gas today versus parts from yesterday

[edhd58]

I have been reading that the parts from the 40s era do not hold up well with todays gas.
With that said I need to rebuild my old Holley 1bbl carb and thefuel pump. The engine is a 226 G six cylinder.
What is the best kit to get that will hold up with todays gas?
I was recently turned on to "Sta-Bil Marine" gas treatment, on the bottle it says is combats modern ethanol gas. Will this help with the carb/fuel pump versus todays gas issues?

In another post I had am issue of non-start. That turned out to be bad gas, 8 month old bad gas. Now I have bubbles in the see-thru fuel filter, it is between the pump and carb. The filter is in a vertical position but never fills completely and like I said I see bubbles coming from the pump. So I am guessing I need to rebuild the pump, its all copper between the tank and pump, and new hoses after the pump. Also if I spray brake cleaner, the flammable kind, around the carb it smooths out.
I had the carb apart no telling how many times trying to figure out the other issue that I am sure the gaskets are not great now.

So back to the original question. Where is the best place to get rebuild kits for the carb and fuel pump??

[corvette8n]

If your spraying around the carb and it runs better sounds like you have a vacuum leak also.

[KiWinUS]

I purchased same carb kit from Daytona carburetor
Daytona Parts Co.

[Dak Rat]

The problem is the 10% or so amount of alcohol being inserted into the gasoline we have now. I only use 91 octane premium gas now in all my vintage vehicles as well as lawn mowers, snow blowers , chain saws etc. Been doing that for a couple years now and the fuel will go as much as a year without going bad. All my engines love the stuff and have had no carb problems since I started using the higher grade fuel.

[edhd58]

Originally Posted by corvette8n

If your spraying around the carb and it runs better sounds like you have a vacuum leak also.

That's what I think too. The gaskets aren't in the best shape after dozen or so carb take aparts working my last problem. I'll replace the spacer too

[51 MERC-CT]

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Originally Posted by Dak Rat

The problem is the 10% or so amount of alcohol being inserted into the gasoline we have now. I only use 91 octane premium gas now in all my vintage vehicles as well as lawn mowers, snow blowers , chain saws etc. Been doing that for a couple years now and the fuel will go as much as a year without going bad. All my engines love the stuff and have had no carb problems since I started using the higher grade fuel.

Problem "we have now"?. Where I am located 10% ethonal in one form or another has been in fuel since the 1970's.
Have never had any problems using 87 octane in anything. And all my engines love the stuff.

[John Gibson]

Here on a Georgia barrier island marine gas is usually available and I use it in all of my small engines and my 36 as well.
John

[5851a]

All gas is reformulated since old days and some get alcohol. No lead. I use stabil in all things that sit out the winter without ethanol. Ethanol ok in daily drivers for me. No ethanol in small engines for me "replaced to many plugged up carbs the EPA made non fixable." I think the ethanol tends to vapor lock easier than the premium non ethanol stuff. JMO

[Carbroke]

Regarding fuel stabilizers, Gibbs Racing Oil has a product that has been demonstrated in various tests to protect old (and new too I guess) carb's from corrosion created by ethanol fuels, particularly when vehicles are in storage.



I saw a presentation they put on locally and it was impressive, especially the photos we are all familiar with of good float bowls eaten away or gummed to death.



Not connected with them at all, and have used Stabil for years, but this stuff is way better and proven so.


http://www.drivenracingoil.com/dro/h...detergenthtml/

[Seth Swoboda]

Originally Posted by Dak Rat

The problem is the 10% or so amount of alcohol being inserted into the gasoline we have now. I only use 91 octane premium gas now in all my vintage vehicles as well as lawn mowers, snow blowers , chain saws etc. Been doing that for a couple years now and the fuel will go as much as a year without going bad. All my engines love the stuff and have had no carb problems since I started using the higher grade fuel.

The 91 octane in my area still has a 10% ethanol blend in it.

[Seth Swoboda]

I ordered a test kit from NAPA that will tell me the percent of alcohol or ethanol blend in the gas. I'm hearing other folks in my area that have had the gas from our local stations tested and have come back with a 14-17% ethanol blend. That is quite a difference from the advertised "10%" at the pump.

[Kurt in NJ]

Power valve went bad in my "modern--74chevy"----put in one left over from the 46 I sold 30 years before, 10 years later still working

[RalphG]

Fuel pump bowl gasket could be letting air in too. Mine got a little leaky on the 52 Merc and caused a "no start" hot one day til we figured out the cause. Tighten up the nut on the bowl and it was good but I've got a new gasket (cork) to install one of these days. We are lucky to have good gas here in Canada that does not go bad over winter. I've got a two stroke weed trimmer that must be 20 years old and I've never had the carb apart yet. Same with chain saws. The Merc's fuel pump is the same that was on it when parked in the early 1980s. Still pumping gas to the old flathead just fine. Just lucky? Or less ethanol? I don't know.

[Vintage Copper 47]

Daytona Parts has the fuel lines & other components that are resistant to CORN GAS!

I hate that stuff...

https://www.daytonaparts.com/

[Dak Rat]

Forgot to mention, the 91 octane premium I use has no ethanol in it. Costs more--worth it to me.

[Brian]

Back to the original question; where to buy good parts- I hope I'm not being presumptuous here, but I believe charlieny manufactures fuel pump diaphragms that are resistant to your corn gas.

[tubman]

Boy, I don't know. I have a small gas generator (1000 watts) that comes in useful from time to time. It has been sitting (with oxygenated gas) for at least 5 years, and when I went to start it the other day, it was no go. Expecting the worst, I ordered carb gaskets and a diaphragm and tore into it when the parts arrived. The diaphragm looked good, but I replaced it anyway. It still wouldn't start. Pulled out the main jet, and sure enough, it was clogged (even though I had soaked everything in carb cleaner overnight). Spray cleaner wouldn't clear it, so I ran a small wire through it (which I don't usually like to do with very small jets). It started on the first pull.

The manual says that if you are going to store the unit for any length of time, you should drain the tank and run the gas out of the carb. If I would have followed instructions, it probably would have started right up when I put fresh gas into it. Bottom line? I saw no problems caused by oxygenated gas, just one caused by myself. That being said, I have had more problems with engines stored with oxygenated gas than those stored with gas with no alcohol. Luckily for me, we are also in an area of lakes and marinas, and I couldn't tell you where to find a gas station that doesn't have at least one non-oxygenated premium pump, not even the local supermarket.

[Bubsyouruncle]

Gasoline is now so much better than it was when our old girls were built. . .



Except for the alcohol.


I suspect that many of the "problems" that we are now having with our engines are a result of not living in the 1950's when "get out and get under" was common. IMHO.

[blucar]

My carb/tune up man uses Marine grade parts in the conventional carbs/fuel pumps he rebuilds. He also recommends 4 oz of MMO per 10 gal of fuel for all engines with carb's to minimize the effects of alcohol on the carb parts..
Since I started to add MMO to my fuel I have not had any problems with carbs or fuel pumps..

[50fordcoupeman]

Does using non-ethanol fuel provide the same benefits? I have been told to use non-ethanol in everything that has a carb. I do not have problems starting things in the spring after a long winter nap.