This makes me seem like a complete Noob, but i have NO idea how E85 works and i was just wondering if anyone new whether the R56 MCS could run on E85??

 

The R56 could run on it, but it would have to be tuned. E85 = 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline. The a/f ratio of E85 is something like 11, while the a/f of gasoline is 14.7 (stochiometric a/f). Will your R56 adapt to it if you fill up on E85? No.
It is about 125 octane though

 

Any car with an adaptive learn ECU can run E85.

You have to ween the car onto it slowly, but if you do it over a period of a week or two, you wont be able to tell the difference.

If anything, you would see a mild performance gain after a short while.

 

The r56 is not set up to run E85. Cars set up to run E85 use different lines and seals in the fuel system because alcohol degrades some types of rubber.

 

While this is true, it will not hurt the car to run it for a little while.

The ECU is fully capable of controlling this fuel.

The only parts that will need to be replaced would be soft lines in the MINIs case.

 

sweet thanx for the info guys do you think something like Stainless Steel fuel lines would do the trick? (btw i'm not planning on DOING this to my R56, it was just pure curiosity that ran this in my head...)

 

Stainless braided lines with a special rubber core is what Chrysler uses on its E85 cars, and has since the late 80's.

Injector o - rings and such should be changed as well. Anything thats rubber, that may come in contact with the fuel should be changed, although at school we did a few conversions, and we never had any problems with E85 eating away rubber parts.


3 of the teachers race cars were running E85 as well. Its a good fuel to use as an alternative to race fuel because of the cooling properties of Ethanol.

If you can find it, M85 is a good fuel too, but its hard to find. Ford wanted to use it instead of E85 in their flex fuel vehicles in the early 90's.

 

Actually Mini has sent out an email stating DO NOT put E85 in your Mini because of the fuel line and seal issue.

 

i found this website and thought it made an interesting read, especially this bit 'The upgrade process starts a £740 but gives a healthy 39hp more and bucket loads of Torque on the Audi 1.8T.'
http://www.arunautogas.co.uk/E85-fit...on-systems.htm

I do remember Lotus did this to their VVTLi Lotus elise (189bhp) and it had something like 265bhp so it would be amazing if there was a bespoke conversion for the cooper s turbo. That being said nowhere around me sells E85

 

Oh c'mon, you know that's just to cover their asses.

 

I thinks it's more to save those that want to run it, from ruining their fuel lines and seals.

Mark

 

Bringing this back...

Anyone try upgrading their fuel lines in their MCS and running E85?

I know it should be a slight power gain and definitely a very nice torque gain, just wondering what it would be in a Mini.

For example, stock tune on my Subaru STI was around 240 WHP/ 260 WTQ, that was on 91 oct. Now, with Intake, DP, full exhaust (muffler delete, aftermarket header and up pipe, and a re-tune I hit about 310 WHP/ 350 WTQ. That's about all my stock turbo can reach on 91 oct. Other STI's with the same setup tuned for E85, but of course with a better flowing fuel pump and bigger injectors (more E85 is required compared to regular fuel), they were making around 350-370 WHP and 410-450 WTQ (depending on how aggresive the tune was). Huge jump in power just using E85 with a porper dyno tune.

So yeah... E85 would be neat to run, it's about the easiest way to net power with a pro tune. Only issue, with the Mini would be upgrading the fuel lines, fuel pump, and injectors.