E85

[swathdiver]

Well I guess the test begins...

I just topped of the big girl with E85 @ 2.289.

I just need to figure put how to look at ethanol content...

I have a Diablo tuner that reads/logs PIDs and an OBD2 Bluetooth scanner with torque lite app for my phone... just gotta see if either will read the ethanol content.

Any suggestions?

Yeah, use your Tech2, go into Fuel Trims and look at it! LOL Or buy me lunch at Dixie Crossroads in Titusville tomorrow and I'll bring my Tech2!

This first tank will be diluted down by the remaining gasoline, probably will be in the 50s. You'll still see similar mileage as before but after about ten miles the motor will really adjust for it and you'll notice the power increase and even the transmission may start shifting better/more firm.

 

[kbuskill]

Well I am certain it is user error some how but I cannot get the Torque app to read ethanol content or oil temperature... the PIDs don't light up green I added the extra GM PIDs and still no dice.

Could it be because my truck is an '08 or am I just dumb as a rock???

I added the gauges to the dashboard but they don't show anything.

 

[LanceD]

Well I am certain it is user error some how but I cannot get the Torque app to read ethanol content or oil temperature... the PIDs don't light up green I added the extra GM PIDs and still no dice.

Could it be because my truck is an '08 or am I just dumb as a rock???

I added the gauges to the dashboard but they don't show anything.

Hmm. I'm not sure on the 08. Mine didn't show up at first either and I can't remember how I got it to work. Maybe check the torque forums

 

[kbuskill]

Hmm. I'm not sure on the 08. Mine didn't show up at first either and I can't remember how I got it to work. Maybe check the torque forums

I downloaded a plugin for the Torque app than scans all PIDs that your vehicle supports... it takes a long time to run through them all though... hopefully it works out.

 

[kbuskill]

So first tank of E85 through the Burb...

2008 Suburban LTZ... 212k miles
5.3L LMG with 4 speed transmission and 3:73 rearend

Last fill up was E85 @ $2.289 X 26.5gal = $61.00
Went 306miles on that tank which was mixed with approximately 3.5gal of 89 and took on 26.47 gal.
So $61.00 ÷ 306 miles = $.199 cents per mile.

Filled up today with E85 @ $2.229 X 26.47gal = $59.00

About 150 miles or half of that tank was highway miles with cruise set at 70mph.

I have no way of knowing the alcohol content of the E85 because the Torque pro app will not show me.

Not sure what the deal is. I can't see ethanol % or oil temp. Don't know if it's because my truck is an 08 or if I just can't figure out how to make it work.

The only thing I haven't tried is my Diablo I2 to see if I can log those parameters.

 

[swathdiver]

How do you like running it Ken? Did the shifts firm up any? Did the motor feel more spirited?

Those numbers suggest an average mpg of 11.5 which is on par for city mileage.

 

[kbuskill]

How do you like running it Ken? Did the shifts firm up any? Did the motor feel more spirited?

Those numbers suggest an average mpg of 11.5 which is on par for city mileage.

I have a custom tune from Lew at Diablew so my shifts are already firmer than stock and I really didn't notice a huge difference in performance but as mentioned I was already running a custom 89 octane tune so she moved pretty good anyway.

But overall she ran great on it. This tank should yield more accurate results since it was mostly E85 in the tank when I filled it up again with E85.

I still wish I could figure out how to see the ethanol content of my fuel.

Neither my Diablo I2 or my Torque Pro app will display it.

Maybe it is something that needs to be turned on with a Tech2 or maybe I am just too dumb to figure it out... lol

I need to break down and buy a Tech2 so I can play with it.

 

[swathdiver]

I don't know how your information is broken down in Diablo or Torque Pro, but in the Tech2, the alcohol content is listed in the Fuel Trims section. It does show up in EFI Live software too.

Once the truck determines that it is running on E85 that it runs a completely different set of tables so the engine tune should have none effect, unless he modified the E85 tables. I don't know however if the transmission has a separate tune for E85.

My engine and transmission have been tuned by BlackBear. I still notice however when I put the truck on E85 that it seems to get a little peppier and the shifts definitely firmed up some. We have different transmissions.

How has lowering your truck affected the fuel economy, if at all?

 

[Tonyrodz]

Just curious @swathdiver , have you ever done a comparison of mileage while on the highway with windows down, compared to windows up? I've always wondered how much of a difference that would make, say driving 70-75 mph.

 

[kbuskill]

I don't know how your information is broken down in Diablo or Torque Pro, but in the Tech2, the alcohol content is listed in the Fuel Trims section. It does show up in EFI Live software too.

Once the truck determines that it is running on E85 that it runs a completely different set of tables so the engine tune should have none effect, unless he modified the E85 tables. I don't know however if the transmission has a separate tune for E85.

My engine and transmission have been tuned by BlackBear. I still notice however when I put the truck on E85 that it seems to get a little peppier and the shifts definitely firmed up some. We have different transmissions.

How has lowering your truck affected the fuel economy, if at all?

To be honest... I don't really keep track of the mileage that closely. I would assume it being lower would improve it but cannot verify.

Yeah I realize that the engine tune shouldn't affect it running on E85. What I was meaning was that there wasn't a noticeable difference in performance between my custom 89 tune and the E85 tune.