Why no E85 tuned monsters?

[mattsimis]

When I had my S4 I had a Meth Water injection to lower engine temps and effectively increase Octane. Just about when I sold my car, E5 (99.2octane) and E85 (104 octane) became available, I planned for my next car to ditch the injection systems completely and use this uniquely performance orientated fuel. I dont care about the pros and cons of its green position as a renewable fuel.

Bear in mind:

-E5 is the same price as 95octane Petrol, higher octane and burns cooler. All fuel, whether branded or not, has to be E5 Europe wide now.
-E85 is 89 Euro Cent here and despite the scaremongering on the Web, loads of people that are running various turbo cars on it without any tuning. Its rather pointless without tuning tho, MPG is lower and the cars max ECU parameters limit its power.
-In the US, with custom E85 tunes, there are 800HP pickups running with no pressure sapping intercoolers, as it burns that much cooler!

About a year ago I sent an email to all the good tuning places in the UK and got no response at all. Since then Ive learnt that Upsolute will make custom E5 and E85 maps, Ive got one on my Allroad (E5). However, Upsolute are hardly an extreme tuner, I wouldnt ask them to do a K04'd S4 for example.
I know MRC and others read this forum and having had a custom MRC tune in the past I have high regards for their abilities. . Therefore Im hoping they pick up the mantle and get into some hardcore E85 stuff.


PS: Please no "it rots your engine" replies, Ive and lots of others around the world have tried various E85 and E5 cocktails to zero ill effect for the past year. . If anything it cleans the engine, tho you should to replace the fuel filter more often.


Edit, according to octane orientated tests conducted by http://www.thorneymotorsport.co.uk/tuni ... ults.shtml

BMW M3 E46 CSL
- Tesco 99 = 379.7bhp Tesco99 appears to be E5
- Shell Optimax (now by Shell V-Power) = 369bhp (-10.7bhp / 2.8% loss vs Tesco 99)
- BP Ultimate = 369bhp (-10.7bhp / 2.8% loss vs Tesco 99)
- regular 95 RON = 337bhp (-42.7bhp / 11.2% loss vs Tesco 99)

42BHP boost without tuning or turbos is rather colossal.

[SJS]

Is the E5 or E85 commonly available around the border area? Might have to investigate as i will be around Dublin in a few weeks time.

[mattsimis]

Here is the E85 Map:
http://www.maxol.ie/maxol-bioethanol-e85.html
There are plenty of stations dotted around, but most are nearer Dublin. One in Donegal, but thats a bit far west Id say! Only about half their Stations carry E85 at the moment. Considering how few genuine E85 cars are on the road, they must have quite a lot of it sitting around. A ballsy move anyhow.

Maxol replaced all their regular unleaded with E5 in virtually all garages (strangely not 100% of them, something like 95%). Its usually branded at the pump as Maxol Bioethanol E5 with green livery on the pump handles/pump bodies.

Topaz were meant to introduce E85 at some point. Hope they do as they are now the number 1 station after their station buying spree.

[S2tuner]

E85 becomes E70 or even E60 during winter without any notice. I have played with it in France but the inconsistency in the %age of ethanol used makes it bad or even dangerous to use. Most of the fuel sold nowadays contains a few % of ethanol anyway and has for a good few years, only BP ultimate still smells of oldschool petrol in the UK, whereas in Europe most of the fuels sold ALL stink of alcohol.

Just my 0.02

Mihnea

[mattsimis]

When you say it becomes E70 in Winter... whats the other 30% made up of then? Even so, E70 would still have an octane of over 101. Diesel gets junk put in it in Winter too, that alone wouldnt worry me much. Just seems a shame the yanks are having so much fun and half of them hate it for political reasons!

[mattsimis]

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/02/25 ... p-ethanol/


Bentley beat us too it, E85 powered version of the Continental GT putting out 621BHP (591ft/lbs torque)!

[tartan_rob]

WHere can you get this stuff in the UK or where can we get the raw materials to have a go at blending it ourselves....

[mattsimis]

Making ethanol isnt like making BioDiesel, it involves high pressure cookers or something along thoses lines. Surely some forecourt chain sells it though, what are all the Flexi fuels cars running on?

[Blue_Thunder]

Worth giving this guy a shout?

http://www.rs246.com/index.php?name=PNp ... light=logs