Edelbrock’s Retrofit E-85 carburetor

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Edelbrock's 600 cfm E-85 carburetor is scheduled to be available in April 2007

In the wake of the past year’s dramatic rise in petroleum costs, many auto enthusiasts are looking more seriously at alternative fuels. Much of this interest is in the name of cheaper operating costs and, sometimes, cleaner emissions, but what if it could also increase performance?

Currently available at select fueling stations across the country, E-85 is a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent unleaded gasoline. The motivation behind its development was to move further toward using renewable energy sources, but as a bonus, performance fans have realized that ethanol has a much higher octane rating than today’s gasoline; even as an E-85 blend, it manages a 105 rating. For hot rodders, that means high-compression can once again be returned to street engine combinations To meet the needs of those interested in building engines to take advantage of E-85,

Edelbrock is releasing a new E-85 Series of its four-barrel carburetor. The E-85 version is rated at 600 cfm and comes calibrated for the alternative fuel. The special application comes with a hard, anodized finish and powder-coated throttle linkage, plus a complete listing of all the other parts needed for a conversion. The carb will be available in April 2007 under part number 1414. Check www.edelbrock.com for more information.
- By Terry McGean

http://www.hemmings.com/newsletter/n...lid=143560#825

[likearock00]

How much is it going to cost??? I am sure it will take awhile before you will recoup those costs. E-85 is a joke right now. It will be at least 10 yrs before we ever see some real advantages to it...

[F14CRAZY]

more HP is good though

[Smaart Aas Saabr]

Originally Posted by likearock00

How much is it going to cost??? I am sure it will take awhile before you will recoup those costs. E-85 is a joke right now. It will be at least 10 yrs before we ever see some real advantages to it...

The carb should cost just as much as a regular gas one. There isn't any difference, richer jets maybe that should be it (unless they have used better seals and gaskets perhaps, but that is only a few cents tops). If you are putting a new carb anyway, why not? But you won't be able to put gasoline in the car, as it will run way rich.

[Slack]

It probably won't do much good to convert a finished project car, but it would be a nice alternative for a new project if you're going to start from scratch anyway.

[Triple-X08]

just like a new car you have to fit it with an E85 friendly system. this includes fuel lines and such. they probably require seals that can withstand this stuff, and different parts and pieces. so it should be around the same price maybe a bit higher.

[AmericanRevv]

i want something like this for my colorado

[rmodys]

Originally Posted by Slack

It probably won't do much good to convert a finished project car, but it would be a nice alternative for a new project if you're going to start from scratch anyway.

Why isn't it worth it to convert..?

Originally Posted by AmericanRevv

i want something like this for my colorado

Good luck getting the carb on there!

[Slack]

Originally Posted by rmodys

Why isn't it worth it to convert..?

I didn't say that. It would take more than just a carb swap, as others have noted, to make the change. You would have to replace gaskets and fuel lines and what not. It just seems to make more sense to start from scratch than to tear down your enging just to run on E-85.

[327]

Originally Posted by Slack

I didn't say that. It would take more than just a carb swap, as others have noted, to make the change. You would have to replace gaskets and fuel lines and what not. It just seems to make more sense to start from scratch than to tear down your enging just to run on E-85.

you dont have to tear you engine apart to run E85. Plenty of hot rods and drag cars run on alcohol without problems. Edelbrock says they sell all the parts you need to make it work as a kit, (fuel line parts and seals springs for that carb. They ran a big article about this in car craft. They put theirs together,it wasnt a kit, and even put in a hotter cam and retimed a chevy SB to make up for that HP loss, to make it a HP gain.

Edelbrock is doing this basically for the people who dont want to pay 4 bucks a gallon for high octane or Race fuel. now they can spend $2.50 for the same octane.

[Slack]

Originally Posted by 327

you dont have to tear you engine apart to run E85. Plenty of hot rods and drag cars run on alcohol without problems. Edelbrock says they sell all the parts you need to make it work as a kit, (fuel line parts and seals springs for that carb. They ran a big article about this in car craft. They put theirs together,it wasnt a kit, and even put in a hotter cam and retimed a chevy SB to make up for that HP loss, to make it a HP gain.

Edelbrock is doing this basically for the people who dont want to pay 4 bucks a gallon for high octane or Race fuel. now they can spend $2.50 for the same octane.

"A complete listing of all the other parts needed for a conversion" does not constitute a kit. And for people running their car on regular unleaded, the conversion would require you to raise compression to get the full potential. And that does require a rebuild.

[327]

Originally Posted by Slack

"A complete listing of all the other parts needed for a conversion" does not constitute a kit. And for people running their car on regular unleaded, the conversion would require you to raise compression to get the full potential. And that does require a rebuild.

A cam swap and retiming would do it, You wont need much more than different fuel lines and filter since the changes are already on the Carb

[rmodys]

Originally Posted by 327

A cam swap and retiming would do it, You wont need much more than different fuel lines and filter since the changes are already on the Carb

Mhmm. And swapping out a cam is hardly a rebuild. Even changing out the heads for a set that'll bump the compression isn't a rebuild.

[Slack]

Originally Posted by rmodys

Mhmm. And swapping out a cam is hardly a rebuild. Even changing out the heads for a set that'll bump the compression isn't a rebuild.

Thats just details. We can't be bothered with all that.

[FoMoCo Fan]

Originally Posted by Smaart Aas Saabr

The carb should cost just as much as a regular gas one. There isn't any difference, richer jets maybe that should be it (unless they have used better seals and gaskets perhaps, but that is only a few cents tops). If you are putting a new carb anyway, why not? But you won't be able to put gasoline in the car, as it will run way rich.

You need to remember something about economics. The price of a product isn't set by the cost to build/design it. It's set by market DEMAND - meaning what people are willing to pay, and SUPPLY - meaning how many "widgets" are out there. There those two curves meet - we get "PRICE". If Edlebrock is the only company making these, they don't have to worry about their competition undercutting them in price, so we can expect them to be more expensive than a regular carb, even if they cost LESS to produce!