Thread: E85

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are there any of your guys running E85 (ethanol)? I'm going to run a holley 750CFM 4 barrel. I have 11.00:1 compression and with fuel with a 100-105 octane rating i can really take advantage of this and put it to good use! i live in minnesota where it's plentiful and cheaper 30-40 cents than regular.I know you have to convert the carburetor. I know the motor needs 30% more ethanol in comparsion of gasoline. So i need to change the jets to larger ones. I suppose the gaskets and other parts probably need conversion. If any of you guys have experiences with ethanol or any type of alcohol type fuel and know how to convert carbs to run, much help appreciated.

Unless unleaded regular in your area is only $1.20 per gallon the E85 isn't really cheaper after you factor in the 30% lower energy content. If Reg is around $2.50, the E85 would have to be around .80 less just to break even cost wise (not allowing for the higher octane)

As for the gaskets/elastomer materials, you may want to contact Holley to see when they upgraded their materials, assuming they have, your carb may be new enough you won't have to do all that.

We've had a number of discussion on this here on CHR. A search in the archives will give you lots of reading material. We are currently running two drag cars and have converted a number of street cars to E-85. There's a guy in Watertown, SD who is very sharp on the conversion, and also has a chassis dyno to optimize the tune up. Let me know if you want more information, be glad to give you whatever help I can.

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

Unless unleaded regular in your area is only $1.20 per gallon the E85 isn't really cheaper after you factor in the 30% lower energy content. If Reg is around $2.50, the E85 would have to be around .80 less just to break even cost wise (not allowing for the higher octane)

As for the gaskets/elatomer materials, you may want to contact Holley to see when they upgraded their materials, assuming they have, your carb may be new enough you won't have to do all that.

The 30% really isn't accurate in a real world scenario. My own car actually increased the fuel mileage on E-85.....However it was probably a lot more to do with the dyno time on the tune up then the fuel switch. My big concern was never with the economics of it, but the 106 octane at the pump sure has given me a lot of very nice choices when building the engine...... Running 11.5 compression on fuel I can buy at the pump for 42 cents less then low octane regular is a huge plus for me...... BTW, both drag cars went all summer running E-90 with absolutely no problems related to the ethanol.... They are both big blocks, one running 9.90's, the othe 10.90's.....

Just curious, how do the rubber O rings on the needle and seat assembly hold up?

No problems yet, been on there all summer. Must be newer style material or something, doubt the old rubber one's would last that long. I suppose the carb manufacturers addressed the whole issue some time back when ethanol was first released.

During the great oil embargo I ran what they called here "Gasahol". It took a couple of years, but one night out an interstate off ramp I was rebuilding the 650 DP I was running. It just flat ate up the O rings on the needle and seat assemblies.

yes i see it your way dave E 85 looks good to me when the last time i filled up race fuel was 4.00 a gallon have not seen it around here but i will start running it. when it get here. i would think viton Orings and and tip needles should work

Up here in the wilds of Canada we've been putting up with 10% alcohol in regular gas for years. No conversions, no nothing, and it works. Lousy gas mileage, but the sellers don't care about that. Only good thing is, no freezing gas lines at -40.