How well does the 5th gen ZL1 respond to E85/tune? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

big dave · 10-05-2021, 07:20 PM

For whatever reason my search feature isn't responding so I thought I'd just drop this here. Forgive me if this has been asked before. My 6th gen picked up almost 70rwhp and 90lbs tq. . Will the 5th gen respond as well? I've owned the car since '13 with the RotoFab being the only mod. I think I'd like to try E if it's a worthwhile mod.

Robmnrd · 10-05-2021, 08:51 PM

Copy/pasted response from an older thread of the same idea:

I've done a little bit of research on this recently both out of curiosity and also as I plan my first round(s) of modifications. I'm intrigued by E85 because it seems like a very safe way to add horsepower given it's inherent cooling effects and lack of necessitating increased boost, rpm, etc. to achieve said horsepower.

From what I have gathered, the horsepower benefit of E85 increases as you become more modified overall.
Most people do not choose an E85 conversion as their literal first modification, so I had to do some digging both for LSA equipped ZL1s as well as CTSVs that were otherwise stock or very mildly modified.

Without saying it is a hard and fast rule, if your car is *bone stock* (no CAI, no headers, still stock cats and cat back) an E85 conversion will likely net you about 30-40 rwhp (through searching I found one CTSV example and it made about 35 horse. Different dynos/conditions/etc. may read differently, so probably only expect 30, but up to 40).
If your car was modified like mine is (CAI, LT headers, catless or hi-flow cats, but no pulleys, cam, heads, TB, SC porting, etc..) you would likely see between 40 and 50 rwhp. (I found a handful of, once again, CTSVs that were mildly modified like this - some with the ZL1 lid swap making them essentially exactly the same, and some without. A couple ZL1 owners had numbers in the same range, about 40-50 rwhp gain).
If you move into the "bigger" mods - pulley(s), cam, heads, etc., you continue to see larger gains with swapping to E85 because it allows you to use these parts more aggressively. Kind of like a compounding effect. Most of the builds on here, the CTSV forums, etc., with E85 numbers in the 750-850 rwhp range were showing 93 tunes about 70-90 rwhp less, just depending on specific E85 percentage, modification combination, etc.

Not an absolute rule on any of the numbers, obviously. Just trends I noticed while researching.

The thread:

https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=553340

Hope this helps man!

silversleeper · 10-06-2021, 03:01 PM

Need e85 sensor, tune, fuel pump solution e.g. aux dual or bigger pump or 'band-aid' boost a pump, injectors
Find out more on total mod required to decide if it is worth it to you. It is to me, especially if only 91 is available to you vs 93octane. I think the above post is e85 vs 93octane.

Shodown · 10-07-2021, 08:38 AM

I think it was worth every penny for e85 in my car. I don't know how much I gained with it as I only dyno'd the car with e85 in the tank, but when I put 93 in my butt dyno can tell it's down on power.

To answer your question though...yes 5th gens respond very well to e85. As stated above the hp and tq gains are linear with other mods (more mods = more power with corn). I have read about guys picking up 100 rwhp on heavily modded 5th gens (heads, cam, ported blower etc.) and in the 50-70 rwhp range with bolt-ons/pullies.

Other than just the power increase it smells way better if you don't have cats compared to 93

97ChameleonTA · 10-08-2021, 08:07 AM

I gained 96 RWHP and 124 RWTQ with the only addition to the mods below being the flex fuel parts and the associated tune.

Little Walter · 10-09-2021, 04:08 PM

Guys are the factory fuel lines teflon or are you upgrading the lines as well?

Shodown · 10-09-2021, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Little Walter

Guys are the factory fuel lines teflon or are you upgrading the lines as well?

