Discussion: E85 N/A Performance Gains
#1
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I've been contemplating playing with some E85 in my N/A BP4W next season especially after seeing the results the 949 guys are having on their NA8 motors. If you haven't seen the thread on m.net here it is;
[NA] 135whp with stock NA8 long block - MX-5 Miata Forum
The TL : DR, 135whp on a healthy NA8 with stock header, 137WHP on a not so healthy NA8 with a RB header. Both cars have a completely stock fuel system and injectors sans Megasquirt. My goal is to see where I can take my BP4W which is already making ~140whp on watered down CA 91 and share the information with everyone.
I've seen both sides where some say to replace rubber lines, injectors & fuel pumps and others who swear on replacing everything. One consistent piece of information I have found is that replacing your fuel filter after a few tanks is critical to prevent it from being clogged. Does anyone with experience in long term use of E85 want to chime in with anything they have learned?
A major discrepancy I've noticed is the methodology for changing your fuel map. Some folks use their existing VE map, multiply by 1.3 and from there the information seems to get muddy. Other's change the req fuel number to increase everything and fine tune from there. I do understand that all my enrichments and cranking information will need to be changed as well. What is the recommended best practice for setting the map up for E85?
[NA] 135whp with stock NA8 long block - MX-5 Miata Forum
The TL : DR, 135whp on a healthy NA8 with stock header, 137WHP on a not so healthy NA8 with a RB header. Both cars have a completely stock fuel system and injectors sans Megasquirt. My goal is to see where I can take my BP4W which is already making ~140whp on watered down CA 91 and share the information with everyone.
I've seen both sides where some say to replace rubber lines, injectors & fuel pumps and others who swear on replacing everything. One consistent piece of information I have found is that replacing your fuel filter after a few tanks is critical to prevent it from being clogged. Does anyone with experience in long term use of E85 want to chime in with anything they have learned?
A major discrepancy I've noticed is the methodology for changing your fuel map. Some folks use their existing VE map, multiply by 1.3 and from there the information seems to get muddy. Other's change the req fuel number to increase everything and fine tune from there. I do understand that all my enrichments and cranking information will need to be changed as well. What is the recommended best practice for setting the map up for E85?
#2
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I like it. Use it on all my fun cars now.
You absoulutely do have to upgrade the injectors though.
I haven't replaced the filter before and had no issues whatsoever, but from what I've seen and heard, its probably a good idea, even more so on a high mile/older car. Its so cheap and easy too, why not.
I've used both strategies - the latter works best. Bump req fuel by 30%, then fine tune.
Both my 00 and my current 01 love the stuff.
You absoulutely do have to upgrade the injectors though.
I haven't replaced the filter before and had no issues whatsoever, but from what I've seen and heard, its probably a good idea, even more so on a high mile/older car. Its so cheap and easy too, why not.
I've used both strategies - the latter works best. Bump req fuel by 30%, then fine tune.
Both my 00 and my current 01 love the stuff.
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I like it. Use it on all my fun cars now.
You absoulutely do have to upgrade the injectors though.
I haven't replaced the filter before and had no issues whatsoever, but from what I've seen and heard, its probably a good idea, even more so on a high mile/older car. Its so cheap and easy too, why not.
I've used both strategies - the latter works best. Bump req fuel by 30%, then fine tune.
Both my 00 and my current 01 love the stuff.
You absoulutely do have to upgrade the injectors though.
I haven't replaced the filter before and had no issues whatsoever, but from what I've seen and heard, its probably a good idea, even more so on a high mile/older car. Its so cheap and easy too, why not.
I've used both strategies - the latter works best. Bump req fuel by 30%, then fine tune.
Both my 00 and my current 01 love the stuff.
I was leaning towards the req fuel, thanks for the info. I am excited that I found out that my local E85 station has a year round 83% blend so I will not have to deal with the seasonal blends I've heard about.
#4
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You know what, I guess I'm wrong on the injectors. Reading that thread now, and apparently the stockers have enough headroom for e85. I'm very surprised, but if Emilio did it on more than 1 engine, then I guess it works.
I guess I under-estimate how little fuel these engines need when properly tuned ( ie: not going pig rich in open loop)
Yeah this stuff is great. I haven't ran into knock yet, and I've tried some really interesting things with my timing and vvt maps lol
I guess I under-estimate how little fuel these engines need when properly tuned ( ie: not going pig rich in open loop)
Yeah this stuff is great. I haven't ran into knock yet, and I've tried some really interesting things with my timing and vvt maps lol
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You know what, I guess I'm wrong on the injectors. Reading that thread now, and apparently the stockers have enough headroom for e85. I'm very surprised, but if Emilio did it on more than 1 engine, then I guess it works.
