stingrayl76

I know much has been posted about ethanol but I found this interesting and wanted to share it with you:

ethanol-hates-carburetors ==> CLICK

TCracingCA

Any of the alcohol mixes will eat the Viton coating on your float needles over time. Thus I just run the higher end stainless ones, that don't quite seal as well in street usage, but who drives slow anyways! Other than that, I really haven't found a real problem, except alcohol contains more water moisture and the aluminum and such would tend to corrode quicker, thus I purge the carb and air dry it down, if I am going to have it sit awhile ( but currently my good carb is house art on a shelf in the back bedroom). I dust it regularly with my collectibles!

Frankie the Fink

Here we go again - perpetuating the myth. Ethanol has been around for decades in our gas and was largely ignored before corn subsidies brought it to the forefront.

rustylugnuts

You know me, I'm totally against it! It may of been around for decades, but that's all one can say about it....

Got to run, talk later!

rustylugnuts

Mr. Wizzard

I make internal engine componentry for several of the Aussie V8 Supercar teams. They tell me that the series switch to E85 has increased engine maintenance expenses by 50%.
While this has been good for sales volume, ethanol is evil stuff and we won't allow any of our engine customers to use it...

R6T7

I used to think that ethanol was a non issue in these older cars until about a year ago when my 396 had been in storage for several months, and I went to start it, it would hardly run. I opened up the almost new Holley street avenger and here is what I found:





I ended up replacing the carburetor as the internal passages as well as the power valve had been damaged. A few weeks later I was rebuilding a friends Holley and found the same thing on the secondary metering plate.

I am now convinced that ethanol is highly destructive and I will not run it in any of my classic cars without an ethanol additive - or preferably avgas!

Bob

FFBillysCor

Thank you for posting this site, which is right on target. There are some who will call it BS, but most of that is in their own garage.

MikeM

It ain't the ethanol, it's the water that can get in it if you are careless handling your fuel.

Ps. Did I mention the same thing can happen with straight gasoline?

Frankie the Fink

My boat, jet ski, weed eaters and pressure washer sit for months (6 months at least, usually more) unused, half full of regular old ethanol gas in Florida's humid climate and start up with no issues when needed.... But I'm sure we'll hear from the sky is falling crowd very soon.

R6T7

Yes it can, but it is the ethanol that absorbs water. BTW I live in the desert where the humidity is rarely over 40%. This was not related to handling of fuel at all!

Frankie the Fink

Aaaaand .... we're off and running !

Mike Ward

I guess you didn't know that Holley has admitted that they had a production problem with the zinc castings and were replacing the carbs free of charge under warranty.

Post 14 is the important one:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...sion-fuel.html

more info:

http://www.pro-touring.com/archive/i...p/t-68563.html

R6T7

Yes, I am aware that Holley had a problem but the plating failure does not explain the corrosion on the power valve.

TCracingCA

That they play more games out here with emissions, gasoline and such than any other state. When the one forum member posted up those carb pictures, I said, I bet he is from California and sure enough, he was! They have always had weird emission crap here! We have Boxer and Feinstein!!!!! Thus if you would like some California blend crap to try in your cars, let us know and we will see if we can arrange that for you!

Nothing wrong with my mostly billet holleys, but I still purge it and air blow them down to dry them if not starting them at least weekly and running the gas in the carb out!

rtruman

Good article I am convinced its a problem ,got my additive ready .

jimmies63

I went two decades not rebuilding a single tractor, car, boat, gas tool carb. Since 09 I have had to rebuild virtually everything. Saws, tractors, blowers, boats. I have probably rebuilt 20 carbs in 09&10. I think every mechanic said 'yeah, getting a lot these, ethanol". Started using marine stabilizer for ethanol in anything sitting more than a month. Except for one chainsaw in 3 years, no problem.

Ethanol is an issue.

vetteLT193

Taking facts and twisting them doesn't make a truth. Ethanol has been around but take a look at the production / sales of it. Minimal at best until 2006

Now it is wide spread so everyone 'gets' to enjoy it

When your boat, lawn equipment, etc were built matters, as does the oil mix you use. Many boaters have been completely hosed because of ethanol destroying fuel tanks, lines, carbs, etc. same goes for lawn equipment, etc. these aren't myths.

The fact that you live in fl mitigates the problem on cars because they can be driven year round. Carbs like use in general, esp. With ethanol.

Mike Ward

Speaking of facts, the above is not true at all. It's been widely used across the Northern US and Canada for at least 20 years. 30 years in some areas.

It's only 'new' in some parts of country and came as shock to many that they've been using it for years/decades, only finding out when pump labelling laws came into force.

Zoomin

Ditto, that's been my experience as well. The sky really is falling!!

rustylugnuts

Next is the tin foiled hats....

http://injectorrepair.com/ethanol-problem/

http://www.fuel-testers.com/list_e10_engine_damage.html

rustylugnuts