Portland E85 and injector tip gunk
 

Just to add a data point - I've been filling up a Jay's Garage pretty much exclusively for the last year (only other place was Leather's in Aurora a few times), and when ER tore down my engine for a drop-in build, the injectors had some gunk on the tips. Never got to see how much, but there was some, and it was probably responsible for the misfire I would occasionally get on cold start in the morning.

I was fueling up at Bob's and had issues with buildup as well.

This is not new. If your going to run e85 all the time you need to check them every few months and clean them.

Since I hadn't seen any discussion of it, and because I never had a problem in the Tri-Cities, I had assumed it was not a problem. So removal and cleaning is the only solution?

A tank of 92 octane every few months will also remove the gunk.

Gumout and Lucas both make an e85 specific fuel injector cleaner. I haven't yet been able to verify its effectivness.

https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/ev...r-cleaner.html

SeaFoam also claims to be e85 compatible, and I know that when used full streangth on injector tips, it instantly disolves the black gunk.

John-

Just a question but are you still running with the PCV valve attached to your intake manifold or just a stand alone catch can?

Does running the catch can from the PCV prevent gunk build up?

Just a little catch can. Never had any issues with gunk build-up using the E85 in the Tri-Cities for two years with this little catch can. Everytime the injectors came out (three times), they were clean as a whistle.

Sounds like it is the quality of e85, I have hear that oil vapors mixed with e85 can create gunk in the manifold and that it is a good idea to run a catch can and eliminate the pvc. Besides oil vapors also lower octane rating of fuel.

I switch back and forth between 92 and E85 to try and keep my injectors clean. I really think its more how long the E85 is in the ground at the station than anything. The 2 times my injectors got really bad it was within one fill up. I grabbed fuel from Chehalis like I normally do and went 13 or so miles before it was missing and sputtering so bad I couldnt get into boost. Flow rating was down only 25cc but the pattern was messed up. Never had an issue there prior or since.

Spencer borrowed my 2150s while my car is down for the 2012 build. He got ONE tank at Bob's (NEVER HAD AN ISSUE PRIOR OR SINCE) and 3 of them were 100% plugged but were fine upon cleaning. I know they werent plugged in my car before I handed them to him and they werent plugged at IFO after he had them scaled in the GVR4.

Why I lean toward the vendor or circumstances around their containment. On the Link Board they tested the goo and it was a Hydrocarbon that had a high percentage of water cooked at 150*F plus. The old sugar in the gas tank comes to mind.

In talking to a Brazilian customer of ours, he says its very common there with the sugar cane Ethanol they have if it sits either in the tank or the storage at the station. He said it looks like a skin forms on and in the ethanol. Luke and I wondered about water contamination separating some of the gas out enough to allow an odd reaction. Neither of us are chemists but I can tell you the causes and how fast it seems to happen. It doesnt seem its a gradual build up to me anyway.

I usually fill up using 6 five gallon cans since my nearest station is 20 miles away, while they have not let me down yet occasionally I have noticed a brown film the size of a quarter in some of my cans every now and then, I usually strain it out so its not an issue but if that were to get in the gas tank enough times im sure it would not be very friendly to injectors or screens.

Interested on further opinions about the e85 injector cleaner. Can't run a tank of 92 since I don't have a pump gas map currently.

mrfred did you ever solve this? I have a lil misfire on my X and am trying to decide the best solution...switch back to pump gas for a bit or maybe seafoam and a round of MCCC before an oil change?

I found this on the intake valves:
http://www.scheides.com/albums/evoX/IMG_0276.sized.jpg

My short term solution was to have English clean with a flow test before and after. Flow was fine before and after, just crappy spray pattern before cleaning.

Based on previous injector gunk discussions in other threads, I thought the solution would be to simply run a tank of premium once in a while. I plan to try that before investigating other methods. Have you tried the occasional switch to premium?

Nope. I was thinking of trying a canof seafoam in my gas tank to be honest...switching back to premium gasoline seems annoying and kind o a stretch, but if Aaron says it works.....