Stock fuel system e85 tuning

Alright guys Explorer ST, I get asked this a lot. “I want to run ethanol, but I do not want to mix fuels and I’m not sure I want to buy the Xreme DI pump yet, is that my only options?” I typically try to get people into either e50 or buying the HPFP because that is what it takes if you want to push the ST to the limit of the turbos. However, there is a 3rd option and that is e85 on the stock fuel system. I have been doing this with some people in the f150 as we developed the flex fuel tune (yes flex fuel can work, I’m getting ready to release that in the f150 market next month). You may be thinking how is the a possible? The pump isn’t big enough? You have told us this since day one. Well you are right the pump isn’t big enough to push the truck, but if you want to run e85 on the stock fuel system it can be done at lower boost level. That’s what we have done with Ray’s to test it out. Running slightly more than stock boost takes use to roughly 95% capacity of the stock fuel system and we were able to run a 4.01 0-60. That is better than most 93 tunes and Also, because we are not leaning on the turbos very hard, there is less heat build up which is going to result in better ¼ mile times the 93, especially in the heat.

I think this going to be a great option if you are someone who wants to try e85 but does not want to blend fuels but still wants to try e85 before investing the HPFP and injectors. I understand it is a lot of money to invest to run e85 to its full potential and I’m hoping that this and the e50 option will help people realize the power potential of ethanol fuels.

This is also a great option for someone who want a very conservative, very consistent tune that does not fade away as fast a 93-octane tune on the big end.

Ultimately if you want to push your ST you need to upgrade the fuel system, there is just no way around that, but I also understand that not everyone wants to push it and having more options helps everyone else!

To kind of put these in order from lowest power to most here is the break down

Stock
93 octane
E85 stock fuel system
E50 stock fuel system
E50 upgraded fuel system
E85 upgraded fuel system

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Great info sir ... could you put in perspective the HP gains roughly on the following fuel options you stated.


Stock
93 octane
E85 stock fuel system
E50 stock fuel system
E50 upgraded fuel system
E85 upgraded fuel system


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I can’t give you HP numbers as mine hasn’t been on a Dyno, and they are partially useless. All Dynos are different, I can give you 0-60 for 4 of these on the same vehicle.

Stock(93) - 5.4
ZFG 93 Race - 4.06
ZFG E85 - 4.01
ZFG E50 - 3.75

The E85’s run was done in 12 degree warmer ambient air, 73 vs 61.


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Thanks ! 4 sec on the 93 is great, honestly .


This is San Antonio right now

Then if E85 is available you will see more benefit from it. It will help fight the loss from heat.


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Alright guys Explorer ST, I get asked this a lot. “I want to run ethanol, but I do not want to mix fuels and I’m not sure I want to buy the Xreme DI pump yet, is that my only options?” I typically try to get people into either e50 or buying the HPFP because that is what it takes if you want to push the ST to the limit of the turbos. However, there is a 3rd option and that is e85 on the stock fuel system. I have been doing this with some people in the f150 as we developed the flex fuel tune (yes flex fuel can work, I’m getting ready to release that in the f150 market next month). You may be thinking how is the a possible? The pump isn’t big enough? You have told us this since day one. Well you are right the pump isn’t big enough to push the truck, but if you want to run e85 on the stock fuel system it can be done at lower boost level. That’s what we have done with Ray’s to test it out. Running slightly more than stock boost takes use to roughly 95% capacity of the stock fuel system and we were able to run a 4.01 0-60. That is better than most 93 tunes and Also, because we are not leaning on the turbos very hard, there is less heat build up which is going to result in better ¼ mile times the 93, especially in the heat.

I think this going to be a great option if you are someone who wants to try e85 but does not want to blend fuels but still wants to try e85 before investing the HPFP and injectors. I understand it is a lot of money to invest to run e85 to its full potential and I’m hoping that this and the e50 option will help people realize the power potential of ethanol fuels.

This is also a great option for someone who want a very conservative, very consistent tune that does not fade away as fast a 93-octane tune on the big end.

Ultimately if you want to push your ST you need to upgrade the fuel system, there is just no way around that, but I also understand that not everyone wants to push it and having more options helps everyone else!

To kind of put these in order from lowest power to most here is the break down

Stock
93 octane
E85 stock fuel system
E50 stock fuel system
E50 upgraded fuel system
E85 upgraded fuel system

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

Is this an E85 Flex Fuel tune or is that one still in development?

The added HP over stock for each of those levels would also be interesting to see.

Nice work!

I haven't tried flex fuel yet on these but I will be soon

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so I know in the Fiesta community there are discussions of the wear and tear of running full E85. Do we have enough data to determine what the long term effects could be, or are on say injectors? Just curious as I am new to the platform and have easy access to E85 next to work. So the appeal is great. I have mixed before and I'm not afraid too. Just not ready to start playing with fuel upgrades on another platform just yet. Along the topic of ethanol blends though. I'm curious if we have a decent ethanol content gauge available. Formerly I used an Innovate Motorsports Gauge. TIA

You don't need a fuel sensor
These vehicles have LINEAR OXYGEN SENSORS which merely change fuel trim to match the fuel mix & maintain stoichiometry

Jesus christ people still think e85 ruins everything? What is this, 2007 still?

Just run pump OP ethanol is going to *insert something about seals/rings/pumps/hoses here* and also it's only for hippies and vagrants and liberals be a man and buy a mustang.

WTF? What beverage were you consuming when you added this informative post?

We're not talking about merely closed loop stoichiometric fuel adjustments. The conversation is about dealing with timing, boost, and fuel enrichment when you're using fuels with varying amounts of ethanol/gasoline mixture to enhance performance, not merely to detect stoich.

In general, to do that, you need maps and an algorithm that interpolate between known injection pulse width values which to my knowlege require some type of ethanol content sensing. This also affects timing and boost values. When you're going WOT, you're not running at stoich. No doubt the O2 sensors can tell the ECU a closed-loop cruising fuel trim, but that's different than a WOT pull.

If you have knowledge that the ST ECU uses the 02 sensor input and the closed loop short-term fuel trim numbers to estimate ethanol percentage (which is theoretically possible), I'd like to know more about it.