[My79Ford400ciF1504x4]

Alright so first here's the video that sparked my whole interest;
2 MINUTE TECH - Convert Your Carb for E85 | PowerBlockTV Network - Video
Now here's my application; 460 with stock heads and bottom end, stock compression. It has a few other addons which may make a difference, it has a Holley 850 DP, Edelbrock Performer Intake, 4x4 Cam, a Double Roller Timing Chain, MSD 6a Box, and some Shorty Headers.
And Here's my questions; In my application would there be any performance gains? If not really, would it be worth it for the cost vs gas? And would there be any real cost effective ways to make it run well? New Heads? Not looking to get real in depth, like changing pistons and rebuilding the whole engine. Just thought it be a cool project if its feasible. All comments and advice is much appreciated, Thanks!

 

[crussell85]

The only benefit to ethanol is that it's 100% renewable or awfully close to it. Will you make more power? No. Will you save at the pump? Only visually. Ethanol doesn't have the energy that gasoline has. So it's cheaper at the pump but your going to get less mpg over gasoline.

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[Plaintoast]

Actually in Dyno testing I've seen increases in power too. Not as much as methanol, but there is power gains to be had. I wouldn't make the switch in a street vehicle for this reason though as its not enough to be worth the effort. Cases where I would make the change are racing classes where you are very limited, or street vehicles where the motor would need race gas, I.e. high compression and/or high boost applications.

 

[BogiesAnnex1]

Alright so first here's the video that sparked my whole interest;
2 MINUTE TECH - Convert Your Carb for E85 | PowerBlockTV Network - Video
Now here's my application; 460 with stock heads and bottom end, stock compression. It has a few other addons which may make a difference, it has a Holley 850 DP, Edelbrock Performer Intake, 4x4 Cam, a Double Roller Timing Chain, MSD 6a Box, and some Shorty Headers.
And Here's my questions; In my application would there be any performance gains? If not really, would it be worth it for the cost vs gas? And would there be any real cost effective ways to make it run well? New Heads? Not looking to get real in depth, like changing pistons and rebuilding the whole engine. Just thought it be a cool project if its feasible. All comments and advice is much appreciated, Thanks!

Waste of time and money no performance advantage to ethanol it's like high octane low energy fuel that doesn't offer a stable octane at that. It tests pretty well but falls down in a real world engine. Which is to say under heat and pressure it forms simpler (dissassociation) compounds that easily self ignite. When one looks at the effort to prep the land, apply fertilizers, bug and weed killers plus the effort that goes into harvest, transportation, storage, fermentaion and distallation the claim of this being more enviromentally friendly and CO2 neutral is more wishful thinking than reality.

Bogie

 

[Plaintoast]

I won't dispute the environmental aspects of it, that I could care less about. In real world use though, I have a customer motor that's 9.1:1 compression 427 small block running 18 psi through it, street car now, and you would not get that to run correctly on pump gas, yet it runs great and makes almost 1300 HP. He buys it from the pump and tests it each time, but never has a problem in a summer only car. He's actually pulling the blower off and upping the ante with twin turbos, looking to push about 24 psi through it and I guarantee the fuel won't be the limiting factor. There's lots of people running it at 14:1+, I personally run it at 13.2:1 on an iron head motor and the stuff doesn't have issues. Its rated at 105 but being an alcohol based fuel, that number is very deceiving. Again, I wouldn't make the switch in the op's case, its not worth the small gains he would see, but its a misunderstood fuel that lots of people read horror stories about and pass along with no actual experience with it.