Converting 2009 C30 to run on 30% Ethanol?

C30Vehicle · Post by **C30Vehicle** » 28 Jun 2020, 16:11

What is involved in converting C30 2009 Volvo's to run on a 30% Ethanol fuel-mix?

Would mechanics specializing in Volvos know-how to convert newer Volvos to operate on a 30% Ethanol fuel mix?

Thank-you

Post by **MoVolvos** » 28 Jun 2020, 19:46

C30Vehicle wrote: ↑28 Jun 2020, 16:11 What is involved in converting C30 2009 Volvo's to run on a 30% Ethanol fuel-mix?

Would mechanics specializing in Volvos know-how to convert newer Volvos to operate on a 30% Ethanol fuel mix?

Thank-you

I don't know anything about Ethanol use nor the why's, My suggestion is to educate yourself on the basics by watching some Youtube videos and you may find it's not difficult or you may decide not to go down that road.

Post by **June** » 28 Jun 2020, 20:59

It likely will adjust itself for 30%. Reportedly they just reflash the computer to run ethanol in Brazil. Brazil runs a majority of vehicles on ethanol. You may want to add "Brazil" in your search. I wish my S80 was a flex fuel vehicle as it is cheap and plentiful here. E85 is around $1.40/gallon vs 93 octane E10 at $2.80/gallon. The loss in fuel economy would not be greater than the 50% cheaper price...

If you go with a radical tune, and serious mods some Sunoco stations still sell 100 octane unleaded fuel. Its expensive though. June

C30Vehicle · Post by **C30Vehicle** » 30 Jun 2020, 17:17

Wikipedia (LINK) has a listing for the Volvo C30 models - The 'Flex-fuel' Volvo C30s were only sold in Europe.

It's been found that Ethanol Fuel blends can damage fuel systems.

Are the fuel systems for all C30s sold worldwide pretty much the same- hence can C30s at least accommodate a 30% (E30) ethanol blend - with little to nothing in the way of adjustment/modifications?

LINK: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_C30

C30Vehicle · Post by **C30Vehicle** » 30 Jun 2020, 17:17

Wikipedia (LINK) has a listing for the Volvo C30 models - The 'Flex-fuel' Volvo C30s were only sold in Europe.

It's been found that Ethanol Fuel blends can damage fuel systems.

Are the fuel systems for all C30s sold worldwide pretty much the same- hence can C30s at least accommodate a 30% (E30) ethanol blend - with little to nothing in the way of adjustment/modifications?

LINK: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_C30

Post by **jimmy57** » 30 Jun 2020, 18:11

I have had several vehicles I worked on with fuel trim codes that proved, after a lot of diagnostics with some known good parts swaps for testing, to be caused by E85 contamination. The fuel was tested with the water, fuel, and graduated cylinder method and some were only 25% alcohol. A B5254T? in the C30 was not any of those vehicles but a couple were P2 S60s with 2.5T. The B5254T12 that has Denso fuel injection (not used in C30) likely has a little more wiggle room as the fuel trims seem to go a bit higher percentage before the ECM gives up. The fuel injectors will be limiting factor if any HP adding is part of this project. The factory models using high alcohol fuels have alcohol sensors to get base computation in the ballpark so the oxygen sensors can still regulate short term and long term fuel trims. Custom tuning and full time use of known alcohol content fuel will shortcut some equipment needs that would be fitted for everyday, every driver use. What are the goals for the high alcohol use?