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Aug 18, 2009, 03:20 PM
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#1
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Evolving Member
Personal Sales Rating: ( 9)
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 441
Drives: 2008 Evolution X GSR 2004 Evo VIII RS (sold)
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Do I need an ethanol content sensor?
Hi, I'm converting to E85 next week, so I guess I should have thought of this sooner, but I'm wondering if most people here are running in-car e-content sensors, using a handheld, doing the 'poor-mans' ethanol content test, or just taking the station's word.
Also, I'm in Milwaukee, so I'm guessing that we'll be switching to E70 in a few months. Since it's a long wait to get into my tuner, would it be possible to replicate E70 by mixing 10 parts E85 with 1.5 parts 87 octane, and have him make me a second map now.
What if I just wanted to order drums of E85 to get me through the winter? Would water ingress or cold starting be more of an issue?
Lastly, what is the most effective way to empty my tank of gasoline to ensure my E85 really is E85? Should I just do the gasoline tune, then mix in E85 to make E70 and create that map, and then burn that off and fill it back up for the E85 map?
Thank you very much, you guys have been a huge help in getting this project off the ground.
-Ryan
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Aug 18, 2009, 03:53 PM
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#2
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Evolved Member
Personal Sales Rating: ( 1)
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 743
Drives: '04 BBY Evo VIII (Gone), '06 GG Evo IX
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I'm running an Ethanol Content Analyzer. There was an issue recently in Norcal where the E85 pumps were tested by the State of CA to be at 50% ethanol.... I like to know what's going in my tank..
You should mix 91 octane instead of 87 octane...Or whatever the "premium" gas you have available.
Drain as much gas out of the tank by placing a rubber hose on the fuel return line and dump existing gas into an empty canister. Fillup on E85 and count how much gas you added. If you feel you didn't add enough "e85, drive until the tank is near empty and do the same process again and you should get pretty darn close to full "E85".
Last edited by skiracer; Aug 18, 2009 at 03:55 PM.
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Aug 18, 2009, 09:52 PM
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#3
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Evolving Member
Personal Sales Rating: ( 9)
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 441
Drives: 2008 Evolution X GSR 2004 Evo VIII RS (sold)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skiracer
I'm running an Ethanol Content Analyzer. There was an issue recently in Norcal where the E85 pumps were tested by the State of CA to be at 50% ethanol.... I like to know what's going in my tank..
You should mix 91 octane instead of 87 octane...Or whatever the "premium" gas you have available.
Drain as much gas out of the tank by placing a rubber hose on the fuel return line and dump existing gas into an empty canister. Fillup on E85 and count how much gas you added. If you feel you didn't add enough "e85, drive until the tank is near empty and do the same process again and you should get pretty darn close to full "E85".
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OK thanks, but I can't really drive it until it's tuned, so that's why I want to get it right the first time if possible. I'll try disconnecting the return line. Do you turn the key to 'on' to run the pump?
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Aug 18, 2009, 10:16 PM
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#4
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Evolved Member
Personal Sales Rating: ( 3)
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Tucson, Arizona, USA
Posts: 1,022
Drives: '03 EVO VIII, '04 Prius
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tractionlimit
OK thanks, but I can't really drive it until it's tuned, so that's why I want to get it right the first time if possible. I'll try disconnecting the return line. Do you turn the key to 'on' to run the pump?
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Run a hose from the return line into a can, or into your buddy's gas tank. Start the car, let it run; you can pump out a half tank of gas pretty quickly.
You do not need the e-content sensor, but it sure would be nice.
However, I do think that it is essential to have at least one of the following: CEL knock light mod, e-content sensor, or wideband. My choice is the knock light.
__________________
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E85 Hints and Tips
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Aug 22, 2009, 07:40 AM
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#5
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Evolved Member
Personal Sales Rating: ( 8)
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Chicago
Posts: 859
Drives: Evo IX
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim in Tucson
Run a hose from the return line into a can, or into your buddy's gas tank. Start the car, let it run; you can pump out a half tank of gas pretty quickly.
You do not need the e-content sensor, but it sure would be nice.
However, I do think that it is essential to have at least one of the following: CEL knock light mod, e-content sensor, or wideband. My choice is the knock light.
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What's a CEL knock light mod? How is it done?
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Make it idiot proof and someone will make a better idiot.
When blind people go crazy do they think the voices in their head are real people in the room?
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Aug 22, 2009, 09:10 AM
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#6
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Evolved Member
Personal Sales Rating: ( 27)
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Oak Creek, WI
Posts: 2,045
Drives: 03 VIII
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xmaciek82x
What's a CEL knock light mod? How is it done?
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Head over to the ECUflash forum, theres plenty of info on that mod over there.
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Aug 22, 2009, 01:40 PM
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#7
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Evolved Member
Personal Sales Rating: ( 2)
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 512
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim in Tucson
Run a hose from the return line into a can, or into your buddy's gas tank. Start the car, let it run; you can pump out a half tank of gas pretty quickly.
You do not need the e-content sensor, but it sure would be nice.
However, I do think that it is essential to have at least one of the following: CEL knock light mod, e-content sensor, or wideband. My choice is the knock light.
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lets not forget egt as one might think it is possible to run lean and maybe not knock not trying to Start anything but rather add to discussion
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Aug 24, 2009, 05:20 PM
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#8
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Evolving Member
Personal Sales Rating: ( 9)
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 441
Drives: 2008 Evolution X GSR 2004 Evo VIII RS (sold)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim in Tucson
You do not need the e-content sensor, but it sure would be nice.
However, I do think that it is essential to have at least one of the following: CEL knock light mod, e-content sensor, or wideband. My choice is the knock light.
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Thanks, the knock light isn't available yet for the Evo X, so I guess I'll resort to the other two methods.
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