CAN Flex‑Fuel for Gen2 Ford F‑150 Raptor

For years, COBB Tuning has been the go-to for Raptor owners looking to get more out of their trucks, offering products that provide more power and better transmission control. Now, we are excited to announce the release of CAN Flex Fuel for the Gen2 Ford F-150 Raptor. The kit is designed to be a simple, plug-and-play solution that allows you to take advantage of the performance benefits of higher ethanol pump fuel found at your local gas station.

The Benefits of Flex Fuel

Let’s jump right to the point, here. Using high ethanol fuel with a COBB CAN Flex Fuel kit provides significant power gains. Our development truck with a Stage 2 Flex Fuel Package and OTS Map baselines 447 WHP / 565 WTQ on 93 pump (E10). Without changing anything other than fuel, output increases to a tire-shredding 514 WHP / 595 WTQ on E50. Say goodbye to any concern or thoughts for scaling/retuning for varied ethanol content in the tank.

Beyond power, ethanol absorbs more heat in the combustion chamber which can lead to cooler engine temperatures and better performance in hot climates. The COBB Flex Fuel system can run on up to E85 using the off-the-shelf maps, though power will be reduced past E50 to keep the factory fuel system operating within it’s limits. For those seeking more power with full E85, a COBB Protuner can help explore your options.

The COBB Flex Fuel Kits also have SEMA emissions-certified status from our industry partners at SEMA Garage, so you won’t have any headaches when it’s time to register your truck. These kits can be added to existing Stage 1, 1+, and 2+ Power Packages or purchased as part of a Flex Fuel Power Package – more on those later.

What is Flex Fuel?

Now that we’ve covered WHY you want Flex Fuel for your Ford Raptor, let’s cover exactly what we’re talking about. Flex Fuel is the term given to a vehicle’s ability to utilize fuel with varying levels of ethanol content. Most pump fuel uses “up to 10% ethanol” and in some areas you can find pumps with full blown E85. We won’t get into the initial reasoning behind the push for fuels with higher ethanol. We WILL touch on one of its benefits – power. Fuel with higher ethanol content burns faster and absorbs more heat in the combustion chamber. It also ends up with an effective Octane rating of ~100-105, dependent upon ethanol content. The advantage of these factors to us is that we can take advantage of them to make a considerable amount of power when compared to standard E10 fuel.

Ethanol is often referred to as “affordable race fuel” that can be found at a typical gas station. Unlike traditional gasoline, using ethanol in your truck’s fuel system historically required a complicated process to ensure the engine runs properly. The old method involved creating multiple custom tunes for various ethanol blends and manually flashing the correct tune every time you refueled with a different percentage of ethanol. This process also required a graduated cylinder to measure the ethanol content in the fuel, which can be messy and time-consuming.

COBB’s Flex Fuel Upgrade Kits eliminate this hassle. The system includes a combination of sensors, modules, hardware, and a flexible tune that automatically adjusts your truck’s calibration as you drive, regardless of the ethanol-gasoline mix.

How Does it Work?

The COBB Flex Fuel Upgrade Kit is simple to install and use, with just a few components. The kit includes an ethanol content sensor that installs directly into the fuel lines to measure the percentage of ethanol. This sensor sends a signal to the COBB CAN Gateway, a module that mounts in the engine bay and connects to your truck’s ECU using a vehicle-specific harness. The CAN Gateway communicates the ethanol content through the truck’s built-in Controller Area Network (CAN), a physical network that connects all the vehicle’s systems.

The COBB Accessport ties the system together, delivering the necessary calibration. The Accessport comes with an Off-The-Shelf (OTS) map that is specifically calibrated to run properly right out of the box, meaning you don’t have to get a custom tune. This calibration translates the sensor data in real-time and makes adjustments to the fueling, timing, and more to optimize the engine’s performance. The Accessport also allows you to monitor your truck’s active ethanol content as you drive.

What do I need?

The power increases from our previously mentioned Off The Shelf Maps are possible thanks to working seamlessly with our all new CAN Flex Fuel Parts & Packages compatible with the 2017-2020 F-150 Raptor. These are available to purchase in a couple of different ways, dependent upon your truck’s existing modification level.

