Everyone's cars are different dude. E85 isn't gonna run the same on your evo, as it does on my evo, or your buddies evo. One friend might have issues and you might not, and vice versa. One of my friends has never had one issue with his E85 evo. My other buddy has replaced certain seals multiple times. No one knows why, both cars are putting out the same powerand are tuned from the same guy. But it is what it is. Just be on top of your maintanence and you'll be good. Good luck

 

right on!

 

It'll be worth it man E85 transforms your car into a whole other beast

 

With published data on MPG difference between 93 & e85, It is actually cheaper to run 93 octane. In fact, e85 will cost you ~ $500 more per year to run over 93. The difference of e85 vs 93 mpg and the cost difference between premium is NOT A WASH, but something to carefully consider depending on what is important to you.

As for me, I'll stick to 93.

Also, my personal opinion is that an upgraded turbo provides a better cost benefit over a simple e85 switch on a stock turbo.

 

True, but if this is about horsepower and not fuel economy then the E85 / 93 tunes on my car has a 64 wheel-horsepower difference. I'll take that and live with the extra cost and lower gas mileage.

 

+1 couldn't have said it any better myself.

 

There is no arguing that, and if i'm already pumping 400+ to the wheels, chances are i don't care about fuel consumption. Its impossible to deny the great benefits of e85 when it comes to tuning, and honestly i'd preffer to run e85 than 116. But the OP asked about the Cons specifically. Considering some misinformation in this thread i had to clear that up.

Here's some more misinformation in this thread. Some people report a stronger low-mid power band with e85. All the dyno graphs i've seen comparing e85 and 93 show the exact opposite. Boost rises quicker on 93 octane and you simply get more torque up to about 3500 rpm depending on the setup. Some information in this thread and other places would lead you to belive that if your tuner is good and experienced in tuning e85, your turbo will spool quicker on e85, but i havn't seen a single piece of evidence that supports this. Yes, the difference isn't much, but again the OP asked about the CONS of e85.



Another Con i'll add. E85 has reduced MPG which gives you a reduced range on 1 tank. If you travel at all, this could be a SERIOUS issue as there may be more than 200 miles in between the next e85 station. Traveling from San Antonio to Houston is an example of this and i would need a 93 map in order to make the trip. This is no problem with getting 2 maps...... but you have to be carefull about the transition from 93 to e85 and back. There is a guage you can get that reads the ethanol content of your gas (very usefull for people up north). You can use this to determine when you should switch maps after you fill up. If you switch to a 93 map too early when you still have e85 in your fuel lines, bye bye engine.


sorry for the long response, i've had too much coffee this morn

 

good stuff man things like that need heavy consideration but I have a tahoe for the family and long trips so that wont be an issue.. But all in all very good evo specific experience thanks to all who've responded!

 

Not entirely true. There are parts of the country in which E85 is MORE than 30% cheaper than 93 (think central/Midwest US where all the corn is grown). In my case, I'm actually paying more per gallon for E85 than I could be with 93

I live close to where the oil refineries are in Boston and this particular Sunoco sells 93 for $3.63 a gallon. To get E85, I have to drive into downtown boston where gas is way more expensive, presumably because of other local taxes. The station I get E85 from sells for $3.59-3.69/gallon while 93 costs $4.19/gallon.

As with real estate, LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION.

 

There is definitely a noticeable difference between spool in favor of E85. There is absolutely no reason why 93 would spool faster if you can run more timing and increase your boost ramp rate with E85 without having to deal with knock.

I will ask my tuner for a before and after graph of when I converted to E85.

 

There is plenty of reason, actually. Not saying it can't be done, but i have yet to see evidence to prove it. The higher autoignition temperature of e85 is cause for a longer combustion process. Timing isn't the whole story here. A shorter combustion process equates to a higher slope of cylinder pressure increase which relates to quicker spool. I'd put money down that 87 octane will spool better than 93 slightly, but that point is moot as your top end will be garbage. I'm not saying its impossible for e85 to spool a turbo faster. It is theoretically possible, but in practice, a typical pro tuner isn't skilled enough or knowledgeable enough to make it happen.


If your concerned about the cost/benefit of e85 and 93 in your area, use this calculator. It will tell you everything you need to know about this issue. http://e85prices.com/milesperdollar.htm

 

It's not complicated... which line on the graph do you prefer?

 

lol In the words of the great jay-z men lie, women lie, numbers don't hahahahha

no need for an argument and where I live e85 is 65 cents cheaper than 91 I had my wife check earlier today...

 

I haven't read thru the entire thread but I will offer up what I've seen with E85 if it hasn't been mentioned.

Inconsistency between tanks/stations. This could be problem if you get a bad batch and are running high boost.

It absorbs water, this is a problem in the high humidity areas. It can dislodge debris in your fuel system and clog injectors,pumps,filters etc.. If you don't drive your car for 3-4 weeks it can ruin fuel injectors or cause flow problems. I would recommend running gas thru them if you are going to let the car sit or have them cleaned if they are out.

E90 is even worse.

Plus side when tuned is it will spool faster then gas and make great power.

 

well this should settle the debate nice numbers man