E85
- Thread starter Hal Adams
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AB RS3
2018 Ara Blue RS3
Not yet. Only places I know of are Demon Tweeks and Associated Agricultural Oils. I did hear about someone selling it on eBay but think he's out of stock now.
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Thanks. Yes, I was aware that you could buy small amounts - I was thinking in terms of tankfuls!
In France we have it on the forecourts. I recently went down the road of having the car mapped taking into account using E85, so now plan long trips around its availability!
In France we have it on the forecourts. I recently went down the road of having the car mapped taking into account using E85, so now plan long trips around its availability!
No you can’t buy it in the U.K. at the pumps. Morrison’s did experiment with it about 5yrs ago or so but quickly pulled the plug as there aren’t enough manufacturer designed flex fuel cars that will allow you to mix.
Aaoils and Demon Tweeks are the only two places you can buy it in at around £5.25-£5.50 a litre. I looked on eBay but couldn’t find another source.
It’s a ballache to run and extreme caution must be used when running it. As in, the tank, pump and lines need to be pretty much empty before filling up and then likewise again before switching back. You’ll run into engine issues on an E85 tune with 99 still in the pump and lines and the same if you have E85 in the pump and lines and then run the 99 tune. I’ve just switched back to 99, went 20 miles past 0 with E85, filled up to max with 99, switched map back to 99, put my foot down on the slip road and at about 80 leptons, hit a brick wall, 4000rpm limp, flashing lights, take your car to workshop message. Got home, scanned it to find a low fuel pressure message. Makes sense now, as E85 needs 30% more fuel flow, it wouldn’t have got that on the 99 map. Cleared the error codes and going to run it about 50 miles on the 99 before going full throttle again.
Would be worse the other way, switch to E85 with 99 still in the lines.
Also running into misfire issues on the APR map on both 99 octane file and E85 file when fuel quantity is low. If the range has less than around 40 miles and you use Launch control, the fuel is thrown to the back of the tank and the pumps cannot supply fuel quick enough so I’ve noticed a few misfires in the 3-4 gearchange shift (only off of Launch control) not driving through 3-4 normally. If I fill up and take my range above 40m remaining, it doesn’t happen. Heard it’s quite common.
Aaoils and Demon Tweeks are the only two places you can buy it in at around £5.25-£5.50 a litre. I looked on eBay but couldn’t find another source.
It’s a ballache to run and extreme caution must be used when running it. As in, the tank, pump and lines need to be pretty much empty before filling up and then likewise again before switching back. You’ll run into engine issues on an E85 tune with 99 still in the pump and lines and the same if you have E85 in the pump and lines and then run the 99 tune. I’ve just switched back to 99, went 20 miles past 0 with E85, filled up to max with 99, switched map back to 99, put my foot down on the slip road and at about 80 leptons, hit a brick wall, 4000rpm limp, flashing lights, take your car to workshop message. Got home, scanned it to find a low fuel pressure message. Makes sense now, as E85 needs 30% more fuel flow, it wouldn’t have got that on the 99 map. Cleared the error codes and going to run it about 50 miles on the 99 before going full throttle again.
Would be worse the other way, switch to E85 with 99 still in the lines.
Also running into misfire issues on the APR map on both 99 octane file and E85 file when fuel quantity is low. If the range has less than around 40 miles and you use Launch control, the fuel is thrown to the back of the tank and the pumps cannot supply fuel quick enough so I’ve noticed a few misfires in the 3-4 gearchange shift (only off of Launch control) not driving through 3-4 normally. If I fill up and take my range above 40m remaining, it doesn’t happen. Heard it’s quite common.
Last edited:
Toshers
Registered User
If you were running it all the time then it wouldn’t be an issue as you would continue to top up with E85 and not change the maps.
For switching of maps for race day events then it is a little bit of hassle yes.
For switching of maps for race day events then it is a little bit of hassle yes.
Using a part E85/99 mix is easier to manage and transition than going to pure e85. However, legalities are a greater issue here. Class 3 based fuels in containers should only be supplied B2B and not sold to the consumer. This is why we don't have a strong non-pump race fuel market in the UK. If companies are supplying class 3 fuel in containers larger than 10L in size to the consumer then they are failing on their duty of care with regards to potential usage and storage.
I ran e85 in my Evo X for about 18 months. Even though e85 is readily available in Australia it was still a pain in the A. I’d need to carry a Gerry can as a backup on longer drives (anything over 200klm) as the range was so poor. Also had to have my pc in the car just in case I ran out and did need to change maps.
Yes the performance benefits are there but IMO it would only be worth the hassle with plenty of fuelling locations and a flex fuel map.
I found that it did gum up the injectors every now and again. The solution was to use e85 cleaner in the tank or run a few tanks of standard high octane fuel every few months to help clean the injectors.
Btw it does smell a bit, some like the smell, I didn’t.
Yes the performance benefits are there but IMO it would only be worth the hassle with plenty of fuelling locations and a flex fuel map.
