I just want to give anyone running E85 for at least two year a heads up. I was logging my car last night when it shut off on me and lost fuel pressure. I first I thought it was my external pumps that died on me but after closer inspection today. I found that my fuel strainer on the in-tank pump was clogged with a tar like substance. I replaced it and the car is back to normal. I'm not sure how this happened since I changed all my fuel lines, pumps, fuel rail and injectors at the same time as when i did my e85 change. Maybe its from the gas station I fill up at. Either way I think you should check them just in case.

 

Thanks for the heads up

 

Ive been checking mine every 3 months since Ive switched and its been fine.

 

Holy crap, I thought I was the only one. I will post a picture of mine later. I thought it was just because my filter was old,LOL.

I was having crazy hard starts. People were saying it's cold start enrichment.

I changed the pump(went from Wally 255 to Aero 340) and filter. Car ran so much better. Then switched back to gas (93).

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/57648191@N03/6446529839/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/57648191@N03/6446527867/
At least the strainer/filter did it's job.

 

wow thanks for the good Info. I'll check mine tonight.

 

I've heard more and more issues like this lately...I've always checked mine usually every time I change my oil and havn't seen any issues...It's really how well the station maintains their in-ground tanks...Hate seeing stuff like this though

 

hmmm, nick looks like you need to check mine pretty soon.

 

You think this is from the E85 or from the residue or running pump gas and then the e85 cleaning it off the lines, tank, etc?

 

This is just a more severe case of the "E85 goo". A lot of the DSM guys who have switched over to E85 have had this buildup too. You should check your injectors as well for the buildup. This stuff dissolves in regular gasoline so there's no need to buy a new strainer.

Have you been using any fuel additives? Stabil is one suspect of what could be causing this. Or it really could just be a bad batch. See if you can find someone else who goes to the same station and see if they've also had this problem.

 

yes I had my injectors clean out as well. They were also dirty and giving me misfire codes.

 

I don't think it's anything other than E85 residue. My engineer friend at Ford warned me about this. He found this out while testing e85.

I showed him and he was like, told you so.
He also said it happens a lot with the sugar cane E85 in south America.

 

Hmm.... Imma have to check my filter/strainer... Thanks!

 

just want to clarify first, you mentioned "external pumps"..does this mean you OEM fuel housing, hoses, etc inside the fuel tank has not been changed? my assumption is you didn't touch the OEM one as the OEM will feed your external pump right?

if so, you might want to check this thread:
here
bryan@GST posted this awhile back. you need E85 safe hoses and sock filter. OEM ones melt in E85. just an fyi.

if not, or if you changed the OEM stuff inside, what are the parts that you changed? just want to know. Thanks.

 

I think it's more the grade of E85. Seems like you east coasters have more of a issue.

If you look at my thread, you will see there are no issues like this: https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/al...years-e85.html