I guess I under-estimate how little fuel these engines need when properly tuned ( ie: not going pig rich in open loop)
Yeah this stuff is great. I haven't ran into knock yet, and I've tried some really interesting things with my timing and vvt maps lol
I guess I under-estimate how little fuel these engines need when properly tuned ( ie: not going pig rich in open loop)
Yeah this stuff is great. I haven't ran into knock yet, and I've tried some really interesting things with my timing and vvt maps lol
#6
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I haven't pushed it on this 2001 setup, but its at 36 now up top. Doens't feel any faster if I keep going, so I stopped. No real dyno testing though, just a virtual dyno plot. Feels a whole lot quicker than stock though, that's for sure.
With your lower compression, you can probably push it even more.
With your lower compression, you can probably push it even more.
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Hmm interesting, I am interested to be able to quantify all these gains. I also plan on doing one last dyno with 91 before to have a starting point(I'll be using the same dyno for each test). For science this is my current 91 map.
![](https://www.miataturbo.net/attachments/engine-performance-56/95694-discussion-e85-n-performance-gains-3sbsvzh.jpg?dateline=1385496757)
#8
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No need to replace all the lines. You may need to do the fuel filter, all depends on how much gunk accumulated in your tank over time. Mine is pretty clean inside.
You should either change the ecu's stoich value if that is an option, if not, change the injector scaling by 30% (believe this is called required fuel in MS).
You should either change the ecu's stoich value if that is an option, if not, change the injector scaling by 30% (believe this is called required fuel in MS).
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Not too long ago Grassroots did an article where they dyno tested an N/A, NA Miata, running MS with a bunch of different fuels, including E85.
The E85 made some significant power. This isnt news, but since some MTnet users have a phobia of theory; there is the hard data as tested on a Miata.
The E85 made some significant power. This isnt news, but since some MTnet users have a phobia of theory; there is the hard data as tested on a Miata.
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No need to replace all the lines. You may need to do the fuel filter, all depends on how much gunk accumulated in your tank over time. Mine is pretty clean inside.
You should either change the ecu's stoich value if that is an option, if not, change the injector scaling by 30% (believe this is called required fuel in MS).
You should either change the ecu's stoich value if that is an option, if not, change the injector scaling by 30% (believe this is called required fuel in MS).
Not too long ago Grassroots did an article where they dyno tested an N/A, NA Miata, running MS with a bunch of different fuels, including E85.
The E85 made some significant power. This isnt news, but since some MTnet users have a phobia of theory; there is the hard data as tested on a Miata.
The E85 made some significant power. This isnt news, but since some MTnet users have a phobia of theory; there is the hard data as tested on a Miata.
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Your wideband just sends a voltage to the ecu, the ecu interprets it as some lambda value. It needs the stoich value in the fueling calculations. I believe the stoich value, injector size, and engine displacement are all wrapped up into 1 variable on the MS, required fuel. In some ecu's they all have their own value since they are their own constants in the VE fueling equations.
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Your wideband just sends a voltage to the ecu, the ecu interprets it as some lambda value. It needs the stoich value in the fueling calculations. I believe the stoich value, injector size, and engine displacement are all wrapped up into 1 variable on the MS, required fuel. In some ecu's they all have their own value since they are their own constants in the VE fueling equations.
I dig a little digging and someone on a BMW forum(BMW M3 Forum (E90 E92) - View Single Post - Compared: 87 E10, 93 E10, 93, 100, 105, E85 and M1) posted the results;
Grassroots Motorsports recently tested 87 E10, 93 E10, straight 93, 100, 105, E85 and M1 Methanol on a Miata with a standalone computer and tuned each on a Dynapack dyno to make the most power with the fuel. The differences results were not dramatic except for M1 Methanol:
87 E10 made 135 hp and 117 lbs tq
93 E10 made 136 hp and 124 lbs tq
93 made 134 hp and 122 lbs tq
E85 made 143 hp and 128 lbs tq
100 made 137 hp and 123 lbs tq
105 made 137 hp and 124 lbs tq
M1 made 160 hp and 140 lbs tq
87 E10 made 135 hp and 117 lbs tq
93 E10 made 136 hp and 124 lbs tq
93 made 134 hp and 122 lbs tq
E85 made 143 hp and 128 lbs tq
100 made 137 hp and 123 lbs tq
105 made 137 hp and 124 lbs tq
M1 made 160 hp and 140 lbs tq
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I had a Walbro 190, and it died after 6 months. Walbro told me that it was my fault and wouldnt warranty it. They claimed without even looking at it that I had contaminated fuel. So I pulled the sending unit, tank was perfectly clean. Cut the fuel filter in half, no dirt at all. So **** Walbro, not buying from them anymore. You really think stock is sufficient enough to flow enough e85 for racing application? Even though its n/a.
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Well I was planning on upgrading fpr as well. Obviously im not going for high hp here (shooting for 160 at the wheels) but im just trying to build a free flowing system with no restrictions so I dont have fuel pressure loss at high rpm. Im going to build my own dual feed rail with a nice external fpr.