Re: installing a small block?

Posted by Paul_K On 2011/4/26 14:39:31

I have issue with E85 fuels in general and I would like you to consider what I am about to say. Ethanol is "hygroscopic" that is in a nut shell, the ability to absorb moisture. The ethanol will absorb moisture from the atmosphere and moisture is not a good thing for an engine. It takes about 1.3 units of alcohol to do the same amount of work of 1 unit of gasoline- less power, more fuel consumption. Ethanol evaporates very fats and should be kept in a sealed container. You could seal your fuel tank but it will need to be vented at some point. Ethanol is VERY corrosive to rubber and steel. You would have to put some kind of epoxy coating in your fuel tank and run all stainless steel fuel lines and get carburetor and fuel rebuild kits that can handle Ethanol. So, add up the cost of converting to run E85 and the best you can get out of it is lose performance, lose MPG and in the long run you end up paying more at the pump over time becuz you simply need to buy more fuel. Ethanol is great in a high compression (13:1?), purpose built engine, not a sixty plus year old car.