Anybody running E85
- Thread starter 02TACOE
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TogaPC
Full Access Member
for gtbigup01
This is straight from Section 5 Page 5 of the 2003 Chevy Tahoe owners manual
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of 87 or higher. If the octane is less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when you drive. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible. Otherwise, you might damage your engine. A little pinging noise when you accelerate or drive uphill is considered normal. This does not indicate a problem exists or that a higher-octane fuel is necessary. If you are using 87 octane or higher-octane fuel and hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
I would like to point out that GM does not recommend 87 octane...it is the bare minimum. Modern engines retard their timing when you run lower octane fuel because the octane rating is a fuel's resistance to knock or pre-detonation. Higher octane fuel will not only guard against knock and ping but will allow your engine to advance the timing which in turn produces more power. for those who have a tune (like me) the base timing, and other factors, are modified so the engine is less tolerant of lower octane fuel. My engine now requires 93 octane fuel and runs spectacular on E85.
I'm no expert and I don't think anyone here is claiming to know more than GM engineers. We are just sharing our personal experiences and thoughts about E85. If it's proof you want I'll try to make it back to San Antonio Raceway soon and make some runs down the strip on E85 and just see if it really makes any difference. It feels pretty significant to the butt dyno but like I always say...the proof is in the puddin'.
BTW, I knocked a full second off my ET at the drag strip with my exhaust, CAI and tune and I have the time slips to prove it...I challenge you to run down the strip on 87 then again on 93 and see if it makes any difference instead of just blindly stating that it doesn't. Anyone want to take bets?
This is straight from Section 5 Page 5 of the 2003 Chevy Tahoe owners manual
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of 87 or higher. If the octane is less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when you drive. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible. Otherwise, you might damage your engine. A little pinging noise when you accelerate or drive uphill is considered normal. This does not indicate a problem exists or that a higher-octane fuel is necessary. If you are using 87 octane or higher-octane fuel and hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
I would like to point out that GM does not recommend 87 octane...it is the bare minimum. Modern engines retard their timing when you run lower octane fuel because the octane rating is a fuel's resistance to knock or pre-detonation. Higher octane fuel will not only guard against knock and ping but will allow your engine to advance the timing which in turn produces more power. for those who have a tune (like me) the base timing, and other factors, are modified so the engine is less tolerant of lower octane fuel. My engine now requires 93 octane fuel and runs spectacular on E85.
I'm no expert and I don't think anyone here is claiming to know more than GM engineers. We are just sharing our personal experiences and thoughts about E85. If it's proof you want I'll try to make it back to San Antonio Raceway soon and make some runs down the strip on E85 and just see if it really makes any difference. It feels pretty significant to the butt dyno but like I always say...the proof is in the puddin'.
BTW, I knocked a full second off my ET at the drag strip with my exhaust, CAI and tune and I have the time slips to prove it...I challenge you to run down the strip on 87 then again on 93 and see if it makes any difference instead of just blindly stating that it doesn't. Anyone want to take bets?
Last edited:
gtbigup01
Full Access Member
^ Well thanks for the info, I'll keep it in mind.
Grocery Getter
A guy with a truck.
Look, if it is available and you have flex fuel it's worth a try. All of this ignorant uninformed rhetoric is why this fuel has not been widely accepted. Who do you think puts all the negative information about E85 out there.......... the oil companies, why in the hell would they allow consumers to have another option? Who cares about a few bucks a tank, if we has a 100% Ethanol option like Brazil we could greatly decrease our consumption of foreign oil and stop giving money to countries that don't like us very much. I mean come on man, ****, it's really a no brainer for me.........
If you don't like it or don't want to try it fine but please stop spreading the negative propaganda around, especially if you don't have first hand experience with what you are talking about. If you have a flex fuel vehicle E85 is a perfectly viable fuel and most likely will make your vehicle run better. YES, if you are running 87 it will cost more but isn't it worth a few bucks to support American corn farmers and decrease our foreign oil dependency? For gods sake, if you are that worried about MPG's and $$ then buy a 4 banger Toyota or Nissan, you drive one of the biggest rigs on the road.....don't you feel the slightest shred of obligation to do your part to get off foreign oil if you have the option(flex fuel)?
END RANT>>>>>>FINAL THOUGT>>>>>PEACE OUT
If you don't like it or don't want to try it fine but please stop spreading the negative propaganda around, especially if you don't have first hand experience with what you are talking about. If you have a flex fuel vehicle E85 is a perfectly viable fuel and most likely will make your vehicle run better. YES, if you are running 87 it will cost more but isn't it worth a few bucks to support American corn farmers and decrease our foreign oil dependency? For gods sake, if you are that worried about MPG's and $$ then buy a 4 banger Toyota or Nissan, you drive one of the biggest rigs on the road.....don't you feel the slightest shred of obligation to do your part to get off foreign oil if you have the option(flex fuel)?
END RANT>>>>>>FINAL THOUGT>>>>>PEACE OUT
warrlac
Full Access Member
E85
If you have a power adder and run a LOT of boost (hence fuel) you will benefit from E85's lower BTU content by being able to push a LOT more engine cooling fuel through the fuel rails. You can run some very low ET's on E85.
Check out the Corn Snake...
http://www.mustang50magazine.com/techarticles/m5lp_0709_e85_terminator/index.html
Mark is my neighbor and did 465/489 on E85. My Terminator does 410/410 on gas.
If you have a power adder and run a LOT of boost (hence fuel) you will benefit from E85's lower BTU content by being able to push a LOT more engine cooling fuel through the fuel rails. You can run some very low ET's on E85.
Check out the Corn Snake...
http://www.mustang50magazine.com/techarticles/m5lp_0709_e85_terminator/index.html
Mark is my neighbor and did 465/489 on E85. My Terminator does 410/410 on gas.
blueflamed03
Supporting Member
some like it, some don't, we all have personal beliefs, but lets please keep it civil fellas, not worth getting worked up over.
it's gas
it's gas
