E85 Stinks!

pits200 · 10-08-2011, 08:16 AM

My 09 335 has about 30k miles on the odometer. My engine mods are ets ic, v5 and bms filters. Now just last week I pulled my plugs to see how they looked and they looked pretty pristine for a car with 30k and about 15k of those tuned.

So I was making a trip home from Jersey to Pittsburgh for work and filled up about 3/4 of the way home. That left me with about 2/3 of a tank left when I got home. So I decided, what the hell, I'm going to put in some E85 and see how she runs.

It worked out to be about 5.5 gallons of E85 combined with my already 2/3 full 93 octane. So for the first day or 2, I only did small runs, nothing to high up in the rpm band and I had no problems. Now the past 2 days, I've been been running her hard and boy does it stink. Stink in a good way! The car runs absolutely flawless in terms of feel and the exhaust has a sweet/bourbony smell which kind of stinks. I can tell there is much more power with the e85 mixture, based on my butt dyno, I'd say at least 23-23.5hp more.(Obviously kidding on this exact number but it's noticeable.)

I am going to try to get some logs today to see how the afrs look with this ratio.

Also, I am typically very conservative with my mods, so for me to try this even with all the e85 doubts is pretty adventurous. I figured worst that happens is I have to pay for a new fuel pump out of my own pocket, oh well.

Cliff Notes: Tried 5.5 gallon mixture of E85 to make full tank and car ran great. Hoping to get logs to verify afrs.

secretsquirrel · 10-08-2011, 08:23 AM

Thanks for posting this. Have you noticed a decrease in gas mileage?

Express · 10-08-2011, 08:26 AM

obviously he will notice a decrease in gas mileage... heavy foot + a fuel that burns faster = low mpg.

pits200 · 10-08-2011, 08:43 AM

In terms of mileage, Express is right. But I wouldn't say I've been hammering the car anymore with the e85 mix than I do with straight 93. So it seems on average I get about 2-3mpg less around the city than I do with only 93. But that works out to probably be the same cost/mile due to the lower cost of e85.

I have about half a tank left and if the logs look good, I can't see why I wouldn't try this again when I wanted a little more speed for the 335.

sear · 10-08-2011, 09:05 AM

no big surprise on the performance/octane front E85 is ~108oct IIRC... the bigger question is longer term effects of its use on the fuel system that wasn't designed for it. I'd certainly give it a go though if I cold find a local source. Its much cheaper than race gas

boom · 10-08-2011, 11:05 AM

E85 is cheap octane booster and works great. I wouldn't go much more than a 1/3 tank though because you start running lean as the fuel system can't deliver enough volume to hit the target lambda.

RnmEvo9 · 10-08-2011, 11:42 AM

Been doing this for the past couple of months without any issues. Its hard to go back to straight pump 93 after blending those two gases together lol!

805beemer · 10-08-2011, 02:43 PM

Ive been running 3/4 of a tank of 91 and 4.5 gallons of e85 on cobb stage 1 aggressive. Car seems to be running great but had a few concerns. There was a sticker on the e85 pump that said minimum 70% ethanol. So it looks like even in socal they switch to the winter blend for easier cold starts. Will that lower the octane then?

Also if someone could help me read and plot the logs i've taken that would be awesome.

vasillalov · 10-08-2011, 07:07 PM

Guys,

Careful with the E85. It has the tendency to dry out and shrink rubber seals. What do you think is inside of the HPFP?

akotten · 10-08-2011, 07:16 PM

There are no gas stations around here anymore that carry 93, so I may start mixing e85 with my 91 to get it back to 93-94. Its only a few gallons for the ENTIRE tank. Should be safe.

805beemer · 10-08-2011, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vasillalov

Guys,

Careful with the E85. It has the tendency to dry out and shrink rubber seals. What do you think is inside of the HPFP?

I want the one new one from the 1m, so I wouldn't mind my hpfp going out.

LQQKOUT · 10-08-2011, 09:46 PM

I have been running E85/91 50/50 mix for about 1 month now with great results.

pits200 · 10-09-2011, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vasillalov

Guys,

Careful with the E85. It has the tendency to dry out and shrink rubber seals. What do you think is inside of the HPFP?

I guess if all it does is dry out some seals on a hpfp then that's pretty darn acceptable.

