Converting to E85 Street/Strip

[565bbchevy]

For my new 565 BBC engine that I am going to install this Fall/Winter I have been seriously considering converting to E85 and want to hear from anyone that has done this conversion to dispel some of the "myths" that can't seem to be confirmed but you still hear.
I will list the parts I have and my concerns and this will be a carbureted application that will have nitrous.
My current fuel system is 15+ years old and I have ran full race fuel to pump gas and different mixes over the years.
My engine will be 13.6 compression and I have read as much as 15 to 1 is safe for E85
The carb I plan on using will be a Quickfuel 1250 converted to E85

I have a 20 gallon aluminum fuel cell with foam, my current foam is in great shape.
My plan is to replace the foam with E85 compatible safety foam

I have an Earls 12 AN line coming off my sump that goes into a Paxton filter and Paxton 300 pump from there I have 10 AN going to the front of the car where it enters a BG 4 port regulator and then splits off to two 8 AN lines going to the carb.
My plan is to replace the current lines due to age with new Stainless braided lines with known E85 compatibility and replace the paper filter with a stainless mesh one.
Both my fuel pump and regulator have been discontinued and I would like to rebuild them with known E85 compatible parts so that will be a little harder to do but my BG regulator looks almost exactly like Quickfuels 4 port design so maybe their kit will work.

My nitrous set up has its own fuel system which is a Mallory 140 pump/filter and this will be ran off its own 4 gallon fuel cell using race fuel.
I keep reading different things where people have had no issues when switching to E85 from race fuel and then I read ones that say the fuel eats this and that so for anyone that has done this let me what is working for you.

 

[jeremyandthemonte]

Here is a link to a little video by mighty car mods. I would watch some of them they explain it quite well. one thing I would consider is your car going back on the street and how easy is it for you to get e85 because I run it in my golf down here is Canada and I have to buy a barrel because no stations around here sell it. E85 in my terms is like running your car on alcohol. Hope this helps a bit

 

[lilbowtie]

Sounds like you have your bases covered and it should be pretty transparent. Definitely going to help your fuel bill and HP gains to boot. A couple of buddies that race w/ E-85 have found the consistency varies a little which won't really concern you on the street.

 

[565bbchevy]

Sounds like you have your bases covered and it should be pretty transparent. Definitely going to help your fuel bill and HP gains to boot. A couple of buddies that race w/ E-85 have found the consistency varies a little which won't really concern you on the street.

Have any of them had any issues with the E85 as far a deteriorating lines, aluminum parts etc.
I saw a station with E85 for $1.69 and I am paying $7.00 for race fuel and besides the price there are limited gas stations with race fuel and E85 seems to be on almost every corner.
I will probably by a tester and try to find the most consistent E85 locally.

 

[lilbowtie]

Not with the proper lines - I've been running methanol for 5 years with no problems, I have an aluminum tank and it looks the same as I put it in. I was advised to go w/ Rupert or APD on the carb, I went with APD and as I said no problems. I know of two people that had problems w/ their alcohol carbs corroding inside - I'm not going to say the name, it wasn't the above. I left alcohol in mine all last winter - no problem. Rather than having a carb converted to E-85 which won't be cheap, I would suggest buying a new E-85 carb and you will still have your 1250 which you can sell if you want. For what you are doing I honesty don't think you will notice any differences in consistency but at the track it can mean a couple hundredths to a tenth of a second in the 1/4.

 

[565bbchevy]

My Quickfuel 1250 is new in the box and I was going to send it back to Jegs and have Quickfuel make me a 1250 since they only list as high as 1050 in their E85 versions.
After filling up my three 5 gallon jugs with straight race fuel ( $100 ) it was weighing heavily on my mind the cost of driving my car which was why I put off installing the 1250 and looking more into E85.

 

[Bar50]

Mark Sullens does e85 conversions for around $400.

I have a 950 Quick Fuel on my big block. Its around 13-1. I had some Push-lock line near the pump get soft, it was blue, not sure on the brand I think it came with a fuel log I bought in the past. Stainless screens seem to work. I have an Aeromotive pump that was rated for ethanol. Aluminum cell, ethanol safe foam. I have been putting some Lucas ethanol fuel treatment in mine.

I would email or call Mark Sullens and ask about the carb size and such before you commit.

http://www.marksullense85carburetors.com/