[Visconti]

Originally Posted by SkullWorks

If I were you I'd be concerned too...it takes a real tuner to make it work...

Sounds like a science project.. whos doing the tuning for you lol

Originally Posted by Shankenstein

Did my Master's degree on flex fuel control systems. Sorry fellows... it's pretty unlikely that there's a conspiracy afoot.

Between 1990-1993, most companies were already developing systems that were safe to run ethanol. By the OBDII refresh (MY1996), most manufacturers had already spec'ed the tanks, lines, filters, injectors to withstand ethanol. Some manufacturers designed for slow wear (just enough to support E10), but most chose materials that did not (in any reasonable time period) degrade in E100.

The fueling control systems were still archaic, since closed-loop fueling was just reaching the stage of using HEGO switching to keep the catalyst cycling (oxidation and reduction at ~1 Hz). These type of systems would fall back to fail-safe maps and waste a ton of fuel. I was reading about Subaru strategies a few years ago, and they use Map "A" and "B" which could be switched between based on feedback about current and expected performance (generally centered around knock and exhaust temps). Regardless, the systems were capable of storing and flowing E85 for the entirity of the car's life. Ethanol eats alot of modern materials... but they currently use materials that dissolve VERY slowly (if at all).

Not totally surprised but interesting topic to do your masters on

Very cool