Ethanol questions - converting non-flex fuel to ethanol

[minytrker]

I didn't read through the whole thread,But here's what I did to my 99 Silverado with a 0411 pcm.I hooked up the ethanol sensor and full flashed a flex fuel tune in,Works pretty good.I tuned the truck 1st on a full tank of pump gas.I hooked up the scanner a few times and you can see the comm.fuel change on what ever % the ethanol was,But my a/f gauge always reads the same no matter what % of ethanol I have in there.Now I don't have to worry about changing tunes

Thats a pretty cool setup.

[driver456]

I have 55# inj. and my 5.7 motor from the vette in my truck.I'm putting a Fast 102 & 102mm TB on it this weekend.Need a wee bit more HP

[engimuneer]

BLK02WS6 has it exactly right on his virtual sensor description.

Here's my take based on using 07+ E37s.
We took an 09 Cobalt E37 ECM (non FFV) & turned on the FFV switch using EFILive. When I put all the appropriate values (~20 ethanol related tables) from an 09 HHR E37 ECM (FFV), it ran flawlessly as an FFV, including learning the fuel. They had the same Operating System & Calibration File.
I'd assume this is also the case for your 06 Tahoe. The programming should already be in there to virtually learn the fuel, just need to have the appropriate values in the ethanol tables. Use SAE.E85R to monitor what the vehicle thinks the E85 content is.

As for the injectors, we verified through WitchHunter Performance the stock 2.2L injectors flow enough to support E85/M60 without going over 80% duty cycle. The 2.2L FFV injectors we tested only flowed 20% more than stock and had enough leeway for modifications & E85 flow. I do not have data for GM V8s yet but have confirmed this is also true of most 05+ Fords.

[BLK02WS6]

Thanks Engimuneer - that's good to know! I'm probably not going to try and switch it unless gas goes up to where it is an advantage, but wanted to know how hard it was to switch...

[engimuneer]

Thanks Engimuneer - that's good to know! I'm probably not going to try and switch it unless gas goes up to where it is an advantage, but wanted to know how hard it was to switch...

I'm fortunate enough to have a 23% price gap in CO, while only losing 5-18% gas mileage. I feel the advantage doesn't necessarily come from my wallet, but from buying domestic fuel. What drives me nuts about the whole price ratio argument, is you have to buy fuel at some time. Next time you buy it, the price of either fuel could easily be another 10% higher. BUT because that price gap exists, people assume they are getting a better deal on gasoline. Both prices are going to fluctuate, but which will keep the money within the economy?

[BLK02WS6]

I somewhat agree with what you are saying (but unfortunately I have to consider money out of my pocket period with my budget), the bigger issue for me is availability - only 2 stations and they aren't exactly up the street... Believe me, I would love to flip the freakin middle east the bird and see our whole country grow it and burn it - back to the way this country used to be - take care of ourself and to hell with all this PC crap and supporting other countries economies! unfortunately, I don't see it happening until things are a lot more painful - if then...

[kbracing96]

I didn't read through the whole thread,But here's what I did to my 99 Silverado with a 0411 pcm.I hooked up the ethanol sensor and full flashed a flex fuel tune in,Works pretty good.I tuned the truck 1st on a full tank of pump gas.I hooked up the scanner a few times and you can see the comm.fuel change on what ever % the ethanol was,But my a/f gauge always reads the same no matter what % of ethanol I have in there.Now I don't have to worry about changing tunes

What OS did you use? I have a turbo on my 01 and already have one of these sensor. I LOVE running Mixes of E85, usually 25% E85 to 93oct but I always tune for it. I would love to hook up my sensor and put a FF OS in it and then the COS3 version of that OS and be able to run what ever % of E85 I want (cheap race gas!) and have the PCM automatically adjust the fueling and increase the timing for the better fuel.

Also, I see that you have the sensor on the feed side of the fuel system. Would you think putting it on the return side would hurt anything? I believe that's how the stock FF setups are and that would let me get the max out of my fuel system since I at the max of line flow and everything with a AM340 fuel pump and 800RWHP! :lol:

[kbracing96]

Anyone have any input on this???

[joecar]

I don't see any problem with having the FF sensor on the return line

(the return line always flows fuel as long as fuel pressure is above some threshold, which if it isn't then there are other problems).

[kbracing96]

I think it would be fine too Joe. Now I just have to find a way to run boosted, 2bar SD and find an OS with FF tables to work with it. Seems none of the 99-02 COS's have the FF tables... :(

I don't know if I could just setup a 1 bar with the MAF tables all scaled to work with boost and use a stock FF OS...