how to tell if car was previously tuned for E85?? - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

platinumEX · 11-16-2020, 11:39 AM

I bought a BRZ from an insurance auction a few weeks ago. Pretty excited about it. It did come with a few mods already - Tein coilovers, TRD exhaust, header, RPF1s...

A couple times when starting it in cooler weather it took a couple times cranking and sputtering before it would run, which made me wonder if the old owner had it tuned for and was running E85. It was a theft recovery and purchased from an auction - I have no idea who the previous owner was or how to find them. I've only driven it around the block a couple times at this point. Seems to run great when started and pulls harder than I remember my old FR-S but it's been a little while, so it could be wishful thinking.

Is there an easy way to tell if it was tuned for E85?

I have a VAGII tool for my wife's Audi, which also reads generic OBDII codes but not sure what else it could do on non-Audi.

Gloonge · 11-16-2020, 11:40 AM

I imagine you would need either a tactrix, ecutek or oft to read the ecu programming.

Or the Toyota computer, can't remember the name of it.

Sapphireho · 11-16-2020, 11:43 AM

You have a header, so if it were me, I'd find a tuner to look at it.

FR-S2GT86 · 11-16-2020, 04:25 PM

If you live near the southern border of OH-IO, by WV and KY, I may be able to help you out.

platinumEX · 11-16-2020, 04:56 PM

Thanks guys.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FR-S2GT86

If you live near the southern border of OH-IO, by WV and KY, I may be able to help you out.

I'm in Columbus but once it's road-ready I'd be willing to drive that way. Thanks man.

FR-S2GT86 · 11-16-2020, 08:58 PM

No problem. PM me if you need to set up a meeting. Maybe we can meet halfway. I've got another owner close by me that I've offered my EcuTek ProECU hardware and software if he decides he needs it.

Always willing to help.

Turdinator · 11-17-2020, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by platinumEX

I bought a BRZ from an insurance auction a few weeks ago. Pretty excited about it. It did come with a few mods already - Tein coilovers, TRD exhaust, header, RPF1s...

A couple times when starting it in cooler weather it took a couple times cranking and sputtering before it would run, which made me wonder if the old owner had it tuned for and was running E85. It was a theft recovery and purchased from an auction - I have no idea who the previous owner was or how to find them. I've only driven it around the block a couple times at this point. Seems to run great when started and pulls harder than I remember my old FR-S but it's been a little while, so it could be wishful thinking.

Is there an easy way to tell if it was tuned for E85?

I have a VAGII tool for my wife's Audi, which also reads generic OBDII codes but not sure what else it could do on non-Audi.

If it has a header good chance it has a tune of some sort. E85 has a different smell to gasoline. Start it up and see how it smells? Otherwise some other indicators would be a flex fuel sensor in the engine bay or with the car running pull the cruise control stick back (with cruise turned off) and watch to see if the tacho jumps to 1k, 2k, 3k or 4k rpm. That is really only if it is an ecutek tune, OFT will be harder to determine.

gen3v8 · 11-17-2020, 04:59 AM

Plug in any obd tool and read the outputs ie AFR trims etc

Tcoat · 11-17-2020, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gen3v8

Plug in any obd tool and read the outputs ie AFR trims etc

And compare to what? If asking the question he probably doesn't know what stock should be so just reading what is there will be of no help at all.

WNDSRFR · 11-17-2020, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turdinator

If it has a header good chance it has a tune of some sort. E85 has a different smell to gasoline. Start it up and see how it smells? Otherwise some other indicators would be a flex fuel sensor in the engine bay or with the car running pull the cruise control stick back (with cruise turned off) and watch to see if the tacho jumps to 1k, 2k, 3k or 4k rpm. That is really only if it is an ecutek tune, OFT will be harder to determine.

I agree with the smell test. You can smell the exhaust or just smell the fuel filler hole. If it smells like a bar, it's E85.

