E-85 for high performance engines

INTRODUCTION It has become evident the focus of alternative fuel research has taken center stage in recent years, but traditions are hard to break. As automotive manufactures turn to new technologies for fuel, so must the racing community and enthusiast and embrace the change toward alternative fuels like E-85. Automotive racing, performance and hot roddign have very deep roots and traditions that date back to the 1940’s and 50’s when people would make their own performance parts and use nitro methane to power their weekend racecar. Research in alternative fuels has been ongoing since the early 1990’s to present day improving the alternative fuels currently available and working to make them financially feasible to society as a whole.

Applications A variety of fuels are used in racing applications that range from drag racing, endurance racing, to land speed racing to your local circle track racers. At any given weekend, drivers are pushing their race cars to the limits that vary from factory stock cars to all out purpose built race cars. Depending on the class and rules governing the class, modifications can be made to the engines to give then any advantage available to win. After all, that is why people race, to win. The same goes for your weekend hot rodder that builds and restores muscle cars and hot rods as a hobby. It is only natural that these people build their cars for street use with modified engines to gain more power and to hear the traditional rumble of these cars. This is where people get in to problems building highly modified engines for every day street use that require higher quality fuels to operate properly. This is where E-85 can be beneficial.

The best way to get more power from an engine is to raise the static compression ratio. Typical unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87,