E85 Problems

[Xing Yi]

I have had the following issues with running E85 over the last year. This is a daily car so ethanol has never sat in this car.

1. Orings on the injector shrunk and went hard causing a bad fuel leak. So bad that I could smell ethanol really bad pulled over and fuel was squirting across the engine bay. Lucky there was no fire and had to get towed home. Took the injectors out and the oring going into the fuel rail had shrunk a lot and where really hard. As I could just slide in and out easily and no longer an interference fit. Got Scotty to send new orings for ethanol, has solved this problem.

2. Aluminum oxide. This was from the surge tank I used. Did not realise that it was raw alloy inside. This blocked my fuel filter, residue was about 1-2mm thick. Unfortunately the guys that installed this install it before the surge. There for contaminating the whole system. So my solution was to fit two extra fuel filters after my twin 044, and run M2 Upper Cylinder lubricant. As this is designed for this problem with methanol. After running this, my fuel filters no longer have this white residue inside them. So problem solved. I do have a new aeroflow E85 surge to go in just need a hoist, as I don't want other people working on my car any more.

3. This caused my injectors to get blocked also. Had to clean them nearly every two weeks (cost a fortune). Each time they were out upto 40%. Talked to Scotty about this have just order the same cleaning and testing machine he has.

I have to thank Scotty/ Scotty's Customs for his great help. He is an asset to our community and his aftersales support is unbelievable, always willing to help, a real giver!

I you have had any other problems please add so we can all run this great fuel.

[KiwiRS4T]

Good feedback. So your new surge tank is stainless or just steel?

[Xing Yi]

Aeroflow surge alloy anodised inside and out for E85.

[Hadouken]

Is this on United or eflex?

[GTRPSI]

Yep Scotty is a great help when it come to E85, thank god we have a resident E85 Guru to sort out our issues.

Now where is he so he can remind us of never having any problems on it? (Jabs him in the ribs)

[fatz]

Yup standard e85 fun

Most shops know this and put the right crap in

[RBrennan25]

Have you seen the new E85 fuel treatment that Nulon just put out? I have no idea if it actually works or is just marketing but maybe it's worth a look for everyone running E85?

Not sure if it would fix or prevent any of the problems from OP but would be interesting to see some people use it and post results

[fatz]

Treatment helps with the alloy oxidising

[Xing Yi]

United E85

[GTR_JOEY]

Tip no.1

Don't run walbro 400s, they will stuff out on Ethenol

[Xing Yi]

Thanks for that joey, I did not know that. More people!

[iruvyouskyrine]

Tip no.1

Don't run walbro 400s, they will stuff out on Ethenol

The ones that don't say they are rated for ethanol? Hardly surprising is it?

[GTR_JOEY]

I bought them before there was an Ethenol compatible version when not much was known about them.

People still seem to think running walbro 400s is ok for alcohol based fuels.

I'm telling you it will work for a while, they will die.

Obviously Xing Yi didn't know so it was worth the post

[Hadouken]

I saw that nulon additive. Will make me feel like driving a 2stroke car.

[Leroy Peterson]

black goo blocking injectors and accumulating in the head:

http://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/419605-my-r34-gt-t-streettrack-builddiary/page-15#entry7504245

http://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/419605-my-r34-gt-t-streettrack-builddiary/?p=7504357

Aeroflow surge alloy anodised inside and out for E85.

just to clear up, the new aeroflow surge tank you havent fitted yet is E85-compatible?

[Hadouken]

that same balck goo is caught in the fuel filter.

I just cut open my filter last week and have no traces of this black goo.

[Xing Yi]

Thanks for all your input, all is appreciated.

Yes Leroy Peterson, the new aeroflow surge is designed for E85 and was recently released (don't know for sure, auto part guys tend to tell stories).

Also had seen this black gunk stuff before I went E85. I have not personally seen it or had problems with it myself. But more input the better.

I forgot to also add that I was running the Maditive E85 treatment and the lucas oils one too when I had the Alloy oxidation happening. They did not stop the alloy corroding, and were useless for my problems. You can come and get my bottles I have left if you want as they will be going in the bin. M2 Way Better! And have not seen any alloy oxide since.

[scotty nm35]

black goo blocking injectors and accumulating in the head:

http://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/419605-my-r34-gt-t-streettrack-builddiary/page-15#entry7504245

http://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/419605-my-r34-gt-t-streettrack-builddiary/?p=7504357

just to clear up, the new aeroflow surge tank you havent fitted yet is E85-compatible?

Black goo comes from the combustion chamber, not the ethanol. Direct injection petrol motors have the same issue, only 10 times worse, as there is nothing cleaning the crap off.

I have seen alloy rails corrode in a similar way, but my raw alloy tank lid hasn't caused any issues yet, 6 years on. Perhaps it's the grade of alloy? Either way I would be anodising every fuel component you can.

[Leroy Peterson]

Main reason I put that build thread up is the quotes from other threads regarding things getting caught in the fuel filter.

[Kinkstaah]

Got fresh engine, (i.e so no carbon anywhere) running on E85 for awhile since runin (10,000kms?)

Put a tank or two of 98 in, to satisfy demons in case of evil e85 doing e85y things.

Put E85 back in after sufficient demon-cleansing time

ton of shit in fuel filter and car running lean under boost, thanks, Haltech engine protection!

Knowing exactly 0 about 98/E85's cleansing properties, clearly the combination of the two either causes gunk, or flushes gunk in/out from somewhere, my filter was fine and my AFR's were fine until I put 98 through the car. Funny enough, was fine on 98 also, but obviously less fuel there as less is needed so a partial filter blockage may have had no effect.