shopman1 Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 Will the 2003 Silverado SS be able to run on a ethanol gas mix? I would think that the chip would need to be re-programmed in the very least. Does anyone know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MN C5 Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 You should be able to run up to 20% without having to do anything. After that your LTrims won't be able to compensate. A few people are running E85 in a non flex fuel vehicles. The fuel system is an unknow for ethanol ratios above the 15% or what ever the warranty says... I haven't seen anyone post any part numbers for parts that are different for the flex fuel vehicles other than the injectors. Brazil has almost 100% of there vehicles running on sugar cane ethanol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCalSS Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 ethanol/E85 isnt exactly the best when it comes to mpg, why are your looking to convert? Youre probably better off with high octane given E85 can drop your mpg about 30-40% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MN C5 Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 ethanol/E85 isnt exactly the best when it comes to mpg, why are your looking to convert? Youre probably better off with high octane given E85 can drop your mpg about 30-40% <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ethanol is also cheaper per gallon than gas. I'd like to see more fuel made in the USA. Having run E85 myself I never saw a 40% drop in my MPG vs gas but I'd still use it even if it did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy Posted May 14, 2006 Report Share Posted May 14, 2006 One thing to keep in mind for those considering it is that there is a reason the 5.3L actually has an optional E85 capable vehicle. They come with 38lbhr injectors stock and a higher flow fuel pump as well as different intake gaskets, different fuel filter, different fuel rails, etc. In order to run E85 with an LQ9 you'd have to have around a 42lb hr injector and change the fuel lines and rails over to the flex fuel type to avoid corrosion cause by the methanol. You'd also have to tune the truck for it to get much of an advantage. If you tuned the truck good enough you wouldn't experience nearly as much of a loss in fuel economy. Since the SSS didn't have the flex fuel option it also doesn't have the flex fuel sensor in the fuel tank to know when you have gasoline in it or E85. A flex fuel vehicle you can go from one fuel to the other at any given time. If you wanted to run E85 in your 6.0L you'd have to actually set the truck up for it and use only that. It would be nice to order up a set of reworked 4.8/5.3L cylinder heads to raise the compression up which would also gain you some of your fuel milage back that you'd have lost by switching fuels. In the 5.3L L59 when you run E85 it's HP rating changes to something like 307hp or so (I have the exact number at work, I'll try to get that Monday). If you had your stock LQ9 set up to run E85 I'd bet that simply changing the fuel system and tuning alone would net a 25hp gain. I'm with you on this one for sure Dennis. I'd like to see this fuel pushed way harder since it's something that can be made in the U.S. and help out the U.S. farmers which over the years have taken some pretty hard hits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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