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11/21/2017 8:24 AM  #1


fuel problem

Has anyone heard of unleaded fuel taking on a jell, slimey appearance sometimes?  I have been chasing a fuel starvation problem after running the vehicle on the road for a couple miles.  It keeps stranding me where I have to limp the car back along side of the road.  Let it set for a while and starts up and runs another 2-3 hundred yards.  I have taken out the fuel sender/pick-up and now have a shut off valve after the tank and before the fuel tank. The line is off before the fuel filter and when I open the valve, I just get a trickle of fuel out of it.  I have pulled out the sender and ran water through it and the filter on the end of the pick-up and it flows fine.  The sock isn't blocking off the end of the sender either.  I have changed from carburetor to a FiTech EFI and had same problem with the carb set-up.  I seem the remember an article where the fuel would jell up and cause problems.  I can't see any when I took out the sender and can't see inside the tank.  I have changed the fuel lines when I did the conversion.  The whole system has 3/8th lines, supply and return.  The tank is a new tank .  If that is the problem, is there an additive that would take care of that problem?   The vehicle is a '65 and 392W motor. Any suggestions? Thanks  Jerry


"when I drop something, it always goes to center of the car"
 

11/21/2017 9:31 AM  #2


Re: fuel problem

You can thank, or curse, ethanol for the jell problem. I made the mistake of using that fuel in my 4 wheeler and after several weeks, it wouldn't run. I cleaned the carb and removed a bunch of clear jell crapola... I'm fortunate to be able to purchase pure gasoline in my area, and that's all I use now...

Last edited by josh-kebob (11/21/2017 9:32 AM)

 

11/21/2017 10:04 AM  #3


Re: fuel problem

Yep, ethanol is the worst thing to happen to gasoline.  It falls out of suspension with the gas and settles to the bottom of the tank.  Its hygroscopic, so it absorbs moisture.  This puts water in contact with your fuel system parts.  Nothing good comes from it.

There are two reasonably simple solutions.  You can buy a product called Startron.  Its a blue bottle sold at NAPA and most places that sell or service small engines (chainsaws, etc.).  Add 1 ounce per gallon to fuel and it stops any ethanol related nonsense.  I add it to all my mixed fuel for my saws, leaf blower, etc.  Then I add it to my last tank of fuel prior to winter storage for my tractor, my '67, etc.

Another solution is to add some 2 cycle oil to the fuel.  It doesn't stop the ethanol from falling out of suspension, but it does coat everything in the fuel system with a boundary layer of corrosion protection.  Mixed at 100:1 you'll never know its in the fuel, except you won't have problems anymore.  I'd advise using old school TWC-3 non synthetic for this because the synthetic stuff doesn't burn in 4 stroke gas or Diesel engines and can cause issues.

I find ethanol to be a non issue on vehicles that see constant use.  If you're filling the tank once a week you'll be fine, but boy when they sit does it wreak havoc.  I don't have a source for non ethanol gas here.  There used to be a couple stations that had it, but they've all closed or stopped selling it.  One solution I know some big companies use is to put the gas in 1,000 gallon or larger tanks and let it sit for a month.  By that point the ethanol has settled to the bottom.  They cut the pickup tube so it only draws from no more than 1/4 way off the bottom of the tank.  When the pickup stops drawing they drain off the crap in the bottom of the tank, have it refilled, and start over again.  A bit impractical for the average guy, but it shows the lengths those smart enough to realize the problem go to in order to avoid it. 

 

11/21/2017 10:14 AM  #4


Re: fuel problem

Yep! ^^^^^^^
My "plan-of-attack" for the cursed "earth friendly" fuel is:  The Mustang... I only put in 20 dollars worth of hi-test at the time unless..........I plan to drive it a good many miles.
ALL my yard equip get ethanol-free fuel. When its an "open-system"(vented to the atmosphere) like old cars and yard equip.....the al-kee-haul in the ethanol absorbs moisture in the air.(the way dry-gas/ de-icer./methanol etc. work!)
The cure?!!!!!!!! Get ethanol free gas if you only drive the Mustang on pretty days.
6sal6


Get busy Liv'in or get busy Die'n....Host of the 2020 Bash at the Beach/The only Bash that got cancelled  )8
 

11/21/2017 1:37 PM  #5


Re: fuel problem

Gas goes bad because it has a lot of volatile compounds in it, which evaporate or boil off (remember these aren't water, and some compounds boil at room temperature or slightly above).  High octane gas goes bad faster than low octane because there are more volatiles in it to increase the octane (primarily MTBE, methyl tertiary butyl ether).  Some of it is also the proportions of various hydrocarbons, as gas is not a homogeneous mixture; there are what they call light and heavy ends referencing individual hydrocarbon molecules as well as their chain length.  The lighter hydrocarbons vaporize more easily.  There is a difference between the concentration of the octane molecules in the gas and research octane (the number given the fuel, e.g. 93, etc.), but the actual octane molecule concentration does play a role in the research octane number.  Octane is fairly light, and thus vaporizes fairly easily, lowering the quality of the fuel.  Certain molecules oxidize easily as well, so they join with atmospheric gasses and become something else, thus leaving the party. 

Of course ethanol makes the gas go bad a lot faster.  Ethanol itself is basically immune to detonation, but it burns at a lower temperature and has less chemical energy than gas.  Then it brings water, which I'm guessing has a really low research octane number...

 

11/22/2017 9:58 AM  #6


Re: fuel problem

thanks to everyone for the input.  I will try to find the additive mentioned and use it in the future if it helps.  Jerry


"when I drop something, it always goes to center of the car"
     Thread Starter
 

11/22/2017 11:29 AM  #7


Re: fuel problem

Jerry, Startron was first used in the marine industry. I recently saw it on the self at my local Wal-Mart so, you might try there first.

 

11/24/2017 4:47 PM  #8


Re: fuel problem

josh-kebob wrote:

Jerry, Startron was first used in the marine industry. I recently saw it on the self at my local Wal-Mart so, you might try there first.

Thanks I'll do that, but not on Black Friday!
 


"when I drop something, it always goes to center of the car"
     Thread Starter
 

Board footera


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