| MG | -- 11-14-2012 @ 10:44 AM |
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Informative article here: http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2012/11/14/tech-101-ethanol-in-gasoline-and-its-effects-on-collector-cars/?refer=news
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| supereal | -- 11-15-2012 @ 10:02 AM |
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Anyway you look at it, the addition of alcohol to gasoline has not shown to be a benefit, except to the corn growers. Now that the tax subsidy has been eliminated, and the price differential gone, the producers have been left high and dry (no pun). Most gasoline has become contaminated with alcohol, even when it is not supposed to be. Old vehicles, lawn equipment, and other uses, have been damaged in the pursuit of "energy independence".
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| 1935ford | -- 11-15-2012 @ 6:33 PM |
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There are thousands of gas stations in the U.S. and Canada dispensing fuel w/o ethanol. Check pure-gas.org for those in each state or province. - Roger J.
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| 1935ford | -- 11-15-2012 @ 6:33 PM |
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There are thousands of gas stations in the U.S. and Canada dispensing fuel w/o ethanol. Check pure-gas.org for those in each state or province. - Roger J.
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| supereal | -- 11-15-2012 @ 8:19 PM |
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The problem is the cross contamination caused during the transport of alcohol and alcohol gas. This has caused detectable levels of alcohol in almost all gas. Alcohol must be trucked, as it corrodes pipelines, and when there was a tax subsidy, some greedy station owners filled their regular and premium tanks with gasohol to increase profits. Alcohol is hygroscopic, attracting moisture. At our shop we test fuel when a vehicle comes in with fuel problems to see how much, if any, alcohol and water are involved. Gasohol undergoes "phase separation" in storage. This means as much water as gasoline may be pumped into your car. Gasohol is ethanol, while the treatment for contaminated fuel is methanol, sold under the name of "Heet"' DriGas", and similar names. Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible to find gas free of ethanol.
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| Gary M. | -- 11-16-2012 @ 5:33 PM |
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I wonder how a flathead would run on E85 if all hoses , seals ,and gaskets were changed and all filters could tolerate the high alcohol levels? Has anyone ever tried it ? Its probably just a matter of time before we are all looking for ways to run our old flatheads on whatever the gas stations are selling.
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| Stroker | -- 11-16-2012 @ 6:03 PM |
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I have run flatheads on 100% methanol, and mixtures of methanol and nitromethane. Ethanol poses no particular problem in relation to the above, but in all cases, it's a good idea to "purge" the fuel system (carburetors or injectors) of the above listed fuels by running on gasoline before you store the engine to avoid corrosion and gummy residue. As a day-to-day fuel, of course given alcohol-proof fuel delivery components, there is no reason that a flathead wouldn't run on "E-100" if that's all that was available. You would notice a substantial decrease in mileage, you would need to crank-in a lot of advance. You would benefit by increasing the compression ratio (a lot!), and you would need to run an alcohol-compatible lube oil such as Kendall Nitro Plus. Lets hope it never comes to that. The upside is you will have no detonation, and a cooler-running engine, that makes more power if you have made the previously referenced modifications.
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| MG | -- 11-16-2012 @ 8:12 PM |
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How about the various additives available? Any recommendations? What's with all the hype about Techron?
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| supereal | -- 11-17-2012 @ 6:50 AM |
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I believe "hype" is a good term. Over the years, we have seen many "miracle" additives promoted. Remember "Slick 50"? It is tempting to believe that pouring some mysterious (and usually expensive) stuff into our engines would fulfill some apparent lack or boost life or performance. It made fortunes for the promotors, but few, if any, survive the advertising blitz. We would all like an effortless "quick fix" that bypasses the reality that things do wear out, just as we hear of "the carburetor Detroit supressed" that would give us endless gas mileage improvement. We are seeing amazing advances iin lubes, such as full synthetic oils that extend drain periods for longer periods while protecting expensive engines, but you can bet that they are a wiser investment than a bottle of some "secret" potion.
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| TomO | -- 11-17-2012 @ 8:08 AM |
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Techron is a trade name for a fuel system detergent and gasoline mixture. It will not help with the problems with old ethanol/ gas mixture. Fuel stabilizers inhibit the breakdown of the gas into varnish and corrosive elements and should be used if your car sits for more than 30 days. For longer periods of storage, you should also use a stabilizer or drain your tank. Tom
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| supereal | -- 11-17-2012 @ 10:20 AM |
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Like Tom, I use StaBil in my various gas tanks that will get lttle or no use over the winter months. Most major brands of gasoline contain effective amounts of detergents. They are designed to lessen or prevent a buildup on the tips of fuel injectors. Generally, additional additives to clean injectors are not necessary, unless you have received some polluted fuel. At our shop, we don't see many gasoline injectors that go bad, but diesels are a different matter. Biofuels, in particular, are causing more injector problems than usual. The replacement cost of those units is very high, but unavoidable if performance or fuel comsumption is affected.
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