Nope. Stock fuel lines and rails are fine for e85.

big dave · 10-10-2021, 10:11 AM

Thank you very much for the responses to my question. I got the info I needed in your responses and the links to previous threads. For whatever reason my search feature isn't working properly, thanks for not beating me up too badly for not using it

FASTFATBOY · 10-10-2021, 10:11 AM

I was told 40 ish wheel with only e85 and a tune, no other mods

12oclockshadow · 10-15-2021, 02:04 PM

Yes it's worth it. I gained 85 whp 97 rwtq.

tartagliazl1 · 10-15-2021, 03:04 PM

wish we had E85 in rochester. it would be my next mod for sure.

10-05-2021, 07:20 PM	#1
big dave Drives: 2017 ZL1 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,052	How well does the 5th gen ZL1 respond to E85/tune? For whatever reason my search feature isn't responding so I thought I'd just drop this here. Forgive me if this has been asked before. My 6th gen picked up almost 70rwhp and 90lbs tq. . Will the 5th gen respond as well? I've owned the car since '13 with the RotoFab being the only mod. I think I'd like to try E if it's a worthwhile mod. __________________ '17 ZL1 10.99@129 stock. 4225# raceweight. Best 60'- 1.66 on factory tires. 10.48@132 E50, intake and tune. 4270 lbs https://youtu.be/EyHtdH9XOkY https://youtu.be/Lcu41obbTf8 '13 ZL1 BRM A6. 11.591 @ 119.2 factory stock with a 1.68 60'! Best stock mph 121.8. 11.29 @ 123 RotoFab, drag radials and skinnies. 4360# raceweight. http://youtu.be/yggIA3C_kkA 2014... back to stock http://youtu.be/spQLaTWbThs 2013... stock & RotoFab

10-07-2021, 08:38 AM	#4
Shodown Drives: 2014 ZL1 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 314	I think it was worth every penny for e85 in my car. I don't know how much I gained with it as I only dyno'd the car with e85 in the tank, but when I put 93 in my butt dyno can tell it's down on power. To answer your question though...yes 5th gens respond very well to e85. As stated above the hp and tq gains are linear with other mods (more mods = more power with corn). I have read about guys picking up 100 rwhp on heavily modded 5th gens (heads, cam, ported blower etc.) and in the 50-70 rwhp range with bolt-ons/pullies. Other than just the power increase it smells way better if you don't have cats compared to 93 __________________ 2014 ZL1 M6: Roto Fab Intake, LS3 TB, Long Tube Headers, NPP, Mild 2 Wild, JMS BAP, SMG aux pump, ID 1050X Injectors, DSX Flex Fuel Sensor, 10.5" DSX Lower Pulley, Killer Chiller, Tuned by Ted at JRE, Pedders XA Extreme coilovers, Mickey Thompson Street S/S on Weld S71s

10-08-2021, 08:07 AM	#5
97ChameleonTA Drives: 2013 ZL1 Convertible Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Valrico, FL Posts: 515	I gained 96 RWHP and 124 RWTQ with the only addition to the mods below being the flex fuel parts and the associated tune. __________________ 2013 ZL1 Auto Convertible - BRM Best: 10.829@127.15 FI Interchiller, Roto-Fab CAI, Big Gulp & Res, 9.1/2.5 Pulleys, PB&S, DeatschWerks 1500cc, Fore triple pump, Pfadt LT's, RD HX, MT DR's New times to come with E85 2016 2SS Auto - Hyper Blue Metallic Roto-Fab CAI

10-10-2021, 10:11 AM	#8
big dave Drives: 2017 ZL1 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,052	Thank you very much for the responses to my question. I got the info I needed in your responses and the links to previous threads. For whatever reason my search feature isn't working properly, thanks for not beating me up too badly for not using it __________________ '17 ZL1 10.99@129 stock. 4225# raceweight. Best 60'- 1.66 on factory tires. 10.48@132 E50, intake and tune. 4270 lbs https://youtu.be/EyHtdH9XOkY https://youtu.be/Lcu41obbTf8 '13 ZL1 BRM A6. 11.591 @ 119.2 factory stock with a 1.68 60'! Best stock mph 121.8. 11.29 @ 123 RotoFab, drag radials and skinnies. 4360# raceweight. http://youtu.be/yggIA3C_kkA 2014... back to stock http://youtu.be/spQLaTWbThs 2013... stock & RotoFab

