[Chicken_Joe]

Alright now that I have hooked you with my click bait title I have a question.

My buddy wants me to help him install his FF wires tonight, easy Enough. However he wants to race someone at the track and is asking me if it's alright to just mix e30 and throw it in map 7 for the first run and I told him while theoretically, yes, he could it was strongly advised to mix from a 2.5g start and go upwards and log accordingly. My question is why can you not just dump like 4 or 5 gallons into the car and then go. Obviously you can hurt the engine, I'm not a total n00b. How can the engine get hurt or messed up. I have Ff wires on my car and took it from 2.0g to start and worked up to 7 gallons and logged all the way up to 5 gallons and had no issues

[RoundelM3]

First of all, ethanol does not give your engine any additional power - it is strictly an octane boost, as its thermal energy is only approximately 70% of that of gasoline. Now, with increased octane, your engine can stand a little higher combustion temperature and advanced ignition without the knock sensor retarding the ignition or cutting fuel to avoid detonation (which will destroy the pistons). So, "dumping" ethanol into your fuel tank may raise your octane level, but BMW fuel systems really aren't designed to run any more than an E15 mix. The owner's manual states that. Ethanol is hygroscopic and will mix with water (not good for fuel injectors), and the seals within the fuel system can be degraded by ethanol to the point of failure over long-term use. So while engine issues might not appear immediately, they could manifest themselves after a year or two, depending on how often and how much you use.

If you really want to add a little power without messing with the engine internals, a meth/water injection system directly into the charge pipe would be more effective, but somewhat dangerous due to the volatility of methanol.

[mr_kay]

The reason for gradually increasing the amount of E85 is because each car responds a bit differently to it. So in order to find the "limit" for your specific car, it's advised to gradually work your way up in E85 content while data logging. If my gas light is on and I'm trying a new supplier, I usually start with 4-5g of E85 and the rest 93. Then I log and alter from there.

[Chicken_Joe]

Originally Posted by mr_kay

The reason for gradually increasing the amount of E85 is because each car responds a bit differently to it. So in order to find the "limit" for your specific car, it's advised to gradually work your way up in E85 content while data logging. If my gas light is on and I'm trying a new supplier, I usually start with 4-5g of E85 and the rest 93. Then I log and alter from there.

Thank you for answering my question.

[swreefkeeper]

If it is just for the track why not put some race gas in? Would have the high octane and not the worries about to much E85 since he hasn't done any logging with it yet. Just an idea.

[Chicken_Joe]

Originally Posted by swreefkeeper

If it is just for the track why not put some race gas in? Would have the high octane and not the worries about to much E85 since he hasn't done any logging with it yet. Just an idea.

We thought about that but race gas is not very close to us and the track pumps are down for whatever reason

[FSociety]

E30 not enough to run map7 without a log IMO
but like mr_kay said you have to start low and log and see how car responds as you know already

[Chicken_Joe]

Originally Posted by FSociety

E30 not enough to run map7 without a log IMO
but like mr_kay said you have to start low and log and see how car responds as you know already

That's what I figured the real reasoning was just making sure

[yoandry]

Originally Posted by Chicken_Joe

Alright now that I have hooked you with my click bait title I have a question.

My buddy wants me to help him install his FF wires tonight, easy Enough. However he wants to race someone at the track and is asking me if it's alright to just mix e30 and throw it in map 7 for the first run and I told him while theoretically, yes, he could it was strongly advised to mix from a 2.5g start and go upwards and log accordingly. My question is why can you not just dump like 4 or 5 gallons into the car and then go. Obviously you can hurt the engine, I'm not a total n00b. How can the engine get hurt or messed up. I have Ff wires on my car and took it from 2.0g to start and worked up to 7 gallons and logged all the way up to 5 gallons and had no issues

I did my first filled with 4g I think for a e28 as I know everyone is running around e30-e40 on pwg. Now I fill up 6g for e40. The only issue with e85 of course is the fuel pump will be running @ max while trying to support the higher boost in map7. One day doing that wont cause to fault, so go ahead an do e30 and race.

