It’s one thing to talk about performance gains but it’s another thing to perform testing and prove them. Critics say there are no gains to be had from E85 in naturally aspirated engines or that you need to tune to see gains from E85 - as you’ll see, these claims couldn’t be further from the truth!
In our latest YouTube video, we perform back-to-back runs comparing Premium gasoline to E85 with an eFlexFuel equipped 2019 Dodge Challenger naturally aspirated 6.4L.
First, we ran the Dodge Challenger 6.4L with Premium Gasoline in the tank. Next, we drained the gasoline and filled up with E85 and ran it again. No adjustments or user inputs were required - the eFlexFuel kit automatically made the fueling adjustments.
The Results after Switching from Premium Gasoline to E85
-
Gained real-world 24 horsepower under the curve with peak gains of 18 horsepower - instantly, safely, and with zero tuning or ECU reflashing.
-
HP gains were observed across the entire powerband with a consistent 20-22 horsepower in the upper 2/3 of the powerband.
-
E85 estimated 0.11 quicker in the 1/4 mile per Dynojet RaceRoutine Dyno Analysis.
What are Peak Gains Vs Max Gains and which one matters more?
You’ll notice we reference both Peak Gains and Max Gains (AKA Curve Gains). Both measure the performance difference between runs, just in a different area:
Peak Gain is the difference in horsepower at the HP peak of each run, or the highest measured HP. This is the peak HP number from the run.
Max Gain/Curve Gain is the largest observed difference in HP between the two runs, or the greatest increase in HP at any point. This usually takes place under the curve, which is why some refer to this measurement as “curve gains.”
Max Gains/Curve Gains typically better reflect the “seat-of-the-pants” performance increase you feel because it’s where you spend time driving, under the curve and inside the powerband. Peak gains, on the other hand, are just a momentary peak in performance, often at redline.
Key Takeaways
-
This vehicle was run on Premium Gas and then switched to E85 with zero user input - the eFlexFuel system handled all adjustments automatically.
-
This vehicle required zero tuning, no ECU reflash, no additional mods in order to run E85 once the eFlexFuel system was installed.
-
E85 was the undeniable winner with significant gains across the entire powerband - these are gains you can feel!
-
Installing an eFlexFuel kit and running E85 instantly makes more power, but the vehicle can also be run on Gasoline when E85 is not available.
That wraps things up for this edition of FUEL WARS! We’ve got more dynos under our belt and more results to share, subscribe to our YouTube and look out for more dyno comparisons soon!
