running e85 without flexfuel kit?

[kingkai23]

Im going to be installing my jdl kit soon..i have a e85 station 5 miles from my house, can i get tuned for e85 without flex fuel kit , i really dont need 2 maps or is flexfuel kit reccomended..i dont wanna spend extra $ if i dont have too i dont drive my car in winter so im not worried about cold start issues..i gotta order my injectors still and a fuel pump i just hope i dont have to order a flexfuel kit as well..i tried searching but couldnt find any answers

[Hawaiian]

Originally Posted by kingkai23

Im going to be installing my jdl kit soon..i have a e85 station 5 miles from my house, can i get tuned for e85 without flex fuel kit , i really dont need 2 maps or is flexfuel kit reccomended..i dont wanna spend extra $ if i dont have too i dont drive my car in winter so im not worried about cold start issues..i gotta order my injectors still and a fuel pump i just hope i dont have to order a flexfuel kit as well..i tried searching but couldnt find any answers

If you will be running exclusively E85 you don't need flexfuel, although it is better for the fuel system to occasionally run a cycle of pump gas. Also with the variation of quality of E85 day to day and station to station you might want a more conservative tune, as well as keeping your eye on your afr after each fill up when going wot while the ECU "learns"

[14BRZ]

It isn't absolutely necessary, but if you have a tune for 91/93 pump and a tune for E85, you will need to run the tank to almost empty for either to work alone without a flex fuel kit. Flex fuel kit just makes it more convenient to add E85/91/93 at any time without the tank being completely empty since it adjusts the fuel trims/maps automatically.

If you plan on running E85 full time, you can get a tune just for that and be ok if you don't plan on running 91/93 pump gas. But if you plan on switching between E85 and pump gas, the tank will need to be next to empty before switching maps.

[s2d4]

Well, if you are going to be running E85 at all times from the same station and you don't fill up winter blend, provided you have a good tune, no need for it.

[Boss Paco]

An ECA is nice at a minimum to know your percentage of ethanol.

[kingkai23]

Thanks fellas for quick replys

[xjohnx]

Originally Posted by kingkai23

Thanks fellas for quick replys

As someone who ran E85 w/o a flex fuel kit for about a year, here are a couple other things that haven't been mentioned:

If you plan on any road trips, be prepared to spend time researching E85 locations along your route and chart out stops for fuel along the way, don't forget to account for a slightly shorter range on e85 than you may be accustomed to with pump gas.

I would also recommend picking up a manual ethanol content tester. It's basically a little test tube you mix with part water, part ethanol, shake, and then read the ethanol content based on how the water/gas separates. Each time you fill up try to get a sample and log the ethanol content somewhere so that you can keep an eye on it for consistency, although fuel trims should compensate it's good for peace of mind.

[xwd]

With as much money as you are spending already might as well throw in a FF kit. I recommend the Moto-East.

[King Tut]

Originally Posted by xjohnx

As someone who ran E85 w/o a flex fuel kit for about a year, here are a couple other things that haven't been mentioned:

If you plan on any road trips, be prepared to spend time researching E85 locations along your route and chart out stops for fuel along the way, don't forget to account for a slightly shorter range on e85 than you may be accustomed to with pump gas.

Or simply bring the laptop with a 93 octane tune ready to load. Flashing the ECU at the gas station should only take a couple minutes.

[Sportsguy83]

Originally Posted by King Tut

Or simply bring the laptop with a 93 octane tune ready to load. Flashing the ECU at the gas station should only take a couple minutes.

Or have a different map for 93 and switch with CC stalk/defrost button.