[Blk Thing]

I was thinking of running a e85 mix on my m235i with jb4 and downpipe. What are your guys thought or recommendations? What will I need to run a e85 mix?

[kdog26372]

Originally Posted by Blk Thing

I was thinking of running a e85 mix on my m235i with jb4 and downpipe. What are your guys thought or recommendations? What will I need to run a e85 mix?

I don't have the JB4, but it is well known that if you run E85 you should install the flex fuel wires of the JB4. Since your car has an EWG you should also install the EWG wires. They offer no support for running E85 mixes so if you have problems you won't get help from them. But, if you do run it, and many do with success, you should keep it below an E30 mix on an EWG car. If you don't have flex fuel wires installed anything over a couple gallons will most likely cause issues as the car will run too lean. The company also says to run only up to map 2 when using E85 mixes, but again many get higher results with Map 5 or custom maps.

[St3vi3wond3r]

Originally Posted by kdog26372

I don't have the JB4, but it is well known that if you run E85 you should install the flex fuel wires of the JB4. Since your car has an EWG you should also install the EWG wires. They offer no support for running E85 mixes so if you have problems you won't get help from them. But, if you do run it, and many do with success, you should keep it below an E30 mix on an EWG car. If you don't have flex fuel wires installed anything over a couple gallons will most likely cause issues as the car will run too lean. The company also says to run only up to map 2 when using E85 mixes, but again many get higher results with Map 5 or custom maps.

I wonder why they only recommend running map 2 when using e85. i ran map 5 on my n55 f10 and never had an issue when running e85

[kdog26372]

Originally Posted by St3vi3wond3r

I wonder why they only recommend running map 2 when using e85. i ran map 5 on my n55 f10 and never had an issue when running e85

Yeah, I've always found it odd they have a product with flex fuel wires, yet they say we won't support you if you use E85 on an EWG car? Yet many, like you, have had great success using E85 and Map 5, yet they say don't use over Map 2. Who knows what's going on there, maybe just covering potential issues that haven't materialized and then falling back on "I told you so." Makes no sense, if E85 is not recommended for EWG cars, then why add them to your tuning box?

Whatever, low E85 mixes seem to be working with great results on EWG cars, so I think it's just a liability or saving face thing if something goes wrong.

[boostaddict305]

I ve been running 3 gallons of e85 with jb4 and today I did a catted dp as well been running map 5 with no issues

[Blk Thing]

Originally Posted by ***********305

I ve been running 3 gallons of e85 with jb4 and today I did a catted dp as well been running map 5 with no issues

Well to run e85 dont you have to change the fuel pumps on the car?

[ocN55]

Originally Posted by Blk Thing

Well to run e85 dont you have to change the fuel pumps on the car?

nope

[Blk Thing]

Originally Posted by ocN55

nope

So what map would i run with a jb4 catless downpipe and if i want to mix e85. How many gallons reccomended

[boostaddict305]

Originally Posted by Blk Thing

So what map would i run with a jb4 catless downpipe and if i want to mix e85. How many gallons reccomended

I like map 5 better than map 2 but that's just me also it depends all cars are different mine runs very good with 3 gallons I'd start with 2 and work your way up see how the car reacts

[casper83]

Originally Posted by Blk Thing

I was thinking of running a e85 mix on my m235i with jb4 and downpipe. What are your guys thought or recommendations? What will I need to run a e85 mix?

I would say absolutely do it. It gives a nice bump in power. I run it on map 5 with about an E30 mix. Do yourself a favor and buy one of these kits:
http://burgertuning.com/e85_ethanol_...ester_kit.html
E85 can actually be as little as E70. The kit allows you to test and see what your local station is selling so you can better estimate your mix.
I've been running an ethanol mix consistently for almost a full year now.

[ocN55]

Originally Posted by Blk Thing

So what map would i run with a jb4 catless downpipe and if i want to mix e85. How many gallons reccomended

Assuming you run Propel, don't worry about getting this. I've tested it at E85 year-round. Propel fuels is awesome

Originally Posted by casper83

I would say absolutely do it. It gives a nice bump in power. I run it on map 5 with about an E30 mix. Do yourself a favor and buy one of these kits:
http://burgertuning.com/e85_ethanol_...ester_kit.html
E85 can actually be as little as E70. The kit allows you to test and see what your local station is selling so you can better estimate your mix.
I've been running an ethanol mix consistently for almost a full year now.

