I have been following the "other thread" about E85. So tonight I tried a few things. First of all I tried some different glow plugs using the same fuel mix as yesterday's second batch. I couldn't tell any difference between an F or 8. Then an idle bar plug. No idea what it is. But it didn't do near as good at idle. Top end seemed about the same. Then a KB-1L,ducted fan plug. Better than the idle bar but not as good as the F at idle. Still had what sounded like detonation with all of them.
Then I mixed up a batch of 1 part 15/18 fuel to 3 and 1/2 parts E85.Gives 3.3% nitro and 4% lube. Too much lube maybe. First thing I noticed was it starts easier. Or maybe it was just my luck tonight. But I started it several times. Tuning is a litle more fussy on the low end but not a whole lot. Top end is about the same near as I could tell. At a faster low idle I could open the low needle beyond adjustment of engine speed (no change in sound) and it still ran. And also if I set the top end just a hair above the richest setting that didn't blubber it would get hot and not want to idle down all the way immediately upon throttle closing.
In the end when I decided that I had achieved the best tune it would run good thru all stages. Just a little rich at the low and mid ranges. Speeds. Same as 2/1 gas/alcohol mixture. 1800 reliable idle, 20 minutes, and 86 to 8700 top end. Maybe a little better on the top end. But tuning changes it quickly.
Starting it? If I flipped it very fast thru the stroke then I could start it in the normal rotation. If I was a little lazy then it would start and run backwards most times.
Tuning? I had to turn the needles a lot, compared to using gas, to get a repsonse. So next time I will try the trick of raising the needle arm a little to get the carb to run a little more rich.
So far I like what I see. Just wish I could get a little more of a 2 stroke idle out of it. Would help smooth out the idle a lot.
Forgot to mention. It seems like the detonation noise is gone with the E85 mixture.