I found that it did gum up the injectors every now and again. The solution was to use e85 cleaner in the tank or run a few tanks of standard high octane fuel every few months to help clean the injectors.
Btw it does smell a bit, some like the smell, I didn’t.
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Interesting reading all the perceptions of E85!
In France, the stuff is available at the pump at a good scattering of retailers - certainly one should never go dry, but yes, it does need a careful eye on the fuel gauage and list of suppliers on your travel route, unless you have an FFV (Fuel Flex Vehicle) car, in which case you can use E85 or straight petrol.
As for £5 per litre? - 56 centimes/litre (about49p) as of yesterday at our local supermarket!
A race car? No, loads of cars here and Germany in the Focus bracket use E85. I have an old A4 workhorse that has an FFV engine and use E85/99 or 95 E10.
Yes, it has a slight veggie smell, but no where near as bad as those using chip oil in diesels! Slowracer, you have obviously got the tee shirt - interesting your comment on injectors gumming up. I was not advised this by the chap I allowed to map the car - I'd be interested in the E85 cleaner you mention, name, price etc?
Yes, you are right the RS3 is confined to E85 on its current map. I may not keep it (especially if I have to drive over to the UK soon) as there are quite a few annoying downsides, particularly cold running and the alarming rate a tank is used, but it is half the price to run and a lot of extra horsepower with little additional equipment. It is just unfortunate that the 2.5 TFSI engine is not FFV unlike the 2.0 TFSI.
I read the other day that E85 degrades quickly - It will be interesting to test this as the car is away in a body shop for the next so many weeks.
In France, the stuff is available at the pump at a good scattering of retailers - certainly one should never go dry, but yes, it does need a careful eye on the fuel gauage and list of suppliers on your travel route, unless you have an FFV (Fuel Flex Vehicle) car, in which case you can use E85 or straight petrol.
As for £5 per litre? - 56 centimes/litre (about49p) as of yesterday at our local supermarket!
A race car? No, loads of cars here and Germany in the Focus bracket use E85. I have an old A4 workhorse that has an FFV engine and use E85/99 or 95 E10.
Yes, it has a slight veggie smell, but no where near as bad as those using chip oil in diesels! Slowracer, you have obviously got the tee shirt - interesting your comment on injectors gumming up. I was not advised this by the chap I allowed to map the car - I'd be interested in the E85 cleaner you mention, name, price etc?
Yes, you are right the RS3 is confined to E85 on its current map. I may not keep it (especially if I have to drive over to the UK soon) as there are quite a few annoying downsides, particularly cold running and the alarming rate a tank is used, but it is half the price to run and a lot of extra horsepower with little additional equipment. It is just unfortunate that the 2.5 TFSI engine is not FFV unlike the 2.0 TFSI.
I read the other day that E85 degrades quickly - It will be interesting to test this as the car is away in a body shop for the next so many weeks.
@Hal Adams
E85 is known to absorb moisture hence the limited shelf life. Cold starts can be a problem as the wether gets cooler, I used to adjust my cold start fuelling map in winter.
The other odd thing about e85 is that it makes yiur oil look like sh***, I don’t think it degrades it, just discolours it and makes it look a year old.
I couldn’t fathom paying a fortune for e85, in Australia it’s about 20% cheaper than normal fuel but yiu use around 30% more.
I used a Nulon product to clean the fuel system, see below. I thinks it was about au$8 a bottle. But a couple of tanks of normal fuel will give the engine a clean just as well.
E85 is known to absorb moisture hence the limited shelf life. Cold starts can be a problem as the wether gets cooler, I used to adjust my cold start fuelling map in winter.
The other odd thing about e85 is that it makes yiur oil look like sh***, I don’t think it degrades it, just discolours it and makes it look a year old.
I couldn’t fathom paying a fortune for e85, in Australia it’s about 20% cheaper than normal fuel but yiu use around 30% more.
I used a Nulon product to clean the fuel system, see below. I thinks it was about au$8 a bottle. But a couple of tanks of normal fuel will give the engine a clean just as well.
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Thanks for the link - I shall see if we can get it in France.
So if E85 is only 20% cheaper in Australia, where is/was the incentive to use it (outside of those looking for extra hp)? Here it is 56c/l but with the extra consummation, the cost is taken up to 73c which is a little under half the price of 99, which makes a good incentive. The only downside to all this is the alarming rate the tank is used up! The short time between fill-ups just got shorter, and frankly, a bit of a nuisance.. for the RS3 anyway. With the A4 it is laughing all the way to the bank!
So if E85 is only 20% cheaper in Australia, where is/was the incentive to use it (outside of those looking for extra hp)? Here it is 56c/l but with the extra consummation, the cost is taken up to 73c which is a little under half the price of 99, which makes a good incentive. The only downside to all this is the alarming rate the tank is used up! The short time between fill-ups just got shorter, and frankly, a bit of a nuisance.. for the RS3 anyway. With the A4 it is laughing all the way to the bank!
Most people using e85 in Australia are performance enthusiasts. There is a lower cost, lower ethanol fuel available as well as E10 which is the budget ethanol fuel option.
