Bertram31.com General Bulletin Board

E85 engines

Posted By: Ian Upton
Date: Tuesday, 21 March 2006, at 8:56 a.m.

As some of you know I work for General Motors. I'm not in the engineering side of the house, but rather where the 'rubber meets the road'.

I'm currently doing an 'international' assignment visiting our brothers to the north (Canada that is.)

Anyway... E85 in vehicles from an assembly perspective.

In the GM full size pick-ups, there are three different components to the truck.

1. Fuel Tank
2. Engine
3. Filler neck (where the fuel from the pump flows through)

The differences:

1. Fuel Tank - the E85 tank supposedly has some type of sensor inside that measures the ethanol percentage. This sends a signal to the engine control module and advances / retards spark accordingly.

2. Engine - Different fuel delivery system. All Stainless I think.

3. Filler neck - This one is the best... Anti-siphon valve. Apparantly this change is to ward off liability suits when some resident from Kentucky decides he could get loaded from drinking the ethanol in your fuel tank.

So when we are talking marine engines, does anyone think their set-up will (or need to) advance / retard spark based on ethanol percentage?

As suggested in previous threads, the fuel tank is only the first consideration, fuel delivery is key as well.

Cheers,

Ian.

Messages In This Thread

E85 engines
Ian Upton -- Tuesday, 21 March 2006, at 8:56 a.m.

Re: E85 engines
Rawleigh -- Tuesday, 21 March 2006, at 5:13 p.m.

Re: E85 engines
Ian Upton -- Tuesday, 21 March 2006, at 8:04 p.m.