Draining the Gas Again

[Rex Smith]

I've had this happen at 3 times now. The first time was fixed by replacing the gas. The 2nd time was also fixed by replacing the gas. Admittedly, the first two times, the gas was in there for months, not weeks. The third time, I fixed it with a fresh carb. This time, I cleaned the carb I took out the last time, put it in and it fixed it. I agree that weeks shouldn't be an issue, but each time this has happened, it's been gas-associated. I've got good flow from the tank and the sediment bowl is clear. Not yet sure what to make of it.

[TerryO]

Fix it and drive it regularly and you won't have this issue again.


TOB

[Rex Smith]

Got both carbs working. One had a sticking float valve and the other had a jet that was completely plugged. Agree that the gas wasn't bad (as in too old). I think both carbs got fouled over time with the ethanol. I do need to run it more often, but I've accumulated too many old cars over the years. Hard to keep up with them.

[Phil Brown]

Ethanol-free gas would be a huge help for a car that sits from time to time
You can also strip the ethanol out of your gas with it by mixing in water, and letting it settle. The ethanol will bond with the water and go to the bottom with the gas on top. Then siphon the ethanol-free gas off of the top.
Much the same process as checking % of ethanol in a gas sample

[ronn]

keep the tank less then half full. add a gallon now and then when you start the car.

[Grumps]

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The problem with only keeping the gas tank half full or empty is that the ethanol gas attacks moisture and will cause rust in the unused portion of your tank unless it has been coated with a gas tank sealer. I've been told that it's better to have the tank full because of this but I'm not sure that it's true.

[31a]

If I understand what you said about changing the carb and it ran fine, it is not the fuel.

[8EL]

Mine will idle for about 2 minuets on the fuel in the bowl after closing the fuel stop cock. It has the original Zenith cast iron carburetor for comparing like for like types. Others may hold more or less, but stopping in 30 seconds if the bowl was full seems premature for running out of fuel. If it is filling slowly and you give it more time does it still shutdown in 30 seconds?

[8EL]

You may have hit the nail on the head with the observation made that the needle seems to stick in the seat. Ethanol attacks rubber parts, the rubber tip on the needle should be neoprene, but I wonder, older needles used to be made from stainless steel, do you possibly have a serviceable donor you can try in your application? Do they still sell the older style that you could replace it with? May be well worth your effort......

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by Phil Brown

Ethanol-free gas would be a huge help for a car that sits from time to time
You can also strip the ethanol out of your gas with it by mixing in water, and letting it settle. The ethanol will bond with the water and go to the bottom with the gas on top. Then siphon the ethanol-free gas off of the top.
Much the same process as checking % of ethanol in a gas sample

Just be aware that you are also lowering the octane rating when you do this...

[Banditorama]

Originally Posted by Y-Blockhead

Just be aware that you are also lowering the octane rating when you do this...

At the stock 4.2:1 compression ratio, it won't be an issue

[gdmn852]

Hello, had similar problems with mine , cleaning carburetor a couple of times, what actually fix it was removing the jets and with a thin wire, clearing out the drilled passages in the carburetor itself, all kinds of rust and debris were in them , that the carb cleaner didn’t take out .Good luck 🍀.

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by Banditorama

At the stock 4.2:1 compression ratio, it won't be an issue

Maybe, but a lot of us use higher compression heads and it will make a difference. See this recent thread on knocking.https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=331016

I limit my advance to 28° total advance to prevent pinging so if I lowered the octane I would have to set my timing even lower.

Besides, who is going to go to all the trouble of stripping ethanol from every tank of gas by pouring a gallon of water into it? All to end up with 9 gal. of lower octane gas??

Be pretty hard to do while on tour., haha.

[Phil Brown]

I have a Thomas head that sits at 8.1 compression and runs fine on California's crap 92 octane on my truck also set to 26°- 28° total that runs great. And no it does not rattle or ping, so I really don't know what you should worry about at the 5.5 or 6.0 that everybody seems to love
As said above getting the ethanol out of the gas was ment as an idea if your car sits in storage for a few months. Even 10% can cause alot of problems
One might also ask just how much does removing that 10% lower the octane form the 92 ?
Whats the octane of 85% ethanol or better known as E-85 ?
its only 5-6 points for a 75% increase in ethanol
I guess my point is that corn has no place in a gas tank