Im thinking of using E85 with my new motor. Being an alcohol based fuel, will it corrode a magneisum case like methonal will?

I wont use it for that reason

I contacted Caltex a few years ago as I wanted to use the E10 fuel.

They told me I shouldnt use it with anything with rubber fuel lines and steel tanks.

Tank and lines arnt a problem just want to know about the case. Has anyone had any experience with it? Who did you talk to at Caltex??

I think that E85 is overrated,
the V8s supercars use it , but I think they forced to
Ask bigrudi
I think he uses it in his track car and he lives @ sydney.

Aaron Roberts with the 20b kombi seems to know a bit about it from what i hear.... he is running it in his kombi, maybe shoot him a pm???

New motor??? Do tell.....

nothing to tell yet!!!!!! except it will have a magnesium case and run E85!!!!!!

Are your rings that bad , that you are going to fill your sump up , instead of oil ?
State side guys using it with out any real problems . Henry is using e85 .
If you have a concerns run a lube in it .

Got this off wiki: If a retailer chooses to post octane, they should be aware that the often cited 105 octane is incorrect. This number was derived by using ethanol’s blending octane value in gasoline. This is not the proper way to calculate the octane of E85. Ethanol’s true octane value should be used to calculate E85’s octane value. This results in an octane range of 94-96 (R+M)/2. These calculations have been confirmed by actual octane engine tests." [6]

yeah gas convertion is stupid unless you go for full gas injection system which then it is worth it.

the brazilians have been running there whole country on blends from 85-100% ethanol and occationally on imported petrol when enthanol is short supply since the late 80s-early 90s

vw actually helped to devalop the flex fuel techology way back then when they had a bad an enthanol shortage.

A nearlly fuel self sustanable country over 2 decades with nothing more than a few basic mods and an ECU upgrade (most times standard factoy equipment)

omg! amazing! (insert sarcasum)


dam it! I have run a car on prepwash with no differance in the way it ran. So whats this bad thing about enthanol?

We have two 2.3 litre EFi engines ready to go into 356 Speedster Replica's that will be running E85.

There are some good reasons to run it, it runs cooler, it runs cleaner, and it makes better power... The only reason I don't run it in my 1916 is that I work fly in fly out and Leaving E85 in the tank for extended periods can cause the fuel to turn to crap, ruin fuel pumps, and clog lines. If it is used in foam filled tanks, like race cars use, it can destroy the foam as well.

watched a back to back test with 98 octane and e85 in a vtec honda, IIRC made 10 more hp with a change to timing and fattend the mixture up. It was at superlap at oran park a couple of years ago.

I watch v8 extra and i think they said E85 runs Hotter.
and a few v8s supercars have blown up lately in a big ball of fire.

Pro ma sell a additive to stop jelling and i belive corrosion etc but for magnesium i'm not sure. i know guys that dont drain the system at all.I also coated Gary Phillips blower roters as they were showing some signes of corrosion but that coating don,t like magnesium!There may be some coating that will work ill look into it may be the oil drainback coating.With the A/FD i worked on we simply blew the fuel system out plugs out spin motor over spray GIBBS/WD40 or the like in fuel lines and into the motor a bit of a pain but when your setting world records you do what you have to do.Ask Pommie Steve Reed what coriosion can do to a barrelvalve/carb cross shaft it can destroy your car when the throttle hangs open due to corrosion!

What is the cost of E85?
I have never seen it.

Could be viable then as it would work out around $1.30 with the increased fuel consumption as long as the car purchase price was the same.

jee, quite a few more responces than I expected!!!! thanks to all who tried to answere the original question. Have spoken to henry and a few people who have been using it for years with no problems, they answered all my questions.

Methanol is very often tuned quite rich for several reasons and makes its way past the rings and into the oil, from memory it settles out of separation and eats a hole in your sump in the off season! Something like that anyway

I wouldnt be worried about the magnesium but I would have a little concerned about the long term health of rubber fuel lines. I wouldnt be using supercheap auto hose at all but especially with e85. If you went to specialist hose places they would surely be able to get you something e85 proof. Its not just v8supercars that are using it. I would say 1/2 of amatuer club motorsport running turbos use it. If their times were slower they wouldnt be.