Using e85 in our commodores

[Wade]

Id assume bladders and custom fuel cells would be more so for the guys getting serious? What do the standard holden commodore steel or plastic fuel tanks hold up like against e85? Surge tanks could be made out of stainless which is corrosion resistant id think, but a conplete fuel cell would be out as the added weight wouldnt be a plus.

[Wade]

So im getting that e85 isnt as refined as pulp and that the alcohol content can swell rubber hose and o-rings, seals ect?

[vlad01]

VS down is tin coated steel, had no issue. VT onward as plastic

[vlad01]

So im getting that e85 isnt as refined as pulp and that the alcohol content can swell rubber hose and o-rings, seals ect?

Depends on who makes it. Like in the US its all over the shop. In Aus its pretty much only one supplier and is of tight control and high quality. Quite the opposite to petrol as our petrol is all over the shop and poor quality in general, even the 98 is rather poor and susceptible to detonation in NA engines let alone boosted.

[Wade]

Also remember seeing or reading something about United e85 and that they have there blends pretty well sorted. Any fact to that? What servo’s have you guys found that sell good pump e85

[vlad01]

Only one I have used was from port Melbourne united. Few of the other guys on here use united from a few different places and all have been 85-90% all year around and 0 issues.

One guy I have on my FB which I think is a casual member here has been running united e85 on his VS for many years as a daily driver and swears by it and refusing to go back to petrol.

[Wade]

E85 can change from season to season, would tuning timing a little on the safe side be enough to compensate without having flex fuel or is a re tune from season to season needed. I also seen someone talking about meth, prob 202t. Is e85 like meth in the sense that it will resist detonation more effective but if afr’s are run leaner and detonation does occure than your even more likely to cause engine damage?

[Wade]

Your almost always knock limited with forced induction so how does e85 stack up with that. Is it actually possible or likely that you can go past peak cylinder pressure with e85 and ignition timing

[vlad01]

e85 is extremely forgiving, you can vary a bit in AFRs and timing and it still is pretty happy. I increased WOT timing on my VP to 40º just to see what happen, stock is about 24º (detonated at 27 on 98) and no trace of detonation.

It does not change between the seasons for united e85, its the same year round year after year, our climate is far from cold enough to warrant different blends.

E85 is supposedly more prone to pre-ignition than petrol which is not the same thing as detonation. You probably want to run 1 or 2 colder plugs to be on the safe side regarding the pre-ignition, that said I had no issues on a stock engine with stock plugs, even at 40º timing lol

[Wade]

So e85 has a much wider operating window. Is that the same with afr’s and power on the dyno.