White_Knuckles

I have a 350 (Olds) with a lumpy cam, 600 carb, HEI, and other flow goodness. My area has nothing but pump gas with Ethanol added. I have the the timing dialed a touch back from ping for the "Premium" fuel I run. I just found a couple places that offer Ethanol-Free gas! Their octane is Plus grade only, not Premium.

I'm thinking the non-ethanol stuff is the ticket. How about adding an octane booster to the Plus grade and rolling more advancement in? Do additives even work? I see several auto-store (snake oil) boosters but have never used them.

What do you guys think? I see getting rid of Ethanol as a good thing but the weak octane may bring back the ping. Any hope of a custom blend? No, I don't have access to Race fuel or Aviation Gas - that's crazy talk!

Ozzie

The Pure-Gas website shows some 91 & 92 octane locations. Would that work?

MDchanic

Okay, so how about telling us what octane you are talking about.

91? 92? 93? 94?

Octane determines the circumstances under which you'll get preignition.

Ethanol is, essentially, a filler, which makes each ounce of gas contain just a bit less energy, and which therefore leans out a carburetor that is properly jetted for non-ethanol fuel.

If you want an octane booster, xylene will work, but it wil reduce the lubricity of the fuel and likely increase cylinder wall wear over time.

The best octane booster available is tetraethyl lead, sold as Octane Supreme by a number of sources. Watch our for lead-fouling of plugs.

- Eric

White_Knuckles

Thanks for the replies!

OZ - not sure what you mean "pure-gas". Is that a station brand in your area?

MD - the non-ethanol "plus" is 89 octane. One higher flavor - 93 was listed in my area but at one of those co-op, card only places. I'm running 92-93 normally with the corn-oil (ethanol) junk.

My carb is conventional jetting likely not setup for Ethanol - thus lean. So, I'll give the 89 a go and see how it acts then try an additive brew? Good to know something real is available in boosters.

MDchanic

Oz didn't include the link.

PureGas.org

- Eric

Ozzie

I apologize. Thanks Eric.

oldcutlass

I'll be honest with you, we have not had a non ethanol gas station here in 5-6 years. I have not run into any issues what so ever using the 10%/93 octane in any of my cars. I have not heard of anyone having issues with any of their cars locally here either.

Fun71

Same here; all the gas is 10% ethanol and no one I know has had any issues with it - new cars or classics. My car has run fine on it for the past 16 years.

Ozzie

Here "most" are the "up to 10% ethanol" variety, but there are some Pure Oil Company stations, some independents, and some marine stations which have non-ethanol fuel, all at significantly higher prices. Right now the 87 10% ethanol is at about $1.679/gal. The 10% ethanol seems to work satisfactorily in the daily driver, but I've been using the non-ethanol in the lawn tools and the vehicles which don't get used much.

Fun71

That's something that has always bugged me since I moved here. Back home in Louisiana the ethanol gas was cheaper than non-ethanol, but here in Arizona the 10% ethanol gas is "oxygenated fuel" and costs more than "regular" gas. What a scam.

MDchanic

Hey, you were pointing him in the right direction.

And, I agree: The non-ethanol really does help reduce gunking in equipment that sits, which MAY include your car, Olds owners.

- Eric

z11375ss

If you run hardened seats is this even an issue? Just asking.

oldcutlass

I don't think its an issue even if you don't have hardened seats.

White_Knuckles

Yikes, this kinda went crazy! I'm glad the web link was posted. Many (like me) might not know this fuel may be available. The cost is slightly higher for non-ethanol but I think it's worth it. The first and primary use was for yard equipment and storage purposes. Ethanol is known for contaminating carbs and dissolving certain type fuel lines or plastic fittings- when left sitting.

I have never had problems burning modern corn-oil fuel but know it's not like old-skool gas. My post was about using it to dial-in more timing. Weak fuel explosion or the "burn envelope" is something we have to live with. A true "hotter" mix may allow more advancement, thus more performance. My normal driver has anti-knock electronics that tweak dwell on the fly so you'd never know it's junk fuel. My Old's sees 4 tanks a year and sits the rest of the time. Hoping this stuff may be a better option for storage and getting a little more kick.

I tend to subscribe to ideas that are probably non-sense. Example, I'm running Valvoline VR1 with added zinc supposedly helping flat tappet cams not wear as quickly. This is marketed as "Racing Oil". Do I need racing oil? No, but I like to think it's better. Will this gas be a better? Who knows, like the oil, it just might be something closer to what the engine was originally designed to run.

olds 307 and 403

Most of our premium here is non ethanol. Mid grade has a little less being a mix and all regular is ethanol. The biggest problem is drawing in moisture, corrosive and loss of mileage over regular fuel. How they figure it is environmentally friendly when we lose mileage. Kind of like the emissions equipment on big diesels, half the mileage and constant failures.