[turb0mik3]

Do it.

Need to dyno the car but I have had the privilege of having a 76 station with 100oct and a "conserve" station with E85 all within a mile of my apartment. And since my car isn't a daily driver, I decided it was time to pull the trigger.

I will first state that I have not dyno'd the car yet but I should be dyno'ing the car in the next couple of weeks when I get a spare moment from working at the dealership.

Second, after restoring my car's ECU, Harold swapped in the GIAC stage 2 race file back into my car (soon to be Ginatani). I was having some interesting issues with the tune. After a cold start I really couldn't rev my car past 3-4k until my oil was in the 240 range. If I did (while driving) the car would start sounding like a lawnmower. It wasn't misfiring because it would go back to normal when I dropped the rpm's and waited. I do not have any cats of any kind, so I believe the tune constantly has to adjust or something. Having this issue, I felt like I had nothing to loose. Off to the two stations.

So I drove over to the 76 station and filled 3/4 of my empty tank with 100 octane. I do not remember the gallon amount, but something like 11 or 12. After, I drove two blocks to the E85 station and filled up with 3-4 gallons of E85.

The next day the car acted the same with the lawnmower sound if reving the car past that 3-4k mark. But I could feel something slightly different. I know it might sound arbitrary and people might ask if I can really "feel" a difference. I feel that I am pretty in tune with my car and my butt dyno is pretty keen on little differences from tracking my car so much.

I gave the car about a day to adjust and let me tell everyone: it was well worth it! The car does not have warm up issues and can be rev'd as high as I want during a cold start (of course i don't redline my car but like to slowly build rpm's to warm the engine). As people have stated with E85, it increases timing and I believe that eliminated that ping or warm-up time.

The car drives a lot smoother. I believe the car builds boost slightly faster. The exhaust note (be it with straight pipes) around 4k is very Ferrari ish. By my "butt" dyno, as compared to straight 91, I believe 100oct + E85 gives a good 20-30whp depending on certain variables. I have not driven this car in the pure cold because it is a little toasty over here in West LA.

I know this has a kind of "cool story bro" feeling, but I wanted to let people know my experience and satisfaction with E85. I did get WAY less MPG and used almost a 1/4 tank when I used it for maybe half a day, but as a weekend/track car that spends her days in an underground parking structure, 100oct + E85 really works out the kinks of our tuning and provides a nice little added punch in the nuts for us kids who don't care about turbo upgrades (at least not yet).

Hope I shed some simpleton information on the subject and I will post a dyno at some point in the next couple of weeks!!!

Race on.

[rooringhusky]

Originally Posted by turb0mike

Do it.

Need to dyno the car but I have had the privilege of having a 76 station with 100oct and a "conserve" station with E85 all within a mile of my apartment. And since my car isn't a daily driver, I decided it was time to pull the trigger.

I will first state that I have not dyno'd the car yet but I should be dyno'ing the car in the next couple of weeks when I get a spare moment from working at the dealership.

Second, after restoring my car's ECU, Harold swapped in the GIAC stage 2 race file back into my car (soon to be Ginatani). I was having some interesting issues with the tune. After a cold start I really couldn't rev my car past 3-4k until my oil was in the 240 range. If I did (while driving) the car would start sounding like a lawnmower. It wasn't misfiring because it would go back to normal when I dropped the rpm's and waited. I do not have any cats of any kind, so I believe the tune constantly has to adjust or something. Having this issue, I felt like I had nothing to loose. Off to the two stations.

So I drove over to the 76 station and filled 3/4 of my empty tank with 100 octane. I do not remember the gallon amount, but something like 11 or 12. After, I drove two blocks to the E85 station and filled up with 3-4 gallons of E85.

The next day the car acted the same with the lawnmower sound if reving the car past that 3-4k mark. But I could feel something slightly different. I know it might sound arbitrary and people might ask if I can really "feel" a difference. I feel that I am pretty in tune with my car and my butt dyno is pretty keen on little differences from tracking my car so much.

I gave the car about a day to adjust and let me tell everyone: it was well worth it! The car does not have warm up issues and can be rev'd as high as I want during a cold start (of course i don't redline my car but like to slowly build rpm's to warm the engine). As people have stated with E85, it increases timing and I believe that eliminated that ping or warm-up time.

The car drives a lot smoother. I believe the car builds boost slightly faster. The exhaust note (be it with straight pipes) around 4k is very Ferrari ish. By my "butt" dyno, as compared to straight 91, I believe 100oct + E85 gives a good 20-30whp depending on certain variables. I have not driven this car in the pure cold because it is a little toasty over here in West LA.

I know this has a kind of "cool story bro" feeling, but I wanted to let people know my experience and satisfaction with E85. I did get WAY less MPG and used almost a 1/4 tank when I used it for maybe half a day, but as a weekend/track car that spends her days in an underground parking structure, 100oct + E85 really works out the kinks of our tuning and provides a nice little added punch in the nuts for us kids who don't care about turbo upgrades (at least not yet).

Hope I shed some simpleton information on the subject and I will post a dyno at some point in the next couple of weeks!!!

Race on.

Good info! My car was doing the "lawnmower" thing on a couple E85 maps too...(with COBB)...Did you just drive and let it adjust to work itself out? Any idea why it was doing that

[benzy89]

Haha stupid comment in a different E85 thread = Ridic results posted in NEW thread

Originally Posted by rooringhusky

Good info! My car was doing the "lawnmower" thing on a couple E85 maps too...(with COBB)...Did you just drive and let it adjust to work itself out? Any idea why it was doing that

Never heard of this "lawnmower" thing (video anyone), but I assume you're getting the fuel mixture code?

[old account 2]

I'd try to have Harold grab some logs for you. That isn't a normal issue, and suggests that you have a hardware problem that will not be remedied through different software. If you can, try switching back to stock mode and seeing if the problem still exists.

[turb0mik3]

Originally Posted by Thomas@GIAC

I'd try to have Harold grab some logs for you. That isn't a normal issue, and suggests that you have a hardware problem that will not be remedied through different software. If you can, try switching back to stock mode and seeing if the problem still exists.

It is odd. Doesn't happen anymore with the e85. It did at first but then everything is running AOK. It happened before when my spark plugs shat themselves.