e85 content analyzer installation for 2014MY.
Part #1 - Plumbing
Hoses are from Radium Engineering, they were a pleasure doing business with. The ethanol content sensor GM #13577429 was sourced elsewhere. SAE fittings from Summit Racing.
Here are the parts.
2 - #RUS-644123 3/8" SAE Female to -6AN Male fittings (Summit Racing)
2 - #RUS-644113 5/16" SAE Female to -6AN Male fittings (Summit Racing)
1 - 6.0 - ST - ST Hose (Radium)
1 - 11.4 - ST - 90 Hose (Radium)
I began by removing the fuel pump relay #13, located in the engine compartment fuse box. I then start the motor and let it run for approximately 40 seconds, until it died. This was to release the pressure and get most of the fuel out of the fuel line that will be removed. Not much pressure or fuel came out when the hose was removed.
Next, I removed the engine cover #1, the battery, battery box with ECU #2, and air inlet pipe #3.
The parts mentioned above removed.
The OEM fuel injection feed hose.
The OEM fuel injection feed hose removed using a fuel injection hose removal tool.
I assembled the 3/8" SAE Female to -6AN Male fittings onto each end of the ethanol content sensor, then assemble the straight ends of the Radium hoses to each end. Here's the OEM hose next to the Radium hose assembly. The Radium hose assembly with sensor attached is approximately 3" longer from end to end.
Next was to install the 5/16" SAE Female to -6AN Male to the factory hard lines.
At the top.
And at the bottom by the firewall.
The new hose assembly installed.
I re-used the OEM hose clip from the factory hose on the new assembly.
I replaced the parts removed earlier, the engine cover #1, the battery, battery box with ECU #2, and air inlet pipe #3. Then primed the fuel pump several times before actually allowing the car to start. Looked and smelled around for any possible fuel leaks. None found, so I started the car and let it run and checked some more before signing off on it.
To be continued... Part #2 - Wiring
Sneak peak of where the wiring will be going through the firewall on the driver side.
Part #2 - Wiring
Main Parts.
1 - Zeitronix ECA-1 Ethanol Content Analyzer
1 - Zeitronix e85 Flow Through Ethanol Sensor Harness
1 - Bussmann BP/HHH ATM Add-A-Fuse
I started with prepping the Zeitronix Analyzer and the Zeitronix Ethanol sensor harness. I wanted something that would enable me to plug and play; and remove things if I wanted to with ease. I was limited to the types of terminal connection because it had to fit through the hole in the firewall, so I chose 3/16" quick disconnects male/female blade connections.
Here's the display harness. Orange/Power, Brown/Ground, Green/Ethanol Sensor. There is an extra wire for brown and orange, because those will split off to fuse box for power and chassis for ground. I chose to do it this way instead of using wire taps. The blue and white wires tucked under the electric tape are for fuel temperature which is not being used and were getting in the way.
The Zeitronix Ethanol Sensor harness with it's terminal connections.
The Add-A-Fuse. I cut off the butt connector and crimped on a blade quick disconnect instead which will pair up to the display harness. Again, I want to be able to quick plug or unplug things if I want to without having to cut and crimp every time. There's a 10amp fuse in the photo when it was taken, but I ended up using a 7.5amp.
With the main components prepped it was time to work on getting the harness through the firewall.
A hole on the driver side firewall with a plastic plug.
Once the plastic plug was removed there was foam about 1" thick behind it. After several trips back and forth to the other side of where the hole should be in the cabin to make sure it was feasible I took a pick and penetrated the rubber backing behind the foam.
The other side of the hole from the driver side cabin. Here's a shot with the tip of the pick barely peeking through.
I hand twisted 16 drill bits through the hole until I could fit a 0 gauge cable through it. There's less than 1" between the bundle wires and the rubber backing that has a new hole in it.
The new hole with a grommet in place.
Next I took a piece of 8 gauge wire to fish the Zeitronix Ethanol Sensor Harness through the new hole.
The new harness making it through the new hole.
Making it through the firewall.
Kind fuzzy, but it's a shot of the harness from the ethanol sensor to the hole in the firewall.
Another angle.
Next was to route the new harness over to the passenger side. I used an 8 gauge wire used to fish the harness through to the other side behind the center console. hmm... I just noticed I still have the protective sheathing on the gas pedal.
The harness in it's new home on the passenger side behind the glove box.
And a shot of the harness in it's final resting spot on the driver side.
Test fitting the connections with between harness and Zeitronix ECA-1 Analyzer before shrink tubbing each connection and stuffing it into the wire loom.
Connections with shrink tubing to keep the connections together and insulated from the other connections.
I attached the Add-A-Fuse into the moonroof fuse location. I don't have a moonroof, but there was already of fuse in there and made perfect choice at 7.5 amps.
Here's where I connected for ground.
Testing the connections was successful. The car has 91 octane with 10% ethanol.
The goal of a non-permanent solution to this project has been accomplished. It's completely easily reversible, the only permanent mod to the car was the hole in the firewall to the cabin, which is a non-issue. 80% of the work invested to the project between the plumbing and wiring was that hole. Now that the hole is there, there's still room to pass other wires if needed later.
I finally settled on the Zeitronix Content Analyzer's placement. Fortunately, I was able to use the slit already on the glove box for the owner's manual straps to pass the harness through.
Mounted and completed with velcro. Still plenty of room in the glove box.
Perfect view of the display from the driver's side and serves it's purpose.