I'm getting ready to get my Edsel up and running again, and I'd like to use E85 if possible, since a new station opened up very near by. The car has a stock 361 FE, relatively high-compression, and 4bbl Ford carb. My parts car has a 2bbl manifold, and a Holley carb (1379-2). I thought to use the Holley, as bigger jets should be easier to find, and tuning will be much simpler with the removable float bowl. Anybody converted to E85? Potential problems and pitfalls? Recommendations for jet sizing? Any changes needed to the fuel system other than carb jetting? Thanks!
Are you sure with high compression , you will even be able to run e85 without a nasty piston slap? With my daily driver jeep I have to run at least 89 or I get the nasty knock.I think the newer flex fuel cars are able to adjust timing electronically, and mechanically to adjust to the lower octane.
E85 has an octane rating of 100–105 compared to regular gasoline's typical rating of 85–93, It will eat the gaskets and fuel lines. There are a few company's converting carbs for E85 it's kinda pricey. http://www.e85carbs.com/
E85 is very much a high octane fuel. The 361 was meant for leaded gas, so I figured it was a natural for the alkyfuel. I'd probably be advancing the timing over stock if anything. Car would be E85 only, no gasoline. Just for ****s and giggles to try the fuel out. The E85 carbs look like a pretty complex solution. For a basic 2bbl carb, wouldn't bigger jets be sufficient to change it over? Seems like a 30% bigger jet and some futzing with the tuning should get it workable. Now as far as eating gaskets and lines, I'm sure suitable rubber line is out there. Which gaskets? Seems like the only ones affected would be if there was cork in the carb. I'll have to tear it open and see if it has any.
Email from my friend who is a long time engineering manager at GM, regarding his wifes new GM E85 capable vehicle: Subject: E85 Carmen filled her car with E85, which was about 12.5% cheaper than regular gas. Dropped the mileage by about 23% so not a very good deal based on sample of one tank full. Myrle<O</O
berore you switch read this just came in the paper today. Minnesota is tops in e85 and this fuel is dying. Ethanol thirst evaporating http://www.startribune.com/business/49558512.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU plus you would have to change to stainless fuel lines and fuel tank for starters
It runs alot cooler, which could actually hurt performance in a higher compresson motor. Smokey taught us heat is horsepower. Another thing to consider is, you need a different fuel pump (or at least rebuilt with alky friendly guts) as well as new lines. You'll probably find it cleans out the **** in your tank, so much that it clogs your filter in a few miles. I had to gas up at a Casey's, and they have 10% minimum in their "gas". Fortunately I carry a spare filter.
Idle mix can be an issue. A large accelerator pump will be needed also. Even with those mods, the transfer ports may not be up to the job. With 105 octane, the stock 361 cam would like 14:1 compression or better. That will get you past the low BTU issue. Find a rebuildable Carter pump and use a methenol compatable diaphram. That will live and move enough fuel. have the tank cleaned before filling it with E85. If the fuel lines are marginable, they won't leave you wondering for long. Did I mention that I like E85? It's not gas, so don't treat it like it is.
No, modern lines and such work fine.........been there, done that. We haul THOUSANDS of gallons of alky with our gas each week, no issue with common gaskets. No, the Strib is a ****ed up newspaper anyway. As for Octane..............Alky loves Octane, I run 24-85 percent in my daily and have run it in my 54 and my old T. The real issue will be the tax credits that are going away from E85............when gas hit 3 bucks a few years back my alky was 2.10 now it is the same price as Regular no lead. Tuned right, alky is great................locally we are working on using lumber waste for cellulostic fuel...............small production is already starting. Save the earth cut a pine beetle killed tree and hope it hits the treehugger!
Alcohol does not hurt performance in a high compression motor, infact an engine will usually make more horsepower on alky than gas. It takes 2 gallons of alky to have the same BTU output as 1 gallon of gas, which is why you have to run twice the fuel volume with alky, simply putting bigger jets in a carb that is made for gas won't work you have to make all the internal fuel, and air p***ages bigger to handle the extra volume. There are also additives you can put in alcohol that greatly reduces the bad effects of alcohol on aluminum, br***, rubber, plastic, etc.
Thanks for the info guys! The tank is out to get resealed anyway. Likewise, I'm going to be replacing the fuel lines before the car goes back together. The Edsel only has about 3-4' of rubber anyway, a bit by the tank and some connecting the ch***is line to the pump. This car still has the OEM hardline from pump to carb. With only those short bits, I don't mind having to replace them from time to time. I found a kit for a Holley 4412, which looks like the descendant of my carb. I'm not sure how much these carbs changed over time, the biggest difference seems to be the hot air choke on mine. The body and bowl looks the same.
Many threads here, zman and myself have run this stuff for years. Do a search for more info. Have fun!
Found a ton of stuff searching, looks like this is far from rocket science. Now the fuel pump in my car is only a year old. I've seen alot of info that seems to say that newer parts have been altered for the alcohol content in regular gasoline. Does this extend to new replacement parts? i.e. as the pump on my engine *should* be ok for E10 or E20, would it live with E85? Also, any idea on how close an ancient Holley is to it's 4412 ancestor? Thanks!
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