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HP/TQ Battle: E85 Vs Bolt-Ons

Nissan 350z

Like most enthusiasts, we’re always looking for ways to go faster. Making safe HP & TQ is the name of the game, but that’s easier said than done. Well, that’s how it used to be…

Expensive power adders like forced induction and full engine builds exist, but hurt the wallet, easily hitting $10,000+ after install & tune. We aren’t looking to sell a kidney to go faster (or any organ, for that matter), so our attention is turned to a budget friendly way of making horsepower: bolt-on modifications. The downside? These mods can also be expensive, without actually making go you faster.

Is there a better (& cheaper) way to go faster? Let’s take a look at E85:

E85 is basically race fuel, available at the pumps. E85 is a blend of 51-85% ethanol and 49-15% gasoline (varying by season) that has a significantly higher octane rating than gasoline: E85 octane ranges 100-108 while Regular Unleaded is 87 and Premium Unleaded is 91-93.

Engines run cooler on E85. E85 creates a thermodynamic cooling effect in its combustion, leading to lower operating temperatures compared to gasoline. A cooler running engine (within reason), is a happier running engine, combatting heat soak and premature wear.

E85 is clean burning. Ethanol is a great cleaning agent, clearing carbon deposits and buildup often found in your injectors & internals. A cleaner engine ensures performance on the highest level, without needing to use additives or other methods to mitigate carbon buildup.

E85 is knock resistant. This allows your ECU to adjust timing to achieve peak combustion and prevent pulling timing to combat even small amounts of knock from lower octane fuels. No knock = optimal performance = maximum HP/TQ extracted.

Running E85 makes more HP & TQ! E85 fuel has a faster ignition time and flame propagation compared to gasoline. This leads to greater internal combustion forces, safely creating higher horsepower & torque output from your engine. Or as Jeremy Clarkson would say, it makes MORE POWAAAA!

That’s great and all, but what does that have to do with bolt-on mods?

It’s your hard-earned money! Bolt-ons may offer a handful of extra HP/TQ, which is okay. Running E85 yields the most cost effective & comprehensive performance increase available: Greater HP & TQ, lower operating temps, greater engine safety. The bang-for-buck from E85 is simply unmatched, period.

Unlocking E85 has never been easier, or cheaper. Install our eFlexPlus ($699) or eFlexPro ($999) E85 conversion kit (on an approved vehicle), and you’re ready to fill up E85 and experience the performance gains yourself. No E85 nearby but you’d love to run it sometimes? No problem. Our kit allows you to fill up with E85, Gas, or any blend, adjusting your fueling automatically, without touching your factory ECU.

The proof is in the dyno, so we’ll end by sharing this 350Z dyno comparison below. Notice the HP & TQ increase throughout the powerband. A 3.5L N/A gaining 12.6% WHP is no joke. This is REAL power you can feel under regular driving, which cannot be said about most bolt-ons:

We love seeing customer vehicles that are running our eFlexFuel E85 kits!

Send some pics of your stock or modified eFlexFuel equipped ride to [email protected], we’d love to check it out! If you’re featured in our email or blog, we’ll send you an ETHANOL POWER shirt & sticker pack, free of charge!

Be sure to follow us on IG @eflexfuel for other exciting news, updates, and announcements. Thank You!

-The eFlexFuel Crew-

March 7, 2023