[jmwilson125]

Originally Posted by casper83

I would say absolutely do it. It gives a nice bump in power. I run it on map 5 with about an E30 mix. Do yourself a favor and buy one of these kits:
http://burgertuning.com/e85_ethanol_...ester_kit.html
E85 can actually be as little as E70. The kit allows you to test and see what your local station is selling so you can better estimate your mix.
I've been running an ethanol mix consistently for almost a full year now.

Pretty new to the idea of e85 mixes. When you do mix can you just fill you tank to a known amount then go to a station with e85 and fill another know amount?

or do you have to get both and mix eternally and fill with a canister?

[boostaddict305]

Originally Posted by jmwilson125

Pretty new to the idea of e85 mixes. When you do mix can you just fill you tank to a known amount then go to a station with e85 and fill another know amount?

or do you have to get both and mix eternally and fill with a canister?

I go to the e85 pump put in 3 gallons and then top off with 93

[Anthony235]

I run e35 currently on map 6 (custom).

I'm not sure why they say they won't offer support if you run e85 mixes. I've seen that post from them and I think it's just old info. They offer plenty of support for e85 mixes over on the tech site.

You can run whatever map your car can safely run. The map will be determined by your octane (my 91oct and e85 mix = 95oct) and the ability for your pumps to flow your e85 mixture (e85 is less dense).

And no you should not just run "x" gallons of e85 and then just top off the car with pump. Your mixture will not be accurate and over time could get way off.

You should try to run "x" gallons of e85 and "y" gallons of pump each time you mix. The "x" and "y" amounts depend on how much gas is currently in the tank. This would mean you don't actually fill up your tank to full most of the time. I usually can calculate it where the gauge will show full, but the gas pump doesn't cut out.

Luckily the e85 pump by me also has 91oct on the same pump so it's easy to mix. Meaning I don't have to drive to a different pump.

We have a 13.7 gallon tank. FYI

I use a free e85 iOS app to help calculate the mix and I also use this site (depends on the situation):

https://www.intercepteft.com/calc.html

Hope I helped.

[jmwilson125]

Would running 3 gallons I'm a stock car do anything for power? I swear I have heard people say that, but I thought it was more along the lines of...

Higher octane and better cooling which would allow tuning to higher boost which would increase power.

[Blk Thing]

Originally Posted by jmwilson125

Would running 3 gallons I'm a stock car do anything for power? I swear I have heard people say that, but I thought it was more along the lines of...

Higher octane and better cooling which would allow tuning to higher boost which would increase power.

From what I know, it really wouldn't be a good idea to run e85 on a full stock car.

[Anthony235]

Originally Posted by jmwilson125

Would running 3 gallons I'm a stock car do anything for power? I swear I have heard people say that, but I thought it was more along the lines of...

Higher octane and better cooling which would allow tuning to higher boost which would increase power.

Again, you can't just say "run 3 gallons of e85".

But no, it won't matter (power wise) unless you have a way to turn up the boost.

[casper83]

Originally Posted by jmwilson125

Pretty new to the idea of e85 mixes. When you do mix can you just fill you tank to a known amount then go to a station with e85 and fill another know amount?

or do you have to get both and mix eternally and fill with a canister?

Yes, you can fill right at the station, no need for a canister. Some places have both at the same pump which makes it easier.

If you want to check the ethanol content level of the E85 (it can vary from E70 to E85 at a gas station pump) then you would put it in an external canister. You don’t have to check it. I didn’t until just recently. It will just give you a more accurate mix. I used to assume E85 was 85% ethanol and use the same calculator Anthony235 uses http://www.intercepteft.com/calc.html and aim for E30. After using the test kit I found out the local station is actually E77, so I change that value in the calculator. My mix values effectively went from E28 to E30. If you don’t measure and just assume E85 = 85% ethanol you just potentially end up with lower E content.

[Anthony235]

^ agreed.

Ethanol content can vary by region and on a seasonal basis.

Luckily here in Cali it does not vary and stays the same throughout the year.

The calculators I mentioned above will still work either way. It allows you to enter in a specific ethanol content.

[ocN55]

Originally Posted by Anthony235

Again, you can't just say "run 3 gallons of e85".

But no, it won't matter (power wise) unless you have a way to turn up the boost.

It's better to ask how many "gallons" when talking about the same car because some choose not to count the 10% ethanol in pump gas.

[jmwilson125]

I was just throwing arbitrary numbers out there. But thank you everyone for the feedback. A lot of good advice. One more question though....

Ethanol mixture lowers combustion temp which allows boost to be turned up with less chance of knock. From what I understand a meth kit does the same.

Now some people have been talking about making out their HP fuel pump with ethenol mixtures. With meth is that less of an issue because a full setup has its own dedicated pump?