10-15-2021, 02:04 PM	#10
12oclockshadow Drives: 2012 ZL1 M6 Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Conroe, Tx Posts: 221 View My Garage	Yes it's worth it. I gained 85 whp 97 rwtq. __________________ FBO. Cammed. Flex fuel.801whp/741wtq on e85

10-05-2021, 08:51 PM	#2
Robmnrd Drives: 2013 ZL1 Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Texas Posts: 110	Copy/pasted response from an older thread of the same idea: I've done a little bit of research on this recently both out of curiosity and also as I plan my first round(s) of modifications. I'm intrigued by E85 because it seems like a very safe way to add horsepower given it's inherent cooling effects and lack of necessitating increased boost, rpm, etc. to achieve said horsepower. From what I have gathered, the horsepower benefit of E85 increases as you become more modified overall. Most people do not choose an E85 conversion as their literal first modification, so I had to do some digging both for LSA equipped ZL1s as well as CTSVs that were otherwise stock or very mildly modified. Without saying it is a hard and fast rule, if your car is bone stock (no CAI, no headers, still stock cats and cat back) an E85 conversion will likely net you about 30-40 rwhp (through searching I found one CTSV example and it made about 35 horse. Different dynos/conditions/etc. may read differently, so probably only expect 30, but up to 40). If your car was modified like mine is (CAI, LT headers, catless or hi-flow cats, but no pulleys, cam, heads, TB, SC porting, etc..) you would likely see between 40 and 50 rwhp. (I found a handful of, once again, CTSVs that were mildly modified like this - some with the ZL1 lid swap making them essentially exactly the same, and some without. A couple ZL1 owners had numbers in the same range, about 40-50 rwhp gain). If you move into the "bigger" mods - pulley(s), cam, heads, etc., you continue to see larger gains with swapping to E85 because it allows you to use these parts more aggressively. Kind of like a compounding effect. Most of the builds on here, the CTSV forums, etc., with E85 numbers in the 750-850 rwhp range were showing 93 tunes about 70-90 rwhp less, just depending on specific E85 percentage, modification combination, etc. Not an absolute rule on any of the numbers, obviously. Just trends I noticed while researching. The thread: https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=553340 Hope this helps man!

10-06-2021, 03:01 PM	#3
silversleeper Big Crow Drives: '13 ZL1 Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: California Posts: 1,486	Need e85 sensor, tune, fuel pump solution e.g. aux dual or bigger pump or 'band-aid' boost a pump, injectors Find out more on total mod required to decide if it is worth it to you. It is to me, especially if only 91 is available to you vs 93octane. I think the above post is e85 vs 93octane.

10-09-2021, 04:08 PM	#6
Little Walter Drives: ZL1 Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: New Orleans Posts: 261	Guys are the factory fuel lines teflon or are you upgrading the lines as well?

10-10-2021, 10:11 AM	#9
FASTFATBOY Drives: 2013 ZL1 Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Mobile Al Posts: 301	I was told 40 ish wheel with only e85 and a tune, no other mods

10-15-2021, 03:04 PM	#11
tartagliazl1 Drives: 2013 zl1 vert Join Date: Dec 2018 Location: Rochester, New york Posts: 949	wish we had E85 in rochester. it would be my next mod for sure. __________________ 22% lower/ 2.5 upper/ 2” headers/ cat delete/ x-pipe/ 2 gallon x tank/ 100-3 pump/ fic 850/ dsx aux kit/ 103mm throttle body/ RPM 5” intake/ meth kit/ prometh lid injection/FI interchiller/ 160* stat/ ngk-7/ msd wires/ elite catch can/ tsp cam/ Che trunnions/ ported supercharger/ 1/2” lid spacer/ brick mod/BMR toe and trailing arms/ 751hp 757 tq SAE @17.3lb on a loaded dyno.