#Focus st cobb stage 1 vs stock plus#

For this reason, pretty much everyone who wants to run ethanol in their Fiesta runs E30, which allows you to run more boost and ignition timing without overloading the fuel system.Į30 is not available straight from the pump, which means you need to mix your fuel to create E30. It has enough flow to run E40 on a stock Fiesta ST, but that would require pushing the fuel system quite hard. The Fiesta ST’s fuel system is designed for standard gasoline, and it’s powerful enough to flow E85. The decreased energy density means your fuel system must work harder to keep the air/fuel ratio where it is supposed to be. I mentioned E85 above, as it’s the most common mixture you’ll find at an ethanol pump, so why am I using E30 in my Fiesta ST? Unfortunately, ethanol is less energy dense than gasoline, meaning it requires more liquid to create the same size explosion. The ability to run more boost and more ignition timing is what makes it such an attractive fuel for enthusiasts with boosted cars, as it’s an easy way to get more power from your car safely. If you didn’t already know, detonation is very bad for your engine and occurs when the air/fuel mixture inside the cylinder combusts from compression and not from the spark plug. With a higher octane rating, you can run higher levels of boost and more ignition timing without running into detonation. The most common mixture is “E85” which is 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.Ī mixture like E85 generally has an octane rating ranging from 94 to 110, which is much better than the 91 or 93 octane fuel you’ll find in most gas pumps. Ethanol is an alcohol fuel, that is distilled from plant materials such as corn or sugar this is why you often hear it referred to as “corn juice” or “corn fuel.”Įthanol that is available from a fuel pump is almost always mixed with gasoline for various reasons. What’s The Point of E30?īefore I give you my thoughts about my new tune, I wanted to quickly cover what E30 is and why you want to run it in your Ford Ecoboost engine.

#Focus st cobb stage 1 vs stock plus#

With such high levels of boost (around 20psi peak) and living in a hot climate, the Cobb tune was starting to feel a little lack-luster, plus detonation was beginning to worry me, as I still have a stock intercooler.įor this reason, I switched from 91 octane to E30 fuel, and with that switch, I now run a Stratified Auto tune. Compared to stock, the Cobb tune was fantastic and greatly improved the driving experience of an already very fun-to-drive car. If you didn’t already know, I picked up a used Cobb Accessport a few months ago and installed a stage 1 tune on my Fiesta ST.