Well,
we’re told up here that our fuel has a shelf life of 30-60 days, as well.
However, I never have a problem with “old” fuel sitting in any cars over the
winter (typically 5 months), or gerry cans that sit around slowly being used
for lawn mowers, etc, all summer and some into the next. I have a friend that
works at a wrecking yard, and keeps all but the most “orange” gas out of the
cars that come in. Some is clearly old, the smell alone tells you that. Yet he
runs it in his ’72 Nova sporting a mild SBC (actually, an old engine of mine).
No problems, and that car is quick. Because of that, I let him dump ~1/2 tank
of that stuff in my ’06 Colorado. Within minutes, the check engine light was
on (evap recirc valve), and the truck has a slightly less smooth idle. It also
tends to act a little fun on ½ warm restarts. I don’t know if that was all a
result of that wrecking yard fuel (even though he filters the stuff real
good), but I’m never going to run it again, in anything, just in case.
Even if it is free.
Interesting
about the corrosion part. I’m assuming that refers to corroding aluminium. Not
really sure that ethyl alcohol is corrosive to aluminium. But, what if it is
to the cheap recycled stuff? Especially the stuff coming out of China? My
father’s ’67 Newport had the carb done on it a couple years back. No signs of
damage to it. It needed to be rebuilt because he never drives the damned
thing. I took it out for a day right after the carb was done, and I think he
may have driven it once himself right after that. The car basically sits, with
me getting around to running it in the driveway every once in a while. So the
carb packed it in from basically drying out. But again, it’s been subjected to
E10 for many miles (it was mine prior, and I drove that car everywhere, and
drove it hard).
Right
now, I have it sitting in the yard, as well as a ’57 Nash Metropolitan, ’62
Nash Metropolitan, ’66 Chevy Biscayne, and my ’62 Dart. All doing perfectly
fine on E10/blended fuels up here. The Newport sees little driving, and the
Biscayne sees some. The Mets aren’t being driven right now, but had been
basically daily drivers from spring until snowfall. My Dart doesn’t get as
many miles as I would like to be able to drive it, but it certainly gets it’s
share. None have seen the issues you guys talk about.
So
now I’m somewhat concerned. I had plans to run the length of Route 66 with the
Dart once the new mill was in it. Am I going to have issues? Just thinking,
none of the local guys that make the run down to St. Paul for the Back to the
Fifties show there have ever mentioned anything about having fuel issues. Now,
I know some of them are filling as soon as the cross the border into North
Dakota to save the fuel taxes, and that gas actually ships out of Canada. But
most of those guys are lucky if they only have to refuel once on the trip.
That tank, as well as the tank leaving St. Paul, and the one top-up between
St. Paul and the border should be enough to indicate a problem, I would
think….
Interestingly
enough, I was just talking to my father about this, as he’s a veteran of
E10/blended fuels as well. He just informed me that when in the U.S., he has
found that he gets slightly higher MPG on non-blended fuel down there with his
’07 HHR running the 2.2. Yet me, with my ’06 HHR and the 2.4, I get the same
MPG with whatever I stick in it. Perhaps because his is working harder and/or
revs slightly higher on the highway? I don’t know….
My
’65 Valiant didn’t care. But I’m wondering if the fuel down there has changed
since then? Damn, I hope that’s not going to be an issue. I do plan on making
a run to the East coast of Canada and back, and hoping to also make a run to
Alaska. I guess I’ll know more once those trips are
done…
-Ray
From:
1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Jason Rhoades
Sent: 19 September 2013
16:48
To: 1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE:
Ethanol news
RAY I LIVE IN INDIANA AND HAVE TO AGREE WHOLE HARTEDLY. I THINK
THERE IS SOME DIRTY POOL BEING PLAYED ON US. THE FUEL DOWN HERE AS YOU PUT
IT IS VERY CORROSIVE!! AND WONT KEEP MORE THAN A MONTH OR 2 AT
BEST.. MY SNOWMOBILES ARE A SOB TO START AND THE LEST WE EVEN
DISCUSS THE CHAINSAWS AND WEED EATER. MY GOODNES YOU CANT KEEP FUEL
LINES ON THEM OR START THEM RELIABLY. ALCAHOL FREE GAS DOES RUN
BETTER THAN THE SWILL WE GET SHOVED AT US. BUT… GET THIS …. MY 4 STROKE YAMAHA
426 DIRT BIKE LOVES 93 OCTANE BLENDED FUEL. I PUT RACE GAS IN IT AND
COULD NOT KEEP IT RUNNING.. WHAT ARE THE ODDS.. ANYWAY WE HAVE
EXPERIENCED MASSIVE CORROSION OF THE GAS SYSTEM INCLUDING THE CARB BOWLS BEING
CORODED TO THE POINT OF HAVING TO REPLACE THE CARB. I WAS
SHOCKED!! SOMETHING IS BEING PUT INTO THE FUEL OR SOMETHING, I
THINK TO CAUSE THIS. ( ON PURPOSE I THINK).
WELL JUST MY RAMBLINGS
JASON
