2004 Silverado 2500HD FLEXFuel

[rrbigdan1]

I just bought a 2004 Silverado 2500HD. The truck is sweet and I'm doing some mods to it. One of the mods that just came up is this programmer. Why not kill two birds with one stone?

I was told that Diablo is the way to go and I see they have a programmer for Flex Fuel too. If I get this unit does this mean I can fill up the truck with Flex Fuel? NO ENGINE MODS? How is that possible?

Also if this is true that this programmer will convert it to Flex Fuel will it also add the other stuff that other programmers do or just the conversion?

Thanks,
bd

[mikel]

Yes, it is truly that easy, plug it in, flash the truck, and you are flex-able!

The tunes will add power when running E85 or gas, and you still have all of the adjustable parameters of the standard Predators.

Thanks

[marcoengineering]

Check out my original post a few lines down from yours, K2500 Suburban 6.0L E85 Ethanol Tune, I have a 2005 K2500 Suburaban and there are quite a few answers to some questions you maybe asking about this, as I asked the same ones 6 months ago as I was looking into flex fuel capabiilities for mine, I have it installed and I like the performance on the E85 and straight gas. No complaints so far.

Thanks,

Mark

[EastTexan]

How can you just make software changes and safely run E85? Alcohols are electronically conductive and may cause corrosive impurities, they are more corrosive than gasoline. Alcohol also attracts moisture, which enhances its corrosive tendencies. Aside from different software programming, factory Flex Fuel vehicles also have substantial mechanical changes to handle the inherent corrosivity of alcohol based fuels, for example different fuel pump, tank, filter, injectors, o-rings, and lines.

[mikel]

How can you just make software changes and safely run E85? Alcohols are electronically conductive and may cause corrosive impurities, they are more corrosive than gasoline. Alcohol also attracts moisture, which enhances its corrosive tendencies. Aside from different software programming, factory Flex Fuel vehicles also have substantial mechanical changes to handle the inherent corrosivity of alcohol based fuels, for example different fuel pump, tank, filter, injectors, o-rings, and lines.

If you notice, at least around here, almost all pump gas has some sort of E blend, around here everything is E10.

Almost every car on the road these days has a factory fuel system designed for use with Ethanol based fuels.

Thanks

[EastTexan]

Oh, I have definitely noticed some (up to 10%) ethanol in a lot of pump gas, even here behind the pine curtain in East Texas, but there is a huge difference in corrosivity between 10% ethanol and 85% ethanol (E85) .

[racerx55]

you are very misinformed on E85. Your repeating the typical internet rumors. We run it in our 90's talons daily with stock fuel lines and tanks and in new Evo's and at the race track, in tank pumps, so far ive had nothing but a cleaner motor and fuel system.and i can run 10's on that stuff with a big ass turbo.only the pre 80's cars are subject to the corrosion. beyond that they are designed to withstand it. dont knock it untill youve used it for the last 2-3 years solid. there is nothing wrong with it. if you look into the GM's the only difference in a flex fuel and a non is a sensor in the fuel tank and one extra wire to the ECU. all of them are flex fuel capable with the addition of the factory sensor / wire, or a simple programmer. I do not like E85 in a daily driver just because of the drop in mileage Vs the cost right now. however its a great race fuel for a 4 banger talon with 30psi boost on it. Racing alcohol / methanol are very corrosive, Ethanol is not any worse than your typical gasoline. i have put E85 in my 05 Z71 staight, with no programmer, no nothing, and the only thing that happens is the CEL lights as the fuel trims go way off of a normal range, and its lean at WOT because the ECU can only correct so much. the stock injectors are pleny big enough to flow it with a correct ECU flash.
If youve ever torn apart a fuel system that had e85 in it for 3 years, you will find that the plastic and rubber parts are not hardened or dried out at all, and are actually in much better shape than something using gas for the same amout of time.

[EastTexan]

Very interesting . However, I got my information from the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition ( ), hardly a source of internet rumors on the subject.

source: http://www.e85fuel.com/e85101/faqs/diffferences.php

In addition, the GM owner manual ( ) for my 2008 HUMMER H2 states "E85 (85% ethanol) and other fuels containing more than 10% ethanol must not be used in vehicles that were not designed for those fuels".

Note: I also own three GM production Flex Fuel vehicles.

[racerx55]

Its all a crock too.
it only gets corrosive when its sits all winter in the tank and draws moisture in. then you will see some right at the top of the fuel level in the tank maybe.The water in it is what is most corrosive. Its all liability issues that they have to rediculously over exagerate it.
dont be afraid of it. flex fuel vehicles i belive use full stainless / nylon fuel lines, where a gas one will use mild stainlees or aluminized steel. that again is the liability factor. they legally have to do that so 20 years down the road they cant be sued for a leaking fuel line fire because the road salted rusted it but joe schmoe wants to blame the kind of steel used on the fuel lines on a get rich quick lawsuit scheme.

[EastTexan]

There are a whopping 33 public E85 stations in Texas right now, but next time I am near one I'll give it a try. I would like to see many more of them throughout the US. I am a forester and would like to also see ethanol widely and wisely produced from pulpwood and wood waste.

[racerx55]

i just like it for the extra power, plus it burns clean. im kicking myself now for not buying the flex fuel predator for my truck. wish there was a downloadable upgrade for that. *hint hint*

there are 4 cyl cars going 9's on E85 and making above 600HP on it. much beyond that we are needing E98 for the higher octane.

[marcoengineering]

Racerx55, Andy Wicks (he's the one that did the flexfuel tune for the DS predator) at Dynotune can make you a custom tune for your U7193 for your truck. Email him for more info and costs, website is listed in my posts a few lines down from here, K2500 Suburban 6.0L E85 Ethanol Tune, it is a dedicated tune with no adjustments though. I think it can be downloaded as a custom tune to your predator tuner. I have the flexfuel tune FLX7193 in the 05 Suburban and it works great.

Thanks,