E85 questions

[Bullitt19]

hello everybody. I’d like to preface this with an apology if this is a redundant thread. I spent some time looking for answers, but I haven’t had any luck.

I’ve got a 2019 Bullitt with a few bolt-ons (Stainless Works 1&7/8” long tubes, high flow cats, 3” Stainless Works cat. back, carbon fiber drive shaft, JLT cold air, and a Lund 91 octane tune (California fuel). I’m toying with the idea of going with e85 via Lund, but I’ve read about drawbacks on in regard to the fuel.

Questions: does E85 separate into water in the gas tank over time? If so, how long does it generally take? Due to the alcohol content, will it be corrosive to my fuel lines/injectors? Do I need to upgrade my factory injectors to be “e85 compatible”?

Thank you!

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[VooDooDaddy]

hello everybody. I’d like to preface this with an apology if this is a redundant thread. I spent some time looking for answers, but I haven’t had any luck.

I’ve got a 2019 Bullitt with a few bolt-ons (Stainless Works 1&7/8” long tubes, high flow cats, 3” Stainless Works cat. back, carbon fiber drive shaft, JLT cold air, and a Lund 91 octane tune (California fuel). I’m toying with the idea of going with e85 via Lund, but I’ve read about drawbacks on in regard to the fuel.

Questions: does E85 separate into water in the gas tank over time? If so, how long does it generally take? Due to the alcohol content, will it be corrosive to my fuel lines/injectors? Do I need to upgrade my factory injectors to be “e85 compatible”?

Thank you!

I will attempt to address your questions in reverse order:

No, you do not need to upgrade your injectors. The stockers will work just fine.

E85 will not damage any component of your fuel system.

E85 will not "separate", but it will over time slowly absorb water. But as long as you drive the car periodically, this will not be a problem. I wouldn't store the car (without driving it) for more than about 6 months straight with E85 only in the tank.

Lastly, a fuel may claim to be "E85", but that doesn't automatically mean its 85% ethonol mixed with 15% gasoline. The ethanol content can be as low as 70% where I live in Iowa and legally still be called "E85". I have a tester and my local stations that carry E85 in the summer time consistently have E85 on hand that test out to be at least 80% ethanol.

 

[Bullitt19]

I will attempt to address your questions in reverse order:

No, you do not need to upgrade your injectors. The stockers will work just fine.

E85 will not damage any component of your fuel system.

E85 will not "separate", but it will over time slowly absorb water. But as long as you drive the car periodically, this will not be a problem. I wouldn't store the car (without driving it) for more than about 6 months straight with E85 only in the tank.

Lastly, a fuel may claim to be "E85", but that doesn't automatically mean its 85% ethonol mixed with 15% gasoline. The ethanol content can be as low as 70% where I live in Iowa and legally still be called "E85". I have a tester and my local stations that carry E85 in the summer time consistently have E85 on hand that test out to be at least 80% ethanol.

Perfect. Thank you! Also, where can I pick up a tester?

 

[Bluelightning]

Perfect. Thank you! Also, where can I pick up a tester?

Pretty much any performance shop has them.

 

[VooDooDaddy]

Perfect. Thank you! Also, where can I pick up a tester?

$7

https://www.amazon.com/Stens-750-76...011892&s=gateway&sprefix=e85+t,aps,159&sr=8-7

 

[Bullitt0819]

$7

https://www.amazon.com/Stens-750-760-Alcohol-Content-gasoline/dp/B001OK8Q6A/ref=sr_1_7?crid=WD0U7LUASQWL&keywords=e85+tester&qid=1553011892&s=gateway&sprefix=e85+t,aps,159&sr=8-7

Ha. I 'rolled my own' to test the alcohol content of some 100-octane I buy occasionally to goose my gas to 93 (30ml of distilled water with 70ml of the 100-octane added, shake and let settle; the 100-octane is about 9% ethanol):

 

[bootlegger]

Questions: does E85 separate into water in the gas tank over time?
No, phase separation is almost impossible in normal applications using E85. If you had separation, your tank has so much water you need to dump it (marine applications possibly).

If so, how long does it generally take?
See above.

Due to the alcohol content, will it be corrosive to my fuel lines/injectors?
It's not so much corrosiveness as it is solvency. Solvents tend to be hard on rubbers and plastics. However, modern seals and lines are built to resist this. It is unlikely you would see any issues within normal periods of ownership. Fuel injectors generally don't have issues, but intake valve deposits can be an issue. This is why people like to run a tank of detergent heavy gas every 3-4 fill-ups. Personally, I just run an EtOH friendly detergent additive every 3rd tank. There is some extra roller scuffing seen on the HP fuel pumps, but it is hard to trace this back to simply using E85.

Do I need to upgrade my factory injectors to be “e85 compatible”?
Not with the 2018-2019.

Thank you!

Answers in red from an ex-fuels guy...

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