Not only environmentally conscious motorists may be familiar with bioethanol E85 because engine tuners have long since discovered the decisive advantages of this biological fuel. With E85, significantly more power can be achieved, especially in performance engines, and the engine life can be extended. (see section "Why bioethanol E85"). Many car drivers and racers are reluctant to make the switch because there are currently only about 40 filling stations* in Switzerland.
Of course, we at Maptec have dealt with this problem and offer you the solution to it right away. Maptec offers Flex-Fuel Solutions for many vehicles. Flex-Fuel means that you can fill up with any mixture of regular gasoline and bioethanol E85 (and other fuels by arrangement) without having to flip any switch. We program the ECU to automatically adjust injection amounts, ignition, boost pressure, cold run, etc. depending on the ethanol content in the fuel. For everyday use, this means worry-free driving - you simply fill up with the fuel that is currently available. For performance and motorsport applications this means; the more ethanol in the fuel, the more engine power it gives Ask us about the possibilities for your vehicle!
If you already want to browse for the right components for your vehicle. In our online store, you will find Link and MoTeC ECUs which offer excellent Flex-Fuel features. You will also find the Maptec Flex-Fuel Sensor Kit, which measures ethanol content and fuel temperature.
All our ECU's in the store are Flex Fuel ready:
*Source and fuel station directory: www.bioe.ch/
Why Bioethanol E85?
Bioethanol is a very good fuel for supercharged but also high performance naturally aspirated engines. E85 has a lower stoichiometric ratio than regular gasoline, which means that about 30% more fuel is needed. On the other hand, the cost per litre is lower.
The higher quantity and the higher oxygen content in E85 result, despite the lower specific energy content, in a purely fuel-related increase in performance of 6-8% compared to 98 octanes regular gasoline. Due to additional side effects, which will be explained below, the effective additional performance is usually significantly higher.
Ethanol has a higher specific enthalpy of vaporization. During evaporation, ethanol extracts more heat from the intake air, thus increasing volumetric efficiency while reducing the thermal load on the engine. Combined with the significantly higher knock resistance of at least 104 octanes (E85), additional power can be elicited with professional engine tuning. In addition, all the above-mentioned advantages result in additional safety reserves, which are very much in demand, especially in circuit racing.
In an internal test on the Maptec high-end performance test bench, 32% more power could be achieved from a racing car with Nissan SR20DET engine with E85 compared to 98 octanes. Already with 1.2 bar boost pressure more power was available with E85 fuel than with 1.6 bar boost pressure and 98 octane fuel. The switch to biofuel also had a positive effect on boost pressure buildup. The maximum boost pressure was now 100 revolutions earlier.
In summary, the engine makes more power with E85, has cleaner combustion, is thermally less stressed and the safety reserves are higher. In addition, the turbocharger responds earlier and the life of the engine is extended. Finally, the problem of availability is solved with a flex-fuel setup, in which any mixing ratio between normal gasoline and E85 can be refuelled.