DarkSunrise · 11-17-2020, 01:53 PM

Another vote for the smell test. On a cold start you can smell the unburnt fuel in the exhaust. With e85 it has a sweet aroma that’s easy to detect. I’d start it up in the morning and take a few whiffs of the exhaust.

There are also cheap ethanol content test kits available but you need to find a way to siphon some fuel out of the tank or fuel lines.

Kiske · 11-17-2020, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tcoat

And compare to what? If asking the question he probably doesn't know what stock should be so just reading what is there will be of no help at all.

AFR will be higher for gas. 14.7ish vs E85's 8.7ish at idle (warmed up) depending on the tune.

platinumEX · 11-17-2020, 09:18 PM

Thanks for the tips everyone. Some good ideas. I’ll check everything when I get back to it - it’s in our warehouse at work and I’m home this week working on finishing/framing our basement.

Tcoat · 11-18-2020, 04:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiske

AFR will be higher for gas. 14.7ish vs E85's 8.7ish at idle (warmed up) depending on the tune.

Still need to know what the base was to know if it is higher or lower.

11-16-2020, 11:39 AM	#1
platinumEX Member Join Date: Nov 2020 Drives: '13 BRZ Location: OH-IO Posts: 17 Thanks: 6 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	how to tell if car was previously tuned for E85?? I bought a BRZ from an insurance auction a few weeks ago. Pretty excited about it. It did come with a few mods already - Tein coilovers, TRD exhaust, header, RPF1s... A couple times when starting it in cooler weather it took a couple times cranking and sputtering before it would run, which made me wonder if the old owner had it tuned for and was running E85. It was a theft recovery and purchased from an auction - I have no idea who the previous owner was or how to find them. I've only driven it around the block a couple times at this point. Seems to run great when started and pulls harder than I remember my old FR-S but it's been a little while, so it could be wishful thinking. Is there an easy way to tell if it was tuned for E85? I have a VAGII tool for my wife's Audi, which also reads generic OBDII codes but not sure what else it could do on non-Audi.

11-17-2020, 01:53 PM	#11
DarkSunrise Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Drives: 22 BRZ (Previously 13 FR-S) Location: USA Posts: 5,794 Thanks: 2,164 Thanked 4,242 Times in 2,220 Posts Mentioned: 48 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	Another vote for the smell test. On a cold start you can smell the unburnt fuel in the exhaust. With e85 it has a sweet aroma that’s easy to detect. I’d start it up in the morning and take a few whiffs of the exhaust. There are also cheap ethanol content test kits available but you need to find a way to siphon some fuel out of the tank or fuel lines. __________________ "Never run out of real estate, traction, and ideas at the same time." 2022 BRZ Build 2013 FR-S Build

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11-16-2020, 11:40 AM	#2
Gloonge Senior Member Join Date: May 2016 Drives: 2013 frs raven Location: W.P.B - Florida Posts: 224 Thanks: 5 Thanked 53 Times in 39 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I imagine you would need either a tactrix, ecutek or oft to read the ecu programming. Or the Toyota computer, can't remember the name of it.

11-16-2020, 11:43 AM	#3
Sapphireho ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Join Date: Mar 2016 Drives: '15 ultramarine Location: Idaho Posts: 13,192 Thanks: 5,451 Thanked 18,240 Times in 8,609 Posts Mentioned: 155 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	You have a header, so if it were me, I'd find a tuner to look at it.

11-17-2020, 04:59 AM	#8
gen3v8 Barred Join Date: Oct 2020 Drives: My18 wrxsti My19 brzts Location: Botany Bay Posts: 1,144 Thanks: 729 Thanked 1,187 Times in 610 Posts Mentioned: 7 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Plug in any obd tool and read the outputs ie AFR trims etc

11-17-2020, 09:18 PM	#13
platinumEX Member Join Date: Nov 2020 Drives: '13 BRZ Location: OH-IO Posts: 17 Thanks: 6 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Thanks for the tips everyone. Some good ideas. I’ll check everything when I get back to it - it’s in our warehouse at work and I’m home this week working on finishing/framing our basement.

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