Turned on Flex Fuel in Forscan

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

MDJAK

FRF Addict
Joined
Feb 23, 2019
Posts
4,446
Reaction score
6,162
Location
NY
As I drove cross country 3 times over the past six years, I saw stations selling gas without ethanol and it was more expensive than with.

Ive never seen E85, especially not here on the east coast.

What is it and what is the advantage? Is it sold only in certain places?
 
OP
OP
wjoutlaw

wjoutlaw

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2021
Posts
207
Reaction score
546
Location
San Antonio, Texas
As I drove cross country 3 times over the past six years, I saw stations selling gas without ethanol and it was more expensive than with.

Ive never seen E85, especially not here on the east coast.

What is it and what is the advantage? Is it sold only in certain places?
The advantage to E85 is that it is cheaper and seems to have a bit more power per gallon. It doesn't get as good of mpg as 100% gas though.
 

Cody Templeton

FRF Addict
Joined
Oct 29, 2020
Posts
1,273
Reaction score
996
Location
Des Moines, IA
The advantage to E85 is that it is cheaper and seems to have a bit more power per gallon. It doesn't get as good of mpg as 100% gas though.

Generally E85 gets like 15-30% less fuel economy compared to "regular" fuel. The cheaper cost most of the time ends up being offset because of this unless the E85 is quite a bit cheaper.
 

Canuck714

FRF Addict
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Posts
1,097
Reaction score
872
Location
San Antonio TX
You can enable E85 with ForScan on the Raptor however you will also want to have a custom tune made for your truck to take advantage of running it.
My 5.0 Coyote tuner in Houston has one on his 6.2 Raptor.
 
OP
OP
wjoutlaw

wjoutlaw

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2021
Posts
207
Reaction score
546
Location
San Antonio, Texas
You can enable E85 with ForScan on the Raptor however you will also want to have a custom tune made for your truck to take advantage of running it.
My 5.0 Coyote tuner in Houston has one on his 6.2 Raptor.
Thanks for the info. Any recommendations on who to go with?
 

Canuck714

FRF Addict
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Posts
1,097
Reaction score
872
Location
San Antonio TX
You can contact AMRL (All Motor Reasearch Lab) and ask if he will do a daily driver flex fuel tune for your truck.
They are in houston. I had him do the Poverty Runner I built with a 5.0.
He is mainly a Coyote tuner for race applications so not sure he sells the tune he has in his Raptor.

Unless you are going massive injectors and cranking in boost or compression, I see no gain to just run it.
It doesnt make any power if you are not tuned for it and the mileage drop does not pay for itself with the cost at the pump.

Run a good 93 tune and let r rip
 
OP
OP
wjoutlaw

wjoutlaw

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2021
Posts
207
Reaction score
546
Location
San Antonio, Texas
This truck is my daily driver so I just wanted the option to run E85 if I wanted to. I didn't really notice any difference when I ran 1/2 tank of E85 blended with regular old 87 Octane. I was towing a light trailer and it felt like the Raptor didn't even know the trailer was there. I'll try to reach out after the holidays when things settle down here.
 

castine917

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2017
Posts
107
Reaction score
94
Location
Plainwell, Mi.
You can contact AMRL (All Motor Reasearch Lab) and ask if he will do a daily driver flex fuel tune for your truck.
They are in houston. I had him do the Poverty Runner I built with a 5.0.
He is mainly a Coyote tuner for race applications so not sure he sells the tune he has in his Raptor.

Unless you are going massive injectors and cranking in boost or compression, I see no gain to just run it.
It doesnt make any power if you are not tuned for it and the mileage drop does not pay for itself with the cost at the pump.

Run a good 93 tune and let r rip
On my 2010 5.4 the stock E85 tune was rated as 10 hp more than the gas tune. I was hoping that since the Forscan turned on an E85 setting that it would at least be a little increase of timing and fuel trim that increased some power.

In my 2014/6.2 I'm running a 93 tune.

In Michigan 93 is $4.92, I get 11.5 mpg, drive 300 miles per week which is 26 gallons for $128. E85 is $2.59, I estimate 8mpg based on 11.5x.70, which calculates to 37.5 gallons for $97. If 7mpg, 42.85 gallons=$111. If 6 mpg which would be a way worse than normal drop, 50 gallons=$129. In this case it saves some money every week.

If I was running regular at $4.02 and 12 mpg it would cost me $100 which doesn't save any money compared to E85. If it increased power enough it may be worth smile factor. I mean, people already buy mufflers, tunes, intakes,,,, and that kind of stuff. Most of those only add 5-15 horsepower too.
 
Last edited:

Canuck714

FRF Addict
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Posts
1,097
Reaction score
872
Location
San Antonio TX
On my 2010 5.4 the stock E85 tune was rated as 10 hp more than the gas tune. I was hoping that since the Forscan turned on an E85 setting that it would at least be a little increase of timing and fuel trim that increased some power.

In my 2014/6.2 I'm running a 93 tune.

In Michigan 93 is $4.92, I get 11.5 mpg, drive 300 miles per week which is 26 gallons for $128. E85 is $2.59, I estimate 8mpg based on 11.5x.70, which calculates to 37.5 gallons for $97. If 7mpg, 42.85 gallons=$111. If 6 mpg which would be a way worse than normal drop, 50 gallons=$129. In this case it saves some money every week.

If I was running regular at $4.02 and 12 mpg it would cost me $100 which doesn't save any money compared to E85. If it increased power enough it may be worth smile factor. I mean, people already buy mufflers, tunes, intakes,,,, and that kind of stuff. Most of those only add 5-15 horsepower too.
Curious to see how this works out.
Let us know what the real-world mpg you get on E85
 

castine917

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2017
Posts
107
Reaction score
94
Location
Plainwell, Mi.
Curious to see how this works out.
Let us know what the real-world mpg you get on E85
If I ever get flex fuel option working on this one I will let you know those numbers. One of these days I hope to remember to contact your tuner and see what he says in regards to if he can set me up with a good flex tune. I don't want to go just straight E85 tune. That doesn't leave options on travel open enough for me.

For the 5.4 I had I was getting about 14 mpg on 89-93 and about 10 mpg on E85.
 
Top