E85 - Stall on start up (85* Abmient)

[ryant601]

Hi guys -

First off, well aware of the issues starting a car running e85 in the cold. Have had that problem before, but never stalled...just cranked longer than usual.

I filled up with 3/4 tank of e85 the other day and today when I started her up to go to work, the car cut out and died after a few seconds of turning over. Tried again, and it worked but definitely had issues and came very close to cutting out again. What gives? I haven't heard of any issues starting in the summer...it's almost 90* here in NY at 8AM.

flex fuel tuned for the record.

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[rio16]

maybe bad gas. Do a log and send it to your tuner. Ive had the same problem but full e85 and had bad e85 tested it at e80

 

[ryant601]

maybe bad gas. Do a log and send it to your tuner. Ive had the same problem but full e85 and had bad e85 tested it at e80

That is my first guess. No ngauge so no logging abilities. It's from a station that I don't go to often at all....it's up by my parent's house. They had no E85 a few weeks ago, first time I've filled up from there since.

Hadn't had this issue with the station closer to me.

 

[rio16]

Rob Shoemaker tunes with PDB right? should send him an email and go from there.

 

[Zinc03svt]

Cold starts would be like 50 degree or less air temps where e85 might struggle a little. You cannot log on Ngauge? That sucks. If it’s 90 degrees out it is tune issue.

 

[El_Centenario]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that has been having this issue! Luckily, I think I SOLVED the issue. I'ts your spark plugs. I had about 73K miles on the stock plugs when I noticed the car would lightly buck on the highway but would never throw a code for misfire. The cold start stall would happen 3 out of 5 starts in 70*+ weather too. This past Sunday I installed Bosh iridium plugs gaped to .052 and seems to have fixed the issue. I put on about 150 miles on Sunday and not a single bucking issue. It didn't stall on cold start, but was a little rough, normal for E-85. We'll see how it does in the next couple of days. Try changing your plugs, might be the issue too.

 

[ryant601]

I'm glad I'm not the only one that has been having this issue! Luckily, I think I SOLVED the issue. I'ts your spark plugs. I had about 73K miles on the stock plugs when I noticed the car would lightly buck on the highway but would never throw a code for misfire. The cold start stall would happen 3 out of 5 starts in 70*+ weather too. This past Sunday I installed Bosh iridium plugs gaped to .052 and seems to have fixed the issue. I put on about 150 miles on Sunday and not a single bucking issue. It didn't stall on cold start, but was a little rough, normal for E-85. We'll see how it does in the next couple of days. Try changing your plugs, might be the issue too.

No issues once it starts, no idle dipping and certainly no bucking. It started up without hesitation this morning thankfully. Only thing I could think of is the mix finally went from some 93 and some e85 to only e85...though with a flex tune I don't see what the issue could be. I've had the same tune since last summer and never had the issue, makes me think it's just something funky with the fuel.

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