K2500 Suburban 6.0L E85 Ethanol Tune

[marcoengineering]

I want to convert my truck to be capabable to run on E85 when it make sense to me to run it. I have the Flex Fuel Impala LTZ ( wife wouldn't opt for the SS V8 ). I have a good understanding of the politics of it all-ethanol, but not the capability to run in my 3/4 ton Suburban, as GM did not do a Flex-Fuel 6.0L in 2005. I am aware of one coming shortly (2009-2010), but I am not going to trade a hefty truck payment for E85, especially if Andy has a way to do it with his Flex Tuner. I want to know how converted 6.0L trucks run with the tune, not about the E85 debate that rages on, besides, the knowledge gained from a healthy debate helps everyone in the long run. Thanks to all for the comments and input, and keep up the great work 06MonteSS. Any trouble balancing those wheels with the stick on weights, as I have similar rimless 18 inch ones on my Impala?

Thanks,

MarcoEngineering

[marcoengineering]

FYI-K2500 6.0L E85 Tuner update, Andy says that if running straight gas with the flex tune installed a .5-1.5 increase in MPG can be expected, not to mention the general performance increase. That alone is worth the install to me, a 3/4 ton Suburban is not known for its fuel economy and that amounts to a 10% increase in MPG(100% gas) for my truck. Thanks to all.

Mark

[Grumpy_Aero_Guy]

I agree, the demand for fuel has driven the cost of corn up, that is why the cost of E85 has increased or it would be cheaper. i heard today that ethanol produceres had only anticipated a high of $3 a bushel, but now they are coping with a higher than anticipated cost. Maybe they should subsidize diesel at lest for the transportaion industry, MAYBEEEE the government should do something, anything, right now they are not doing much of job for any of us! Well, they are sending billions a day overseas in cash, and then there is all the food sent over seas for free, and then there is the import tariffs on imported ethanol to keep cheaper stuff from Brazil out of here that would make E85 more economical for all to use and drive down the price of corn. Hmmm, seems like we just have to keep trying, maybe the next administration in November can do something for us all?

BKSCHIRM, S10HOTROD, - any word on your FlexFuel tunes? I am hoping to get mine ordered here in the next week before I take off on vacation, might wait to try out until I get back if you are still having problems, but I have not been able to find any wide ranging issues with this tune yet on the boards, just some sparatic ones like yours, hope they get it fixed for you.

MarcoEngineering

Maybe they should subsidize diesel at lest for the transportaion industry, MAYBEEEE the government should do something, anything, right now they are not doing much of job for any of us!

I personally am not interested in the government doing ANYTHING for me. Name ONE government program that has worked (by any stretch of the imagination)... Government subsidy is NEVER the answer. Take a look at "subsidy central" (the EU). How's that working for them? The free market will solve this problem. Only thing is, it's going to be rough as this came on VERY fast, and caught everyone who had their head in the sand with their pants around their ankles, i.e. GM/FORD/CHRYSLER...

Hmmm, seems like we just have to keep trying, maybe the next administration in November can do something for us all?

Keep dreaming. The "government" had a perfect example 35 years ago of what can happen, and did nothing. I expect they'll do the same this time, only much less effciently. Relying on government for ANYTHING is naive and mis-guided. There's plenty of proof of that.

Ethanol will never be the answer. There's the physics/thermodynamic reality (approx 40% less LHV) --- then there is the issue that the reality of the VOLUME of ethanol needed will NEVER allow it to be economically viable. If you think for one moment that a gal of ehtanol will EVER be 50% the price of refined hydrocarbons, that too is misguided. The energy required to produce the ethanol with today's technology will NEVER allow that to happen. Not to mention the fact that the oil companies aren't dummies either. They will make their money one way or another. IF you think that govt subsidy might make it so (50% cheaper), that will just make it more of a fiasco.

Just my $0.05. Sorry, couldn't resist the temptation...

[CANUCKPREDATOR]

The government should NEVER be looked at to solve our problems. The best idea I've heard of for political reform is line them up and shootem' all.

[Grumpy_Aero_Guy]

be a shame to have to waste good ammo for that... but a worthwhile cause that would be worth it...

