So all my stuff that sat a while was recently given another chance to run, minis, trikes, and one full size tractor that had run less than five years ago or less simply would not run and the gas had turned to gel and crust depending on whether it pooled or not and the task to clean it all up is daunting. I had to clean several carbs and two will need replacing outright, they could not be cleaned sufficiently. On the other hand I have a one ton truck that sat for six years and it will actually run on the gas that has been there 6yrs although it stinks, so in my mind the quality of gas getting really bad happened between five and six years ago. It's not methanol unless they are sneaking it in because I buy 100% gas, this new gas is so bad that a lawn mower that sat only a year had clabbored up to the point a new carb was swapped from a bent shaft mower. Has anyone else noticed this or could it be a regional or local thing? And I also use Sta-Bil but it is only good for a year, someone told me that marvel will make it last much longer.
Gas has changed, not sure what happened but..............
- Thread starter Outlaw Ace
- Start date
- Tags changed gas happened
im told by my local vp fuel distribution guy, that pump gas is made from close to 100 compounds or so.
we get summer and winter blends.
and we have a choice of: ethanol or ether based fuels, which are oxygenated fuels.
the ether based fuel seems more corrosive after long term storage on carb parts.
real GAS comes in a can or drum or the airport. and im told it's made from 7-9 compounds
so drain it, spray it with PB blaster,
or give it a splash of leaded fuel, seems to last a year with no bad effects
it's very difficult and expensive to find vintage fuel system parts now that have not been destroyed by newer fuels.
and it seems that fuel system parts from Europe do not have the severe fuel damage as the US does.
we get summer and winter blends.
and we have a choice of: ethanol or ether based fuels, which are oxygenated fuels.
the ether based fuel seems more corrosive after long term storage on carb parts.
real GAS comes in a can or drum or the airport. and im told it's made from 7-9 compounds
so drain it, spray it with PB blaster,
or give it a splash of leaded fuel, seems to last a year with no bad effects
it's very difficult and expensive to find vintage fuel system parts now that have not been destroyed by newer fuels.
and it seems that fuel system parts from Europe do not have the severe fuel damage as the US does.
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My guess is the one ton truck has a sealed system with fuel injection, the rest are vented tanks & carbs. Gas will keep for a long long time in a sealed tank like on your truck, or a sealed gas can. In a vented carb like on small engines and tractors, not so much. 10% Ethanol or 100% Gasoline it all evaporates and leaves behind varnish/sludge. Best to at least run the carburetors dry if it's going to sit for more than a month or so.
What's crazy is that it's a 1976 carbureted 454 and while the gas is not fresh it will run but roughly, another vehicle sitting for 2yrs less time will run with my remote tank but not on it's spoiled gas. I'm thinking it had ethanol also, my 1950 Ferguson tractor would not run on it's gas either and it ran 3yrs ago. I have drained the tank and have the oil bath air cleaner soaking in solvent and hope to start it on fresh fuel that I'll test first.
I have a hell of a mess here with too many vehicles to maintain, while my Dad was sick not much got maintained except the Honda I bought to get him and my kids to the doctors, my Suburban still runs but the transmission is going out. I have a good one to go in it now and my Son will probably take it over so he can park his El Camino and fix it up. The one ton will eventually be my daily driver pickup and tow vehicle when needed but the calipers rusted stuck so I spent the other day beating the brakes loose, it will need new calipers and possibly a proportioning valve and lines if the empty master cylinder is any indication because if the fluid was not there to protect the lines they likely rusted shut. Something is leaking in the front brake system. So between bad fuel and brakes I'm busy as hell trying to get these vehicles going again. The one ton makes me money when it's running and I have time to buy and sell cars and equipment.
My buddy said he'd just junk it all and start over but I'm cheap and refuse to let simple to fix stuff keep me from moving forward, that and all this stuff is old like I prefer and it's all paid for. I have had chevy HD trucks with Duramax and Allisons and 454s with standards but they are plagued with problems that I cannot fix easily or cheaply but I never let em sit that long.
Never ending spending is where I'm at right now but I hope to slow that down some eventually, I get a little done every day so I'm heading in the right direction I hope.
I have a hell of a mess here with too many vehicles to maintain, while my Dad was sick not much got maintained except the Honda I bought to get him and my kids to the doctors, my Suburban still runs but the transmission is going out. I have a good one to go in it now and my Son will probably take it over so he can park his El Camino and fix it up. The one ton will eventually be my daily driver pickup and tow vehicle when needed but the calipers rusted stuck so I spent the other day beating the brakes loose, it will need new calipers and possibly a proportioning valve and lines if the empty master cylinder is any indication because if the fluid was not there to protect the lines they likely rusted shut. Something is leaking in the front brake system. So between bad fuel and brakes I'm busy as hell trying to get these vehicles going again. The one ton makes me money when it's running and I have time to buy and sell cars and equipment.
My buddy said he'd just junk it all and start over but I'm cheap and refuse to let simple to fix stuff keep me from moving forward, that and all this stuff is old like I prefer and it's all paid for. I have had chevy HD trucks with Duramax and Allisons and 454s with standards but they are plagued with problems that I cannot fix easily or cheaply but I never let em sit that long.
Never ending spending is where I'm at right now but I hope to slow that down some eventually, I get a little done every day so I'm heading in the right direction I hope.
My buddy took some fuel out of an old mower he kept inside because it had soured and he put it in his firepit starter can and he said it would barely even burn with an open flame. I'm convinced we got a big batch of bad fuel with zero stability properties into our supply at some point, maybe it's happened more times than I realized.
Your government prefers that you run E15. Think what that would do to your minis, mowers, motorcycles, etc. The American Motorcyclist Association sent me this tool that assists you in letting your elected officials know of your opposition. Just fill in your contact info an off goes a letter to the right person, based on your address. I don't believe you need to be an AMA member to use this.
https://cqrcengage.com/amacycle/app...X5PxAWMbNx1MkTm_YOodJXWDItNKeMlY0wgSD2tk&lp=0
https://cqrcengage.com/amacycle/app...X5PxAWMbNx1MkTm_YOodJXWDItNKeMlY0wgSD2tk&lp=0
