I was doing some searches on Ethanol because it will be a major source of "gas" in the near future. I found this webpage...which is severely PRO Ethanol...but some really good information if you are wishing to educate yourself about what is coming.
http://www.ethanolrfa.org/
The link above has several links and then do searches on E-85 and Ethanol in general on google.
There is some serious benefits as I see to using Ethanol on Turbo cars. Ethanol has a MUCH higher Octane rating than dinosaur fuel. E-85 which I thought meant 85 Octane is actually between 100 and 115 Octane!
The major problem is converting your car to be Ethanol ready...nothing internal is needed in our cars...the fuel system is the problem. Rubber and the "Terne" fuel tanks. What do we have on our TGP/TSTE's? I can't imagine that we have Stainless Steel Fuel tanks do we?
AWESOME WEBPAGE talking about E-85 and conversions and what is/isn't required.
http://xcelplus.com/e85/article.htm
Turbo-Charged Vehicles are not impacted with fuel economy loss like a N/A car...
QuoteThe reason for this non-intuitive difference is that the turbocharged engine seems especially well-suited for operation on E85, for it in effect has a variable compression ratio capability, which is exactly what is needed to accommodate varying ethanol and gasoline ratios that occur in practice in an FFV. At light load cruise, the turbocharged engine operates as a low compression engine. Under high load and high manifold boost pressures, such as accelerating to pass or merge onto a highway, it makes full use of the higher octane of E85. It appears that due to the better ignition timing and better engine performance on a fuel of 100 octane, the driver spends less time at high throttle openings, and can cruise in a higher gear and at lower throttle openings than is possible on 100% premium gasoline. In daily commute driving, mostly highway, 100% E85 in a turbocharged car can hit fuel mileages of over 90% of the normal gasoline fuel economy. Tests indicate approximately a 5% increase in engine performance is possible by switching to E85 fuel in high performance cars.
I am typing as I am reading so if I say something wrong I will change it. :icon_cool:
Personally I'd love to convert the STE to run E85.. but there's not a single station in RI that sells it. It'd be a lot of work to brew the mix at home, not to mention getting the car to run right...
Hmmm..I thought running that stuff required running a bigger injector like 100% the size of the stocker.
I was reading here..(been messing with the ford turbo coupe..hehe, melted a piston on the highway though doing 18-20psi :icon_frown: .)
http://www.turboford.net/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=041264 (http://www.turboford.net/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=041264)
From the articles I have read due to the oxygenating principles of Alcohol (Ethanol=Grain Alcohol) you need to increase your fuel output by 30% on NON-turbocharged vehicles. Because of the higher combustion chamber pressures in a turbo/supercharger vehicle you increase by 10-15% because of the more effecient burning of 110-115 Octane.
I take it you don't have blended fuels in CO Kenny?
Winter blend is E10 (10% ethanol). But now all states wre running E10 once they get the suply ramped up. :icon_cool: