Tuning Facts - Understand Your Truck Like We Do at CAMTuning

[Baltimore]

An observation about modes, eco mode appears to go deeper than just switching tables. If you turn your heat or A/C on high and switch from eco to any other mode, there is an observable increase in fan speed. I would assume that it does that to reduce overall load for fuel economy. I have been meaning to go test charging voltage to see if it's doing it by reducing overall voltage or if it's isolated to the blower motor.

It's been on my todo list for a bit to do some testing to see if there's any more differences than can be observed. Like sticking a camera in the grille to see when and how the shutters operate and things like that. I've never owned a vehicle as complex as these trucks and find it fascinating.

Only Normal/Comfort will restore automatically if the truck has been turned off for more than 10 minutes. Otherwise,

Sponsored

 

[CAMTuning]

Session 13: E30 Ethanol Tuning Explained: Power Gains, Fueling Changes, and How to Mix It Correctly

Since I've been tuning more trucks on an ethanol blend lately, I figured I'd add an entry here to cover that topic.

A lot of people think running E30 is just adding ethanol to make more power but it’s not that simple.

Ethanol does a few key things that change how the engine can be tuned:

Higher knock resistance → allows more ignition timing
Charge cooling effect → helps reduce combustion temps and knock
More stable power → less timing pull under load

That’s where the gains come from—but only if the calibration is set up correctly.

The Part Most People Miss: Fueling

Ethanol requires more fuel volume than gasoline.

So when tuning for E30, we have to adjust:

Fueling targets (lambda)
Injector and fuel system behavior

If this isn’t done right, you’re not getting the full benefit—and potentially creating inconsistencies.

Why Ethanol Content Matters

Pump “E85” isn’t actually consistent. It’s usually anywhere from E51–E85 depending on season and location.

So if you’re trying to run E30 and just guessing your mix:

You might actually be at E20 → less knock resistance than expected, and richer AFR
Or E40+ → more fuel demand than intended (leaner AFR)

How to Do It Right

• Use an ethanol content sensor (fuel-it, innovate, etc) if you run blends regularly, and use an E85 mix calculator app when filling up
• Try to stay consistent with where you get fuel

Why E30 Works So Well

When everything is set up correctly, E30 gives you:

• More usable power (not just peak)
• Better consistency under load
• A safer margin compared to pushing pump gas

E30 isn’t just about adding ethanol—it’s about controlling it and tuning for it properly.

Here's an example on my personal truck on 91 (stock) vs an E30 blend. This is with an intake and intercooler as the only 2 modifications:

 

[redlimitediforcemax]

An observation about modes, eco mode appears to go deeper than just switching tables. If you turn your heat or A/C on high and switch from eco to any other mode, there is an observable increase in fan speed. I would assume that it does that to reduce overall load for fuel economy. I have been meaning to go test charging voltage to see if it's doing it by reducing overall voltage or if it's isolated to the blower motor.

It's been on my todo list for a bit to do some testing to see if there's any more differences than can be observed. Like sticking a camera in the grille to see when and how the shutters operate and things like that. I've never owned a vehicle as complex as these trucks and find it fascinating.

In the limited trim, it allows you to customize your drive mode. You can mix ECO/NORMAL/SPORT engine response, suspension mode COMFORT/NORMAL/SPORT+, Steering set to NORMAL/SPORT+, and ECO/NORMAL Climate control. So what you're noticing is true, and on the limited trim you can select which Climate control profile you want to use. ECO being the more conservative use of the air conditioner system.

Sponsored