Bingster Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 Before starting up a car after a long time, does that additive work that restores gas in the tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 if the gas is suspect...don't use it.....repeat don't use it...you may well foul up your valve guides in doing so.....dump the stuff....don't even use in a lawn mower....they have valve guides also....excellent for use in an open 5 gallon tin pail as a night light..... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike36 Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 What are you calling a long time ? 6 months? 6 years? Draining and cleaning out a fuel tank is easier than doing same to the lines, pump, and carb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knuckleharley Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 3 hours ago, Mike36 said: What are you calling a long time ? 6 months? 6 years? Draining and cleaning out a fuel tank is easier than doing same to the lines, pump, and carb. I can't speak for Plymouthy Adams,but I have had the gas go dead sitting in a lawnmower for three months,to the point the 17 HP Briggs and Stratton engine wouldn't even hit,never mind start. I had to pour it out on the ground and refill the tank. Draining your lines and fuel pump is as easy as falling off a log. Just drain the tank,and then unscrew the fuel line going to your carb. Clamp a piece of rubber line to the carb gas line that is long enough to go to a bucket of some sort,and then spin the engine over with the starter. Have someone holding the fuel line to tell you when it quits pumping gas. If you want,you can then take the top off the carb to siphon any gas still in it out before reattaching the gas line,but if the car has been sitting several months it's probably dry anyhow. If it were me,I'd change any inline gas filters. If it didn't have one,I would put one the car between the gas tank and the fuel pump. Refill with fresh gas and you are done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Los_Control Posted October 19, 2017 Report Share Posted October 19, 2017 This gas we get today is lousy stuff, get rid of it and use fresh. I had to rebuild a carb on a 1979 dodge truck this summer, when I took the float bowl off I thought might vomit. Was like gray guey sticky yuck! The truck rarely got driven for last several years, but gas did get added here and there, it did drive to town once in awhile, maybe twice in a year. But all the time they were just adding fresh gas to the old nasty gas that was still in the tank, making it all nasty. Yeah it was moved and parked just 3 months ago, but now it wont start. (was last summer) My uncle was a crying and complaining, was no fixing that carb and we need to buy a new carb ... it already has been taken apart and cleaned twice by two people! And I asked him why did you hook it back up to the dirty gas tank without cleaning it also? If the gas is questionable, if you added gas to it 6 months ago but it had gas in it from a year ago ...... just dump it and start fresh. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busycoupe Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 A couple of years ago I let my motorcycle sit for a year. It did not run right afterwards and I had the dealer clean and service the carbs. Since then I have added Startron gas additive to the gas I put in anything that might sit for a month or more, including my Dodge. Since then I have had no problems with the bike, mower, snowblower or old Dodge. .. this is not an ad for Startron, just saying that it is good practice to use some kind of fuel stabilizer in anything that might sit more than a few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 The ethanol in modern gas is the culprit for many gas problems. Ethanol eventually breaks down to water and that is death on non-protected parts. If you store any gas engine for a long period, use non-ethanol premium gas in the engine before storing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiffyjet1011 Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 New tanks are available on ebay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knuckleharley Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 22 hours ago, Mike B said: The ethanol in modern gas is the culprit for many gas problems. Ethanol eventually breaks down to water and that is death on non-protected parts. If you store any gas engine for a long period, use non-ethanol premium gas in the engine before storing. BTW,you can usually buy non-ethanol gas at marinas and small airports that service private airplanes. Don't expect to drive up and fill your car tank,though. It's legal forr offf-road use only,and you will have to fill gas cans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDoctor Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 Knuckleharley, I know about obtaining non-oxygenated fuel at a marina, but I wasn’t aware about obtaining it at an airport. I do have a question about that, tho’. While the fuel available at a marina is basically the same as what’s available at the local filling station (with the exception of the ethanol), isn’t the fuel at an airport at a significantly higher octane rating? And, if that is the case, would that harm the lowly flatheads we usually discuss? I defer to you on this, because I just don’t know. Regards . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knuckleharley Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 2 minutes ago, DrDoctor said: Knuckleharley, I know about obtaining non-oxygenated fuel at a marina, but I wasn’t aware about obtaining it at an airport. I do have a question about that, tho’. While the fuel available at a marina is basically the same as what’s available at the local filling station (with the exception of the ethanol), isn’t the fuel at an airport at a significantly higher octane rating? And, if that is the case, would that harm the lowly flatheads we usually discuss? I defer to you on this, because I just don’t know. Regards . . . . I noticed three different octane levels available at the airport the last time I went,but can't remember what they were,other than all were over 100 octane,and VERY expensive compared to gas station ethanol gas. No,it won't hurt a flathead as long as the timing in right,assuming it isn't any higher than the "high test" pump gas of olden days,which I THINK was around 120,max. It's never safe to run the timing too advanced or too retarded with any fuel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithb7 Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 I am interested in learning more about how stale old fuel can damage your valve guides. Please explain @Plymouthy Adams Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 (edited) it would be easier for you to run the old nasty stale ethanol fuel and explain how you freed up your valves after the fact... take it from someone who has done the repair action after the fuel use not once but twice...on the second go around I learned the fuel was over a year sitting in two 10 gallon cans if you find it6 hard believing this, plenty of horror stories to read on the internet....just type in "stuck valves with old ethanol fuel" Edited October 21, 2017 by Plymouthy Adams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knuckleharley Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 4 hours ago, keithb7 said: I am interested in learning more about how stale old fuel can damage your valve guides. Please explain @Plymouthy Adams Thanks. ONE of the advantages of lead in gas was it helped lubricate the valves. Ethanol has no lead in it,but it does attract water,and water causes combustion chamber temperatures to rise. The combination of no lead to lube the valves and higher temps can cause valves to stick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgeb4ya Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 Very old fuel...say 2-5 years or more will STINK like smelly old varnish and and turns sticky. If lucky enough to get the engine started with it..... in about the first five minutes the valves can stick in the up position and the engine will misfire then die from lack of cylinder compression. I have only seen this happen on varnish stinky fuel..and .several times. The valves must be usually be removed... the guides and valve stems cleaned of the varnish fuel... carb and fuel system completely cleaned up. Never chance running an engine on smelly stinky fuel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithb7 Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 (edited) To those who replied, thank you. There was no malice intended here in asking how water in fuel damages valve guides. I have a keen interest and curiosity to know and learn whatever I can about these old cars. I genuinely want to learn. Why take the time to respond to a genuine question without answering it? I don’t find the truth hard to believe. I struggle to understand why it would be easier for me to learn from making a mistake, versus someone else wanting to share their own experiences. I am more than happy to contribute to this forum by sharing my experiences. Good or bad. So others may not have to repeat my same mistakes. Wasting time and expense. Sorry. I just wanted to clarify the intent my initial question. Cheers. - Keith Edited October 21, 2017 by keithb7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrDoctor Posted October 27, 2017 Report Share Posted October 27, 2017 Knuckleharley, Thanks for the information, I really do appreciate your reply. Best regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knuckleharley Posted October 27, 2017 Report Share Posted October 27, 2017 2 hours ago, DrDoctor said: Knuckleharley, Thanks for the information, I really do appreciate your reply. Best regards. You're welcome. Hope it helped you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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