Fellow294

What part or parts make a regular 5.3L engine run right using 10% ethanol? Doesn't seem like much in the big scheme of things?

Fellow294

ttttt

kbracing96

iTrader: (26)

Nothing really special, vehicle manufacturers have been required to build cars and trucks that can run on 10% ethanol since the late 70's I believe. 10% really isn't much. We have had that fuel here for as long as I have been driving (11+ years)

02sierraz71_5.3

iTrader: (2)

There are some added tables and some changed parts on the flex fuel vehicles, the octane equivalent for ethanol is like using 110 so running as much timing as you want shouldnt be a problem. I do think other things like the amount of time it takes to evaporate and after start enrichment are changed when running e85 Im shure there is more.

Ive wondered about the differences myself, if you look at a flex fuel pcm vs a regular one you'll see what Im talking about.

Fellow294

Well then, whats the difference in Ethanol and E85? So is it just timing and other calaborations in the computer or is it a "special" part they through in that makes it work?

kbracing96

iTrader: (26)

E85 is 85% ethanol and 15% gas and has an octane rating of about 105. Flex fuel truck have bigger fuel pumps, injectors and a sensor that can measure the ethanol content in the fuel so the PCM can adjust the fuel tables accordinly. Vehicles running on E85 typically get about 2-4 MPG less but its cheaper.

Gas in the mid west has had 10% ethanol in it for years, my truck runs on it just fine, only slightly less MPG. E85 has only come about the last couple of years.

1ImperialSS

iTrader: (5)

normal trucks without flew fuel may not be able to run e85 also, everything can run 10% ethanol, it wil be a little while before we switch to e85 because of all the older vehicle that cant