[Chicken_Joe]

Originally Posted by yoandry

I did my first filled with 4g I think for a e28 as I know everyone is running around e30-e40 on pwg. Now I fill up 6g for e40. The only issue with e85 of course is the fuel pump will be running @ max while trying to support the higher boost in map7. One day doing that wont cause to fault, so go ahead an do e30 and race.

I will see. He is PWG like me and I have run 7 gallons (subject to Ethanol content I know ) of E85 in my personal car and it takes it like a champ. Granted I have the new recall fuel pump and he does not. I will start with 3-3.5 and go from there

[sicmadek]

Before the recall i could not run over e30. With the new recall pump i can run e40 no problem. The thing i have to watch now is the trims because the hpfp and lpfp values are very stable in the logs.

I personally think everyone should buy a ethanol tester and calculator app before running e85. You will never know what mix you have dont test. Chicken joe you seen me test it before you put it in your car. It took 7 gal because it was only e70 and you were starting from scratch. Now that i run e40 every tank i only add 6 gal when ever i fill up from a 1/4 tank.

[Chicken_Joe]

Originally Posted by sicmadek

Before the recall i could not run over e30. With the new recall pump i can run e40 no problem. The thing i have to watch now is the trims because the hpfp and lpfp values are very stable in the logs.

I personally think everyone should buy a ethanol tester and calculator app before running e85. You will never know what mix you have dont test. Chicken joe you seen me test it before you put it in your car. It took 7 gal because it was only e70 and you were starting from scratch. Now that i run e40 every tank i only add 6 gal when ever i fill up from a 1/4 tank.

I need to get a test kit

[zinner]

It's more about your gas stations supply of gas than each car being different, since they are mass produced it implies they are all the same in fact.

The flex fuel pump can be from E51 to E85 and of course environment factors are different. Those two things have the greatest effect because you are running the fuel system to the absolute limit so you need to find that limit and back down.

[Chicken_Joe]

We actually found some great 110 leaded fuel. Mixed 3 gallons of the 110 leaded with 3 gallons of 93 octane and the car ran 13.2 at the strip. About .5 seconds faster then it did previously in 93 octane with same mods.

[sicmadek]

Originally Posted by Chicken_Joe

We actually found some great 110 leaded fuel. Mixed 3 gallons of the 110 leaded with 3 gallons of 93 octane and the car ran 13.2 at the strip. About .5 seconds faster then it did previously in 93 octane with same mods.

Leaded?! You trying to kill the o2 sensors?

[Chicken_Joe]

Originally Posted by sicmadek

Leaded?! You trying to kill the o2 sensors?

Car has no cats anyway so it doesn't really matter lol

[Chicken_Joe]

And it's not like I ran a full tank. We cut the fuel with 93 and then after we left the track we filled the at all the way up with 93. Car on ran at the track with a little over 1/4 tank of fuel in it

[zole2112]

I started out at about E25/93 on map 2/5 now I'm running about E50/93 daily on map 7. I have had my LPFP changed under recall, now it starts hard sometimes, go figure. I've been running E50 map 7 for over a month now with no issues and excellent performance!

[Bmw doubles]

Just a note here: Put the e85 in and mix the pump gas on top of that. Twice I've mistakenly put in e85 in and then only mixed a couple of gallons of pump gas on top and threw error codes "lean conditions". PITA really.

ICarly for the reset, but still.

The DV error is GFB DV+ spring.

[Chicken_Joe]

Originally Posted by Bmw doubles

Just a note here: Put the e85 in and mix the pump gas on top of that. Twice I've mistakenly put in e85 in and then only mixed a couple of gallons of pump gas on top and threw error codes "lean conditions". PITA really.

ICarly for the reset, but still.

The DV error is GFB DV+ spring.

I typically always add E85 first in my car then pump.

[zole2112]

Originally Posted by Chicken_Joe

I typically always add E85 first in my car then pump.

I can't get 93 octane and e85 at the same station so I put the 93 first and then the e85 at the other station, a couple miles away. I figured err on the gas side of things.

[Chicken_Joe]

Originally Posted by zole2112

I can't get 93 octane and e85 at the same station so I put the 93 first and then the e85 at the other station, a couple miles away. I figured err on the gas side of things.

I'm lucky as they are in the same pump at the station I use