10-08-2011, 08:16 AM	#1
pits200 Colonel 550 Rep 2,598 Posts Drives: 09 335i X-Drive Black Sapphire Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Pittsburgh iTrader: (1)	E85 Stinks! My 09 335 has about 30k miles on the odometer. My engine mods are ets ic, v5 and bms filters. Now just last week I pulled my plugs to see how they looked and they looked pretty pristine for a car with 30k and about 15k of those tuned. So I was making a trip home from Jersey to Pittsburgh for work and filled up about 3/4 of the way home. That left me with about 2/3 of a tank left when I got home. So I decided, what the hell, I'm going to put in some E85 and see how she runs. It worked out to be about 5.5 gallons of E85 combined with my already 2/3 full 93 octane. So for the first day or 2, I only did small runs, nothing to high up in the rpm band and I had no problems. Now the past 2 days, I've been been running her hard and boy does it stink. Stink in a good way! The car runs absolutely flawless in terms of feel and the exhaust has a sweet/bourbony smell which kind of stinks. I can tell there is much more power with the e85 mixture, based on my butt dyno, I'd say at least 23-23.5hp more.(Obviously kidding on this exact number but it's noticeable.) I am going to try to get some logs today to see how the afrs look with this ratio. Also, I am typically very conservative with my mods, so for me to try this even with all the e85 doubts is pretty adventurous. I figured worst that happens is I have to pay for a new fuel pump out of my own pocket, oh well. Cliff Notes: Tried 5.5 gallon mixture of E85 to make full tank and car ran great. Hoping to get logs to verify afrs.
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10-08-2011, 08:23 AM	#2
secretsquirrel Colonel 157 Rep 2,326 Posts Drives: f80 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Far North Dallas iTrader: (2)	Thanks for posting this. Have you noticed a decrease in gas mileage?
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10-08-2011, 08:26 AM	#3
Express Major General 378 Rep 8,688 Posts Drives: 06 330i Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: The Promise Land iTrader: (17) Garage List 2006 BMW 330i [8.30]	obviously he will notice a decrease in gas mileage... heavy foot + a fuel that burns faster = low mpg.
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10-08-2011, 08:43 AM	#4
pits200 Colonel 550 Rep 2,598 Posts Drives: 09 335i X-Drive Black Sapphire Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Pittsburgh iTrader: (1)	In terms of mileage, Express is right. But I wouldn't say I've been hammering the car anymore with the e85 mix than I do with straight 93. So it seems on average I get about 2-3mpg less around the city than I do with only 93. But that works out to probably be the same cost/mile due to the lower cost of e85. I have about half a tank left and if the logs look good, I can't see why I wouldn't try this again when I wanted a little more speed for the 335.
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10-08-2011, 09:05 AM	#5
sear Lieutenant 20 Rep 462 Posts Drives: 2007 335xi Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Colorado Springs iTrader: (0)	no big surprise on the performance/octane front E85 is ~108oct IIRC... the bigger question is longer term effects of its use on the fuel system that wasn't designed for it. I'd certainly give it a go though if I cold find a local source. Its much cheaper than race gas
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10-08-2011, 11:05 AM	#6
boom My X5d tows my spec miata to the track. 77 Rep 1,254 Posts Drives: 2010 X5 35d Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	E85 is cheap octane booster and works great. I wouldn't go much more than a 1/3 tank though because you start running lean as the fuel system can't deliver enough volume to hit the target lambda.
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10-08-2011, 11:42 AM	#7
RnmEvo9 Banned 250 Rep 1,827 Posts Drives: 2007 335i Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Pembroke Pines, FL iTrader: (2)	Been doing this for the past couple of months without any issues. Its hard to go back to straight pump 93 after blending those two gases together lol!
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10-08-2011, 02:43 PM	#8
805beemer Captain 23 Rep 647 Posts Drives: 2008 135i Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Lompoc, CA iTrader: (4)	Ive been running 3/4 of a tank of 91 and 4.5 gallons of e85 on cobb stage 1 aggressive. Car seems to be running great but had a few concerns. There was a sticker on the e85 pump that said minimum 70% ethanol. So it looks like even in socal they switch to the winter blend for easier cold starts. Will that lower the octane then? Also if someone could help me read and plot the logs i've taken that would be awesome.
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10-08-2011, 07:07 PM	#9
vasillalov Mad Linux Guru On The Loose 1180 Rep 5,452 Posts Drives: 2008 335i Sedan, 2023 M3 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Chicago, IL iTrader: (5) Garage List 2023 BMW M3 [0.00] 2008 335i E90 [8.00]	Guys, Careful with the E85. It has the tendency to dry out and shrink rubber seals. What do you think is inside of the HPFP? __________________
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10-08-2011, 07:16 PM	#10
akotten Major 38 Rep 1,079 Posts Drives: 2004 M3 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Wichita, KS iTrader: (2)	There are no gas stations around here anymore that carry 93, so I may start mixing e85 with my 91 to get it back to 93-94. Its only a few gallons for the ENTIRE tank. Should be safe.
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10-08-2011, 09:46 PM	#12
LQQKOUT Lieutenant 104 Rep 416 Posts Drives: 335XI Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: United States iTrader: (4)	I have been running E85/91 50/50 mix for about 1 month now with great results.
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