Any suggestions for knocking back the damage ethanol causes on old cars.

 

There are several products on the market. Stabill is the first one that comes to mind. Make sure you get the one especially blended for ethanol.

 

Additives help,but from my experience the carburator accelerator pump cup and rubber hoses need upgrading,todays fuel wreeks havoc on them.Nick

 

I've researched this a bit and found Sta-Bil 360 to be proven as an effective additive. The 360 is a brand new product just released in January.
http://www.sta-bil360.com

 

I like my ethanol with a little water ... preferable 12 year old ethanol.

 

With a little ice!

 

Thanks, wmachine!

I have been using Sta-Bil Marine formula for several years with good results, and was not aware that there was a newer product; I will try it!

 

I agree, Nick! I was a Mopar tech for 16 years, and during the '70's we constantly got service bulletins from Mopar about changes in carb parts, such as floats, accel pumps, gaskets, hoses, etc., mostly dealing with the detrimental effects of ethanol based fuels! Back then, most people did not know that ethanol was being added to fuels, as it was not advertised at the pump. But, as a dealership, we were required to attend schools on driveabilty, and to get a fuel test kit, to test for ethanol content of fuels back then for customers with chronic driveability problems .....and needed to advise customers that they needed to change brands of fuel, which solved many problems; sometimes cheaper is not better....

 

A problem with this type of situation is that the damage is not apparent until "you're really in trouble". And you can't really tell if a product you are using to combat this is really working unless it fails and "you're really in trouble" again. This whole process takes a relatively long time. I talked at length to Sta-Bil guys at SEMA last fall and they convinced me that this new 360 product is test proven to work and is the only product on the market so far with *proven* results. I wouldn't want to take a chance on a another product. I'm generally not a big fan of additives. But this is one that I believe is quite significant. Almost literally an ounce of prevention.

 

Drive it more.

Seriously, assuming the rubber parts have been replaced since there is no escaping ethanol. Don't think addtives do any harm (other than your wallet) but I'm a little skeptical on "proof" provided or funded by the guys that make the addititives. Use your fuel when fresh to avoid moisture issues, and maybe use an addtive as insurance if you put the car away for months at a time in winter.

 

If you are skeptical then do your due diligence and check them out. You can get yourself more familiar with companies like Lubrizol Corp, and you will find testing that is being done there that is second to none. I've been to their test faculty in Wickliffe, OH, and can tell you there is no smoke and mirrors there. They have been an industry leader for what, 30+ years? So there is no reason to just dismiss additives.
Sure there are all kinds of pretenders out there. But don't throw out the baby with the bath water. Ignoring additives is not doing yourself a favor.

 

What damage is this? Here in Phoenix all of our fuel is 10% ethanol so my car (1971 vintage so I guess it's an old car) has been running on it for over 15 years and I haven't noticed any damage.

Agreed. If your rubber fuel hoses are still 40 years old then they need to be replaced anyway as they are likely dried out and are not road worthy. Same with the carb - I think any rebuild kit made in the last 20+ years includes ethanol compatible parts. As I said above, my car has been consuming 10% ethanol fuel for 15 years with no damage.

 

I use stabil in my boats, generator and my unfinished 49 olds. After 1 year the gas in generator was still good, while my friends gas smelled like turephine(ssp)?In my boat I run non ethanol fuel. Before I retired a bottle of stabil came with all our small engines for pumps and such. IM a retired diesel mech and shop forum for 40 years.

 

The best additive is gasoline. Lots of it.

 

Okay, but here is where product education can help. Part of potential problems are caused by moisture. And even if you take whatever water that is in the gas out, more forms from condensation especially in the tank of a car that has been sitting, as most of our vintage cars do. One of the benefits of the new 360 is that it puts a protective film on the metal it comes into contact with. Even in a vapor form in a half full tank.
Read up on it. It would be a shame for them to develop such a good product just to have it ignored.
Cripes, I hate to sound like a salesman, but when there is something out there that really is good, we should know about it.

 

Go to the internet and look up pure-gas.org, they list all the gas stations the carry ethanol free gas, that's how I found the 3 gas stations I'm Boise that carry ethanol free gas.

 

In my area there are none.

 

Sounds like a good product for the folks who don't drive their cars much, whether they have 10% ethanol or real gasoline. A tankful of gas doesn't last me very long so I don't have those worries.

 

My carb was just rebuilt and the hoses are newer. My concern is the corrosion inside the carb and fuel smell after shutting down the motor(boiling) that ethanol causes. No stations within an hour drive that sell non ethanol. I'll check out the stabile. Good to know someone has ran ethanol for last 15 years with no issues. Lots of good info. Thanks again.

 

If you have a fuel smell, then something is not right. You have a defective hose, vent, or carb issue.

 

One carb rebuilder I used said the gas boils in the carb because of the ethanol. Last time I shut it down I heard what could be a boiling sound near the fuel pump as I smelled the gas. Note , I notice the fuel hose is touching the radiator hose. Will shorten it in the AM.

 

What temp is your car running? is the exhaust crossover blocked? Have you looked down into the carb to see if fuel was dripping after the engine was turned off?

 

The exhaust is x pipe. I need to look down into carb. The motor has less than 1000 miles. Temp is stock thermostat. Not running hot.

 

I will ask the builder what thermostat they put in. The intake is reproduction W-30.

 

Ask if they blocked off the exhaust crossover in the intake manifold. You may consider running a thick carb gasket if you can get away with it.