Remember the last time the government shut down during the budget debate?

a) no one noticed

b) efficiency went up

[marcoengineering]

Yes, the free market will find a solutiion to this issue, but remember you implied it, we are baseing these assumtions on todays technologies, nobody knows for sure what they will find tommorrow or the next day. Working for an OEM, I can tell you electric and hydrogen are not the answer either, so if biofuels don't work somehow someway in the future, we can all give up our present vehicles and take up walking and public transporptation (another government subsidized entity?). And again you are right, no government we elect will ever solve anything for us, but they could help things get started, or spend money on alternative fuels (or something since then like to spend money they don't have) research instead of sending men to mars (maybe theres oil there) and things like that. Your $.05 (from $.02) in oil dollars is really more like $.10 though, much appreciated just the same.
Thanks to all for the comments and opinions.

marcoengineering

[Grumpy_Aero_Guy]

or spend money on alternative fuels (or something since then like to spend money they don't have) research instead of sending men to mars (maybe theres oil there) and things like that.

marcoengineering

You said it yourself. They don't have it. Look at the junk science they're sepnding money they don't have on right now... global warming. They will NEVER spent money as it should be spent. Industry will, or their businesses die.

Global warming is the best example of govt spending on the BIGGEST load of technical bunk ever...provide me ONE peer reviewed technical article, written by a real, knowledable scientist, that actually models the equations correctly (without infinite boundary conditions on the differentail eqns --- yes, the earth is a CLOSED control volume). I've looked, there aren't any. It's just another UN attempt at re-distribution of wealth. Even AL Gore has a hard time rebuting that anymore, although he must be busy re-inventing the Internet. They play ball to get the government money and tell them whatever wrong science they want to hear that's politically correct. That's the example of government spending money on science.

I don't agree with spending money on Mars either, necessarily. However, have you ever looked into the spin-off technologies that have benefitted society from the Saturn V program? They are plentiful. Again, looking at it black and white like that isn't a fair assessment. BTW, most of that money was spent via private contractors to make it all work --- otherwise it never would have... and many of those companies invested a LOT of their own $s in R&D to make it happen.

[marcoengineering]

I totally 100% agree with what Grumpy said. I don't buy that global warming either, no hard scientific data over any statistical length of time. So we will have to wait, see, and hope for the best solution in the future. I like my motor toys as they are, except for the cost of fueling them.

Thanks,

marcoengineering

[Grumpy_Aero_Guy]

I like my motor toys as they are, except for the cost of fueling them.

Like all of us... gotta pay to play.

[chandler51]

I'm gonna drive my SS as fast as I can a still get away with it on 93+ octane GAS until we run out of the shit.

[HarmFamily]

That's right! I can afford the gasoline. The more sheeple who buy the Global Warming scam, the fewer left-lane lollygagging fools I have to blast around on the right.

Works for me!!

[marcoengineering]

Does anybody know if a FLX7193 is just a version of the U7193? As I await the delivery of my FLX7193 (and watch a barrel of oil climb $9 in two days) unit I was looking through the available downloads and PC interface software and I do not see the FLX7193 unit listed as unit, but some posts direct users to the support page for download and interfaces for the FLX7193. Am I missing something on the website/forum? Thanks for any help or information on this.

MarcoEngineering

[Stevens07]

Your not alone, I just looked and don't see it either for the Flx7193. I wonder of the U7193 tool would be the same. I'm sure someone will get back to you shortly.

Steven

[S10HotRod]

Look at the junk science they're sepnding money they don't have on right now... global warming.

This is how we are going to die anyway....be prepared....
http://www.13moon.com/prophecy%20page.htm

[marcoengineering]

Here is neat site to check out if you want to make 100% ethanol for about $1 a gallon (and then mix it with 15% gas to make your own e85) in your own backyard, www.efuel100.com . I should be getting my FLX7193 in the next few days here. I will be going on vacation the 1st two weeks of July, covering about 1500 miles in Michigan. I know the historic mileage of the Suburban on 100% gas (its about 15MPG -16MPG average highway, truck only-no trailer), so if I get the predetor tuner in time and all installs and runs well, I will update my real world findings for hopefully straight gas and some runs on E85 as I can find it after the trip.

marcoengineering