The car wouldn't idle four months ago so I replaced fuel filter, it then ran fine. I run 87 Octane fuel through it and don't accelerate hard. I then stored the car for three months, drove it and after ten minutes it would barely run and not idle. Was able to get it back into the garage. Going to replace fuel filter again. I know some veterans on this site might not approve of the fuel I use. Can a fuel filter get gummed up after three months from the ethanol in the 87 fuel? Should I use highest grade premium and an additive also to prevent this happening again? Thank you in advance for your advice. JM

 

87 octane will eventually do major internal damage e.g., pistons ruined, to that motor from detonation, I'm one of the ones that don't approve...yes TopTier brands of 93 octane only. Sta-Bil or Seafoam for storage.

My $.02

Good luck!!!

 

Also, if ethanol-free gas is available in your area, use it. And even if it's available in 93 you may still require an octane booster.

I don't approve of using 87 octane gas in a 10.5:1 CR engine either.

 

No. For the past several years my car has sat in the garage through the summers for 5 months or so until the temp drops below 100F and I have never had any issues with the E-10 fuel.

But as said your engine needs the highest octane fuel you can find these days.

 

Ethanol does not "gum up" filters.

The crap in your gas tank that the ethanol solvents-out might plug a filter. If your tank was clean, you'd have no problem. If you're having a problem, it's because there's already junk in the tank--or in the rubber fuel hoses. The rubber hoses degrade, too. Consider replacing the rubber hoses EVERYWHERE in the fuel system, replace the filter (again), and maybe have the gas tank "boiled out" at a radiator shop.

You'll also want to verify that the filter is in fact plugged, and you're not getting similar symptoms from a completely different problem. Maybe the carb circuits are plugging, or the fuel pump is failing.

I've run E-10 as my fuel of choice for forty years. I've never had a problem that I could blame on the ethanol. I have had "bad" gasoline from an underground tank at a marina (water in the gas); I've seen others with similar problems years ago--the EPA upgraded the regulations on underground tanks, that's not really a problem any more. I had a portable generator that had foam in the gas tank to prevent fuel slosh. The foam disintegrated, turned to jelly. Was that the alcohol, or was that me being stupid and leaving the generator filled with fuel for three years? I think the foam would have degraded with or without the ethanol.

Yeah, that engine needs higher octane rating, or you're so gentle with the gas pedal it never builds real cylinder pressure, or the distributor advance has failed and you've got retarded timing.

SUSPICION with no evidence: Some areas of the country get gasoline with Industrial Waste mixed-in. Someone is putting "stuff" in the gasoline 'cause they don't want to pay someone else to dispose of it. The Industrial Waste causes all sorts of problems--corroded castings, plugged filters, poor performance...there's a laundry-list of issues AND THE ETHANOL IS GETTING BLAMED FOR IT. As I said, I've used "gasohol" for forty years with zero complaints that were actually caused by the alcohol; but lots of other folks seem to have troubles.

 

I doubt much moisture gets absorbed in Arizona, one of the big issues when Ethanol sits. Honestly the only issues I ever had was with 2 stroke carbs plugging up. The easy way to avoid it here is run non ethanol 91 premium.

 

I doubt much moisture gets absorbed in Arizona, one of the big issues when Ethanol sits. Honestly the only issues I ever had was with 2 stroke carbs plugging up. The easy way to avoid it here is run non ethanol 91 premium.