter when you use E85, I had alot of it at first and then it disappeared.
I have been around the corn for a while and I have not yet seen one issue that can be proven to be DIRECTLY RELATED TO ETHANOL, run the ish and be happy with it.
I have a set of RC1000's sitting right next to me with about 3x more miles than yours and they look brand new, along with my entire engine and head running strictly Ethanol.
The vasolineish substance mentioned about is usually found in the fuel filter when you use E85, I had alot of it at first and then it disappeared.
I have been around the corn for a while and I have not yet seen one issue that can be proven to be DIRECTLY RELATED TO ETHANOL, run the ish and be happy with it.
ok so the injectors are normal. Ill have to remember to clean them every once and a while. So if that **** in my catch can tube is just condensation or wahtever....why would anyone want to have the catch can drain back into the motor? You would assume that putting condensation into your oil would be bad...right?
I drain mine into my oil, but I change my oil about every 1k miles so it does not bother me one bit or worry me.
If you guys have ever done an intake manifold on a gm 3.1 or 3.8...that's EXACTLY what **** looks like underneath the valve covers. I would recommend the op does a little research back into his own vehicle just to make sure. NO, I don't disagree with anyone on here who's said "no, eth isn't the problem" BUT. I think he should to a quick check over of his car, and the oil in his pan first, before he goes pounding on the car anymore.
i drain mine back but that stuff only seems to be on the top of the lines.
It is condensation with the E85. I just chalk it up and include it in maintenance. I do it every few months.
It is condensation with the E85. I just chalk it up and include it in maintenance. I do it every few months.
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