Jump to content

Investigating E85 (FlexFuel) conversions


V

Recommended Posts

  • Platinum Member

For the last month or so I have been investigating what needs to be done to convert a 2.5L i4 or 4.0L i6 Jeep to run on high ethanol fuels such as E85 in summer and E70 in winter. My assumption being that the ethanol blend of petrol in the UK will increase in the next few years. The tech stuff I have found will follow later.

 

However, it is interesting that in France E85 is commonly available and the retail price per litre is roughly half the cost of petrol. Sadly, the French government (like the British with LPG) has now insisted that only authorised technicians can retrofit the Fuel Injection module to compatible cars. On eBay the DIY modules cost less than 180 Euros. They plug into the fuel injectors directly, tapping the circuit to allow the module to launch it's own 'man-in-the-middle-attack' on the injector pulses. The module also has a temperature sensor that must be clamped to the outside of the engine block. The module recalibrates the fuel injection on the fly to work with E85. The French however, are not bothering to convert their cars as the cost charged by the authorised technicians is between 900 and 2000 Euros.

 

About 15 years ago, E85 was available in East Anglia (no idea if it still is). Morrisons in Norwich was the site of the first E85 retail pump but the fuel was only 2p per litre cheaper than unleaded petrol. Clearly the British government were at fault here by not reducing the ridiculous 80% tax on transport fuel. How different things would be now if E85 was 40p a litre in 2006 and increasing to around 65p by 2021.

 

So, my opinion based on the French situation is that E85 is dead in the EU. If governments are able to dissuade adoption by forcing unrealistic conversion rules or high taxes on the fuel, E85 is not going to gain traction with the average motorist. I guess the politicians have too much of their own personal money invested in the future of electric cars.

 

For me, converting my 4.0L Jeep engine to run on E85 is better than converting to LPG because I don't need to lose space for another fuel tank. A plastic tank compatible for E85 can also be used for regular unleaded petrol.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Platinum Member

Ethanol production from corn uses less energy than it produces with an input to output ratio of 1:1.4 to 1:2.5 .

 

I read the same thing about the coal power stations being reactivated. I guess it will become more common for the coal power stations to be used when the Canadians realise that the Drax biomass power station is deforesting their country.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • Platinum Member

Interesting stuff V. While I am keen to explore anything that reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, I do have a problem when fuel is made of stuff that is food. The world doesn't seem to have enough food as it is. I also hate the idea of felling trees for fuel, even for a cosy little wood burner. 

Having spent two years installing my 4.6 stroker, I'm already planning an EV conversion. Or I'm hoping young genius will work out how to throw (cleanly produced) hydrogen into an ICE with blowing it up. Doubtless someone already has...  oh yes Toyota and Porsche already working on it. Conversion for 1998 Jeeps, E-Type Jags, Ferrari GTOs, Dodge Chargers etc etc? and without it costing the kind of prohibitive sums as with the E85 conversion you mentioned? Hmmm...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Platinum Member

When I bought my Trackhawk and had it tuned by Livernois Motorsport in Detroit they asked if I wanted the 1000 HP tune which would rely on E85. They would replace the OEM fuel pump with a better performance dual pump.l to accommodate the E85. Probably like the injector change you mentioned in France. 
 

I looked and found no E85 here and heard that it used to be. They said 900-950 was the max they would do on their 93  (our 98-99) octane. 
 



 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Platinum Member

I just received confirmation from Edelbrock today that their 4.0L i6 aluminium head is E85 compatible.

 

Yes, 100% this Edelbrock AMC/Jeep Cylinder Head # 50169 is A-OK with E85 Fuel as it comes with 1-pc Stainless Steel Valves, and Hardened Ductile Iron Valve Seats with Manganese-Bronze Valve Guides, also Compatible with Propane as well, we here in the USA have had E15 for some time, and we hear it has been as high as E20 or E25 in some states, all the Best to You....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Platinum Member
On 26/10/2021 at 22:42, V said:

I just received confirmation from Edelbrock today that their 4.0L i6 aluminium head is E85 compatible.

 

Yes, 100% this Edelbrock AMC/Jeep Cylinder Head # 50169 is A-OK with E85 Fuel as it comes with 1-pc Stainless Steel Valves, and Hardened Ductile Iron Valve Seats with Manganese-Bronze Valve Guides, also Compatible with Propane as well, we here in the USA have had E15 for some time, and we hear it has been as high as E20 or E25 in some states, all the Best to You....

Damn,  I've constantly talked myself out of splashing out on an Edelbrock head.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

guidelines