If you aren't familiar with the PMS we've been rambling on about, it's AFM's Programmable Management System (PN EF-PMS99-3; $1,077), a piggyback processor that plugs in between your factory processor and harness and allows you to modify the signals traveling from the computer to the engine. For supercharged applications, the PMS needs a three-bar MAP sensor (AF-12223861; $85) so it can read and react to boost.
The PMS allows easy tuning in percentages and degrees of timing, and you can save three programs, which are easy to toggle between. This makes it ideal for tuning your car for E85-if you run into an area that doesn't have E85, you can revert to a gasoline tune and keep going. If you go with chip or flash tuning for your combo, we suggest having a gas tune at the ready to upload in case you can't find E85.
ON THE DYNO
| | NA BASELINE | NA E85 | D-1SC E85 | F-1A E85 | DIFFERENCE |
| RPM | Power | Torque | Power | Torque | Power | Torque | Power | Torque | Power | Torque |
| 3,300 | 148.74 | 236.73 | 154.51 | 245.91 | 219.00 | 348.56 | 211.54 | 336.68 | 62.80 | 99.95 |
| 3,400 | 160.78 | 248.36 | 165.41 | 255.52 | 235.28 | 363.45 | 230.10 | 355.45 | 69.32 | 107.09 |
| 3,500 | 171.96 | 258.04 | 176.56 | 264.95 | 251.23 | 376.99 | 242.56 | 363.98 | 70.60 | 105.94 |
| 3,600 | 182.38 | 266.07 | 186.15 | 271.58 | 269.29 | 392.87 | 265.34 | 387.11 | 82.96 | 121.04 |
| 3,700 | 191.41 | 271.71 | 194.44 | 276.01 | 282.63 | 401.19 | 278.52 | 395.36 | 87.11 | 123.65 |
| 3,800 | 199.62 | 275.91 | 202.12 | 279.36 | 297.63 | 411.36 | 294.33 | 406.80 | 94.71 | 130.89 |
| 3,900 | 207.66 | 279.65 | 210.79 | 283.87 | 307.47 | 414.07 | 311.14 | 419.00 | 103.48 | 139.35 |
| 4,000 | 216.98 | 284.91 | 220.94 | 290.10 | 325.16 | 426.94 | 331.97 | 435.89 | 114.99 | 150.98 |
| 4,100 | 226.34 | 289.95 | 229.28 | 293.71 | 343.42 | 439.93 | 346.43 | 443.77 | 120.09 | 153.82 |
| 4,200 | 235.17 | 294.08 | 236.51 | 295.75 | 359.41 | 449.44 | 366.22 | 457.96 | 131.05 | 163.88 |
| 4,300 | 243.37 | 297.25 | 243.65 | 297.60 | 377.64 | 461.26 | 385.90 | 471.35 | 142.53 | 174.10 |
| 4,400 | 250.12 | 298.55 | 250.71 | 299.26 | 400.66 | 478.26 | 406.65 | 485.40 | 156.53 | 186.85 |
| 4,500 | 256.04 | 298.84 | 256.33 | 299.17 | 411.62 | 480.41 | 422.14 | 492.69 | 166.10 | 193.85 |
| 4,600 | 260.58 | 297.52 | 261.89 | 299.01 | 429.90 | 490.84 | 442.45 | 505.18 | 181.87 | 207.66 |
| 4,700 | 264.21 | 295.25 | 267.73 | 299.18 | 441.39 | 493.24 | 461.17 | 515.34 | 196.96 | 220.09 |
| 4,800 | 269.88 | 295.30 | 272.25 | 297.90 | 456.67 | 499.68 | 480.49 | 525.75 | 210.61 | 230.45 |
| 4,900 | 273.32 | 292.96 | 276.14 | 295.99 | 476.67 | 510.93 | 493.79 | 529.27 | 220.47 | 236.31 |
| 5,000 | 277.49 | 291.48 | 279.70 | 293.80 | 485.23 | 509.70 | 506.32 | 531.85 | 228.83 | 240.37 |
| 5,100 | 282.53 | 290.95 | 284.75 | 293.24 | 501.67 | 516.63 | 526.27 | 541.97 | 243.74 | 251.02 |
| 5,200 | 285.56 | 288.42 | 290.06 | 292.97 | 515.31 | 520.47 | 541.80 | 547.24 | 256.24 | 258.82 |
| 5,300 | 290.42 | 287.80 | 295.34 | 292.67 | 531.45 | 526.65 | 553.98 | 548.98 | 263.56 | 261.18 |
| 5,400 | 293.44 | 285.40 | 296.37 | 288.25 | 543.55 | 528.67 | 571.45 | 555.81 | 278.01 | 270.41 |
| 5,500 | 296.53 | 283.17 | 300.16 | 286.63 | 554.74 | 529.74 | 580.58 | 554.42 | 284.05 | 271.25 |
| 5,600 | 298.46 | 279.92 | 303.10 | 284.27 | 570.17 | 534.75 | 589.98 | 553.33 | 291.52 | 273.41 |
| 5,700 | 301.26 | 277.59 | 305.74 | 281.71 | 583.68 | 537.82 | 597.80 | 550.83 | 296.54 | 273.24 |
| 5,800 | 302.02 | 273.49 | 306.37 | 277.43 | 583.47 | 528.36 | 600.02 | 543.34 | 298.00 | 269.85 |
| 5,900 | 302.85 | 269.59 | 306.69 | 273.01 | 596.78 | 531.25 | 626.19 | 557.43 | 323.34 | 287.84 |
| 6,000 | 304.68 | 266.71 | 308.49 | 270.03 | 603.00 | 527.83 | 625.88 | 547.87 | 321.20 | 281.16 |
| 6,100 | 303.80 | 261.57 | 307.23 | 264.52 | 616.64 | 530.93 | 638.10 | 549.41 | 334.30 | 287.84 |
| 6,200 | 304.48 | 257.93 | 308.62 | 261.44 | 625.96 | 530.26 | 643.18 | 544.84 | 338.70 | 286.91 |
| 6,300 | 302.39 | 252.10 | 305.76 | 254.91 | 627.79 | 523.37 | 638.03 | 531.91 | 335.64 | 279.81 |
| 6,400 | 298.64 | 245.08 | 303.48 | 249.05 | 641.21 | 526.21 | 654.20 | 536.87 | 355.56 | 291.79 |
| 6,500 | 294.60 | 238.04 | 300.41 | 242.73 | 639.14 | 516.43 | 657.12 | 530.97 | 362.52 | 292.93 |
| 6,600 | 290.49 | 231.16 | 296.71 | 236.11 | 634.13 | 504.62 | 659.84 | 525.08 | 369.35 | 293.92 |
| 6,700 | 283.46 | 222.20 | n/a | n/a | 634.45 | 497.35 | 668.13 | 523.74 | 384.67 | 301.54 |
| 6,800 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 627.55 | 484.70 | 664.53 | 513.26 | n/a | n/a |
As you can see, just switching to E85 is worth some power because you can run more timing. When combined with forced induction, it really shines. It's typically cheaper than 87-octane pump gas, and it can support power heretofore only seen with race gas. "Though it takes more E85 to make the same horsepower as gasoline, the higher flash point of E85 and the cooler intake charge allow you to make way more power," Rick says. The high level of ethanol provides a cooler intake charge like a methanol injection system offers a cooler intake charge. E85 is cheaper, cleaner, and more powerful. Maybe we won't have to sell our fast cars and buy hybrids, after all.