Fuel problems

[MrTube]

Well I guess ethanol has hit me too.
I went to get the "A" ready so the boss can take it to a few shows and as I feared its not running anything like it did when I put it away last fall.

First time I tried to start it she fired right up and then stalled. This repeated quite a bit and then started to get better and better.

Now, it runs and is drivable but is missing occasionally at idle and is definitely running lean under a load. The typical feeling of going from half way to wide open having no effect.

The gas tank was almost empty when I stored it and I of course added quite a bit of fresh fuel to it so now I'm wondering.

Should I just keep running it carefully and hope it cleans out, or should I just pull the carb now and give it a good cleaning?


Has anyone found STA-BIL working to stop this problem? If so I want to add it to other things like a pressure washer and lawn mower before I store them.

[pat in Santa Cruz]

you can try some of the remedies-in-a-can first. Seafoam works pretty darn well. We recently dumped a can into the Lincolns gas tank and the results were remarkable. Marvel Oil can help loosen the valves and keep them loose. Stabil is to prevent the fuel from going bad. Once its bad, or once something in the fuel system is malfunctioning, I don't think it will help much.

[Kurt in NJ]

Look for black goo partially clogging the tips of the jets ---i had a similar problem until I modified my parking procedures ----shut the fuel off before parking the car so the fuel level in the bowl was low and not evaporating out of the tip of the jets while sitting---

[Patrick L.]

Sea-foam..

[Mitch//pa]

clean out the carb it will take all of few minutes. easier now then on the road or in the middle of a parade

[John Butts in CT]

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Here's a (slightly updated) repeat of a post of mine from an old "Do A's tolerate Ethanol..." thread. I still swear by it. MMO and Star Tron are two of my six steps to coping with ethanol:

"In prior threads here and on the old Barn I shared my experiences with creeping neoprene goo after E-5 appeared in New England. I'm not going to cover old ground; we've all heard about how the fuel separates, evaporates, turns to corn syrup, dissolves neoprene, etc., etc.

Cutting to the chase, the following formula has given me four (SEVEN as of 2011!) consecutive years of driving without a single fuel-related problem... E-5, E-10, 87, 89, 91 Octane, whatever:

1) HARD Neoprene gauge float, NOT CORK.
2) CORK gauge gaskets, NOT NEOPRENE.
3) MMO added to gas, per manufacturer's instructions.
4) Star Brite "Star Tron" (the blue stuff) added to gas, also per
manufacturer's instructions.
5) Run carb dry at the end of each day.
6) The on-board computer (driver) needs to adjust the spark and
GAV "to taste." (The car's taste, that is.)

There, I said it; take it or leave it, it works for me.

Whether it's a day, a week, or a month between starts, the "A" starts first time, every time. (As do my lawn mowers and snow blower, on the same fuel diet, no matter how long the fuel sits.)"

[Bruce Adams]

SEA FOAM has been tremendous for me in all my gas engines that have gunked up from the ethanol.


Stabil does make a "Marine Formula" that is Ethanol fighter, but its too late for that now.
Startron by Starbrite was the first gumming preventative, and is still good when putting engines away, but not as a CURE.

[FL&WVMIKE]

Mr. Tube .................
You can still buy non-ethonal fuel. It is a bit more, but it does not have the problems of storage. Perhaps, there is a station near you. Check this listing.
MIKE

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp

[MrTube]

Originally Posted by FL&WVMIKE

Mr. Tube .................
You can still buy non-ethonal fuel. It is a bit more, but it does not have the problems of storage. Perhaps, there is a station near you. Check this listing.
MIKE

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp

Mike,


No such thing in NJ.

Nothing close to me unfortunately.

[CarlG]

Alaska hasn't had ethanol in their gas for several years now.

[MrTube]

Originally Posted by CarlG

Alaska hasn't had ethanol in their gas for several years now.

Thanks for rubbing salt in the wound Carl

[MAG]

My experience has been identical as John Butts. I follow the same procedures, use the same products and have the same results.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by CarlG

Alaska hasn't had ethanol in their gas for several years now.

You're sure lucky. That alone might make it worth moving to Alaska!

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by MrTube

Thanks for rubbing salt in the wound Carl

No problem!





Of course since we produce the gas here in Alaska, we have to pay $4.50 (or more) a gallon for that privelige.

[MrTube]

Originally Posted by CarlG

No problem!





Of course since we produce the gas here in Alaska, we have to pay $4.50 (or more) a gallon for that privelige.

Ouch! I think its down to around $3.19 a gallon here.