2.2L Performance Tech 16 valve 143 hp EcoTec with 150 lb-ft of torque

E85 with Trifecta Tune

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Old 10-10-2010, 07:53 PM
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E85 with Trifecta Tune

Anyone have a HHR that runs on E85 with the Trifecta Tune to match? I was at my tuners house today, and asked him about E85. He said I could not run it. Then he notice that my car has an E85 Flex fuel emblem on the back. He mentioned that he could redo the tune to match E85 and change the pulse rates. He said, "more HP and TQ using e85." He did say the fuel economy would go down. So whats the story?
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Old 10-11-2010, 04:34 AM
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I would contact Tirfecta directly and ask them. They do have a tune for my 2010 and it is flex fuel. When I talked to them there was no mention of just tuning for E85.
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Old 10-11-2010, 10:19 AM
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If the car is a flex fuel, the ECM has logic built into it to compensate for the amount of alcohol in the fuel. If you run E85, the ECM recalculates stoich fuel points automatically and adds appropriate amounts of fuel.

We make adjustments to parameters that the ECM takes into account when calculating both fuel and timing curves (the only things that change with E85 fuel, for the most part), so if you run E85 with our tune, it will run safely, without any problems, optimized.
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Old 10-11-2010, 05:37 PM
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What is the difference in preformance? If you compair E85 tune with a 91 oct tune?Which one will give you the most HP and TQ?
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Old 10-11-2010, 05:46 PM
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I think the idea is there is only one "tune", the car automaticly adjusts for E85 even with the tune because it's a FlexFuel design. From what I've read E85 always uses more fuel and gets less power than 91 octane gasoline.
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Old 10-11-2010, 09:48 PM
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Well, yes one tune. The tune needs to be adjusted and tuned to E85. I was takling to the guy a my local dealer, and another that has a cobalt. They said when you tune the car for E85 you change the pulse rates and not to mention you can be very agressive with the timing.

Info on E85:
Also, It is true that a vehicle does require more E85 than regular gas since the amount of energy per unit of ethanol is less than that of gas. Ethanol has a lower ignition temperature so the engine overall will run cooler increasing power. It also burns slower so instead of just burning out in one violent explosion forcing the piston down, it continues to burn the entire length of the piston stroke expanding gases more evenly and smoothly. So running E85 will give any engine more power over any pump gas. Also E85 is 105 octane. Gas comes in 85, 89 and 91 octane. The 105 octane of E85 will help to eliminate knocks and pings. All of these benefits will make an engine run smoother and quieter.
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Old 10-11-2010, 10:33 PM
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Originally Posted by dsmisfits
Well, yes one tune. The tune needs to be adjusted and tuned to E85. I was takling to the guy a my local dealer, and another that has a cobalt. They said when you tune the car for E85 you change the pulse rates and not to mention you can be very agressive with the timing. You can run up to 32 degrees of timing advance with e85. With the mix (50/50) 26 is the max.


Info on E85:
Also, It is true that a vehicle does require more E85 than regular gas since the amount of energy per unit of ethanol is less than that of gas. Ethanol has a lower ignition temperature so the engine overall will run cooler increasing power. It also burns slower so instead of just burning out in one violent explosion forcing the piston down, it continues to burn the entire length of the piston stroke expanding gases more evenly and smoothly. So running E85 will give any engine more power over any pump gas. Also E85 is 105 octane. Gas comes in 85, 89 and 91 octane. The 105 octane of E85 will help to eliminate knocks and pings. All of these benefits will make an engine run smoother and quieter.
So what the thoughts?
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Old 10-12-2010, 12:26 AM
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i have read that Vince can tune a non E85 to E85 on a car that has been converted but you have to use E85 only and nothing else from then on
the E85 cars have the sensor that tells the ECM exactly how much ethanol by % is in the fuel and the stock ones do not.
so making sure u have E85 stations around is important
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Old 10-12-2010, 10:37 AM
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I live in Tucson Az, and I know of 6 or 7 stations that have E85. And, since my car is a 09 it has the E85 option.
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Old 10-12-2010, 05:41 PM
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Originally Posted by dsmisfits
Well, yes one tune. The tune needs to be adjusted and tuned to E85. I was takling to the guy a my local dealer, and another that has a cobalt. They said when you tune the car for E85 you change the pulse rates and not to mention you can be very agressive with the timing.

Info on E85:
Also, It is true that a vehicle does require more E85 than regular gas since the amount of energy per unit of ethanol is less than that of gas. Ethanol has a lower ignition temperature so the engine overall will run cooler increasing power. It also burns slower so instead of just burning out in one violent explosion forcing the piston down, it continues to burn the entire length of the piston stroke expanding gases more evenly and smoothly. So running E85 will give any engine more power over any pump gas. Also E85 is 105 octane. Gas comes in 85, 89 and 91 octane. The 105 octane of E85 will help to eliminate knocks and pings. All of these benefits will make an engine run smoother and quieter.
Just clear one thing up in your statement. Gasoline does not explode in the cylinder. If it did you would have a broken engine. Gas developes a flame front and burns across the piston. Low octane gas burns faster than hi octain. Running higher octain with a slower flame front and you can increase timing.
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