The COBB CAN Gateway Flex Fuel Upgrade offers true plug-and-play installation and allows for seamless integration of flex fuel for supported vehicles.

CAN Gateway

The included COBB CAN Gateway provides the means for aftermarket sensor data to be injected into your truck’s CAN system. Data is then absorbed by the ECU and utilized in a COBB Off The Shelf Map or custom calibration. The Gateway itself is constructed of billet aluminum encasing a precision manufactured PCB. The included bracket allows for a straight-forward bolt-in installation on supported cars.

Vehicle Specific Harness

Each CAN Gateway Kit includes a vehicle specific wiring harness. This specific kit is compatible with Ford Raptor 2017-2020. It consists of a cable that runs into the cabin allowing integration to be a plug-and-play affair. Installation of this component requires removal of your car’s Radio/Cockpit Control Unit.

CAN Ethanol Sensor Kit

The CAN Ethanol Sensor Kit includes an ethanol content sensor with mounting bracket, fuel lines with quick connect fittings, and a wiring harness that connects to the CAN Gateway.

Flex Fuel Power Packages

If you have made it this long suppressing the urge to modify your truck, we offer turn-key flex fuel upgrade packages. These stage packages take the guesswork out of turning up the power of your EcoBoost powered Raptor.

The Stage 1 CAN Flex Fuel Power Package includes the Accessport V3, COBB High Flow Panel Filter, and the CAN Flex Fuel Upgrade.
Next up, the Stage 1 + CAN Flex Fuel Power Package includes the Accessport V3, Intake System, and the CAN Flex Fuel Upgrade.
Finally, our Stage 2 + CAN Flex Fuel Power Package includes the Accessport V3, Intake System (COBB Intake or Redline Carbon Fiber Intake), Front Mount Intercooler or Factory Location Intercooler, CAN Flex Fuel Upgrade and a COBB Vehicle Badge.

Vehicles Supported

This implementation of COBB CAN Flex Fuel is applicable to the following vehicles. Note, we are continuing to expand Flex Fuel offering! Keep an eye on the COBB Blog or subscribe to our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss out on one of our releases! Click on the link that matches your truck below to see everything we offer!

2017 Ford F-150 Raptor USDM
2018 Ford F-150 Raptor USDM
2019 Ford F-150 Raptor USDM
2020 Ford F-150 Raptor USDM

CAN FLEX FUEL CUSTOM TUNING

For trucks that fall outside the support of COBB OTS Maps, look to our network of Protuners. Tuning any Raptor on ethanol is possible! Our Ford Accesstuner Pro HL custom tuning software now includes full tuning support for CAN Flex Fuel.

FIND A COBB PROTUNER HERE

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need to drain my tank before switching to ethanol?
A: No draining required! COBB Flex‑Fuel maps dynamically adjust to the ethanol percentage in your tank—just fill up, flash once, and go.

Q: What ethanol blend is “best” for power?
A: From the pump? E85 delivers the highest performance gains due to its cooling effects and knock resistance. Unless you’ve upgraded your fuel injectors, though, the most you’ll be able to use is E50. The map works across all blends, so you can run whatever’s available.

Q: Will I still be able to run 91 or 93 pump gas?
A: Absolutely, that’s the whole point of flex fuel. The COBB calibration experts developed an off the shelf (OTS) tune that adjusts to whatever ethanol content is detected. If you’re on standard E10 pump gas, the tune safely adjusts in a low‑ethanol mode.

Q: Do I need additional hardware to run Flex‑Fuel?
A: You’ll need a COBB Accessport V3 and COBB’s supported Flex‑Fuel hardware kit (sensor + harness). For best results, Stage 1 or Stage  2 COBB hardware (our intake and FMIC) is recommended.

Q: Is this 50‑state legal?
A: At this point, it’s 49-state legal, and carries a SEMA Garage Certification. 50-state legality with a CARB EO is on the horizon.

Q: Can I take my truck off‑road with this setup?
A: 100%. Not only CAN you, it’s ideal for situations where ethanol and octane ratings are questionable. In the middle of a long wheeling trip when the only fuel station in sight doesn’t see much traffic? The Flex‑Fuel calibration was tested under load, off‑road, and in varying weather conditions—it’s built for adventure.