eFlexFuel Kit in 1FZ-FE? (1 Viewer)

[truthdetector]

Folks,

Saw this device mentioned in a recent ChrisFix video. eFlexFuel E85 flex fuel conversion kits - eFlexFuel Technology - https://eflexfuel.com/us/

I read other threads about use of E85 and other info about Ethanol mixes in general and now I'm intrigued if this eFlexFuel system would be a good idea, not only to open the possibility of using E85 if I ever wanted to, but also with the more expensive model offering tuning capabilities. It's interesting that whatever Ethanol mix is in the tank, the system adjusts things accordingly in real time.

I'm in the process of restoring my 80 and will probably start building the engine in a couple of months. If this were a good idea, that would be the time to install it.

Does anyone have any wisdom to share on this, or would I be one of the first people to try it on a 1FZ?

 

[WCBlueSky]

Many metals and other materials used in older cars (e.g. the gas tank) are not compatible and will corrode significantly with E85. If this tells you anything, E15 (15% ethanol) recently came out to many gas stations and it is illegal to put E15 into anything older than 2001 Alternative Fuels Data Center: E15 - https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/ethanol_e15.html

From this PDF https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy13osti/57590.pdf:

"Zinc, brass, lead, and aluminum
have shown sensitivity to degradation with E85. Terne-
plated steel (lead-tin alloy coating), which has been
commonly used for vehicle fuel tanks, and lead-based
solder are also incompatible with E85. Use of these
metals should be avoided. [...]
Nonmetallic materials that degrade when in contact
with fuel ethanol include natural rubber, polyurethane,
cork gasket material, leather, polyvinyl chloride, nylon
6/6, methyl-methacrylate plastics, and certain thermo-
plastic and thermoset polymers."

 

[Amateurarboris]

Just found this post and working through the same question. I am thinking I just need to go from tank to injectors and find out current materials on the 1fz.

 

[BILT4ME]

Not sure why you would want to use the E85 on these trucks.

E85 has less energy per unit than regular gasoline. It is also more expensive in real use when you compare miles per gallon of actual usage versus just raw cost per gallon.

I've had a E85 Dodge Grand Caravan that I put a LOT of miles on and I did lengthy tests of my own to monitor costs of E85 vs regular gasoline vs E15.

Turns out, regular gas was the cheapest PER MILE vs both of the others.

The E85 had to be 1/3 the cost of the regular gasoline to break even. (Comparison done on 1998 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.0L V6)

The E15 had to be about 70% of the cost of regular gas to break even. (Comparison done on 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.2L V8)

I put on about 20K miles per year on at least three vehicles each year, so I have some real time information. I'm not going to publish it, because I cannot find it anymore. You can find the same info online as well as do thermal tests on the products to determine for yourself.

No use to spend all that money for a conversion when it will cost you more in the long run, unless you just "gotta be green"........

I used to be a farmer, so I was all about that ethanol. I've helped build ethanol plants and was all about them.

Turns out, it's just not profitable in the real world.

 

[White Stripe]

You need a totally different timing map for e85 afaik.

 

[dsmud4u]

Not sure how this would equate in our pigs unless heavily tuned but I currently use e85 in our Audi S6, primarily for performance. In my 4 months now of use I’ve found that MPG’s drop less then 18% although the cost comparison to 91 octane (California) is about $1.10 less a gallon...22ish percent savings. Not much but I use e85 for permanece reasons.

I wish we had 93 in Cali but with out on warmer days the car can suffer from heat soak and light pinging will occur when under half load when lugging the engine. The car likes to drink.

I think there wouldn’t be a scenario you’d find yourself in where you didn’t have access to traditional fuel as opposed to e85.

 

[Amateurarboris]

So, speaking for myself, I am simply a fan of being able to put as many types of fuel as possible into my rig. If it was a diesel I would convert it to accept Bio-Diesel/ waste oil, maybe the next engine replacement... I understand Ethanol fuel is a giant giveaway to farmers through subsidies and may not be cost efficient but that isn't my goal.

 

[BILT4ME]

So, speaking for myself, I am simply a fan of being able to put as many types of fuel as possible into my rig. If it was a diesel I would convert it to accept Bio-Diesel/ waste oil, maybe the next engine replacement... I understand Ethanol fuel is a giant giveaway to farmers through subsidies and may not be cost efficient but that isn't my goal.

Maybe you need to buy a Multi-Fuel CUCV.

It will run on anything that will burn.

 

[Amateurarboris]

Maybe you need to buy a Multi-Fuel CUCV.

It will run on anything that will burn.

I will look into it, maybe I just need to connect up an old soviet-style wood gas generator into my motor.

 

[White Stripe]

You can run a ls swap on ethanol. Would have to wire in an additional sensor for the ecu to detect ethanol. It would then be a flex fuel vehicle. It was a factory gm option. Very easy to add with a ls swap.

 

[clx16]

There are kits to make them bifuel gas/propane. I can't tell you about costs comparisons, You would have to find someone in the US to compare since AUS has a different price mapping.