Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

I have a crate engine so I run ethanol free but I would think new engines (or rebuilt) being sold could handle the ethanol. I also run mid-grade and I am always wondering if I need a lead additive? I have read what we should do per say but am more curious on what people are doing.

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

I started to because it is easily available from home and figured it would be better for the carb. Mine also runs much better on it

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

Ethanol free isn't even an option near me and we are sitting near the source of much of the fuel production.

No need to step up to mid grade unless your engine is 10:1 or more compression and iron heads. Lead additives would be another waste of money.

Ethanol is really only a problem with fuel that sits for long periods. Absorbing humidity from the air the fuel can phase separate the water logged ethanol.

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

Nothing wrong with ethanol once it gets to the engine, but it's the fuel system that takes a beating. In addition to absorbing water and potentially causing corrosion, it eats rubber. Last vehicle I touched I re-did the entire fuel system in stainless and braided teflon, without an inch of rubber in the car.

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

Ain’t that the damndest thing?? It’s the same here gas and oil wells everywhere and there is only one gas station Around that sells ethanol free and it’s 30 cents more a gallon than premium ethanol blended. Makes no sense at all to me, there’s far more oil wells than corn fields here.

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

Copy that on the rubber, thank you!

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

I have always known about the impact on seal and gaskets so.

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

You should not need a lead additive for a crate motor. As for ethanol, like others mentioned, I can't avoid it here it Fort Worthifornia. 10% is the best I've found, some places have 15%. Ugh. Seems the cards are stacked against us, but at least we still have gas - there, I wanted to finish on a positive note :)

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

There is just ethanol gas around here. I use the regular grade for my daily driver. I have had no problems with the rubber hose I got from LMC and the Quadrajet I got from National Carburetors and the Delphi fuel pump I got from Autozone.

Locking Stant fuel cap did not last, rotted in 2 months. I contacted Stant and they don't think it's a problem, and they don't know what ethanol is or that it could be a problem for the rubber they use. They were happy to loose me as a customer rather than think or talk about it any more. I found another brand that works, and unfortunately lost track of what brand and part number it was.

So it depends on what parts you gather together to work, how long they will happen to last with ethanol. A certain amount of trial and error is needed to figure it out.

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

Yes I do, in everything with a carburetor.
4 bucks a gallon.
..Sucks

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

This^^^^^^

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

We're fortunate here around Huntsville there are still half dozen or so stations that have real gas. Some only one grade, but at least it's available. Costs 30-70 cents more than the subsidized 10% corn fuel. I use it in everything including the late model daily drivers, but I especially like it for the vehicles that only get one or two fillups a year. Never have a problem with stale gas and have never had a fuel line or pump go bad.

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

It’s all I run in things around the house- mower, pressure washer, etc. and in my vehicles that aren’t driven lots. It is expensive, partly because it’s high octane too though. I have spent way too much time and money dealing with the panther piss corn juice and the havoc created by it sitting overwinter in the system so it’s way worth it to me. Wish it were more available and in different grades. I really don’t think my 7.5:1 compression ratio mower Needs 93 octane...

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

We have it here in northern Arizona. 87 octane. I run it in my vintage vehicles with an octane booster. Seems to be OK. I have been told that Sta-bil is a good additive if running 10% ethanol fuels.

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

Wow. I thought NY was bad. Non ethanol high test is 3.19 around me. I use it in all my power equipment and older cars and motorcycles. Since they tend to sit more than my newer everyday cars. Or should I say car my truck is diesel

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

Startron is the better fuel life extender, IMO. We have no real gas in my area, only 90% gas/10% trouble. I run it in everything. I haven't had issues from over winter sitting and most of the time I never get around to adding Startron. I put that in my gas and mix cans, even though the mix oil has extender. Ethanol issues have snuck up on my stuff a few times. It's always when I let something sit unused a little too long. When I'm using my chainsaw a lot I use pump gas, like during winter. The rest of the time that and my weedeater get the canned 50:1 pure fuel. I just had to fix my saw again from sitting, so from now on it's the canned pure or fill the can at one of the two places I know sell ethanol-free. Both about an hour away. My truck I go out and start every few weeks and so far so good

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

My vapor locking in traffic absolutely stopped when I found a station with E- free gas.
These carbed trucks where designed to use GASOLINE.
The main bummer is finding stations that carry E - free fuel.
All the Best, Dirk

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

I wish they would quit messing around with this E10/E15 BS and go straight to E85 - at least I could then build an engine to take advantage of the increased octane rating.

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

or you could try to build one that works with regular fuel ? Why does everyone blame the fuel rather than the builder ?
:lol:

oh it's the fuels fault . I did everything right but the fuel is the problem ... whaaa whaaa

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

Ethanol is abundant because of the Corn(farmers) lobbyist. I do not run it in any of my old vehicles.
Ron

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

If this was directed at me, I am not blaming anyone. All of my carbureted gas engines run great on 87 octane E10. My point is, if we had 100+ octane E85, you could up the compression ratio and change the cam and/or even add some boost to take advantage of the added octane rating and make more power.

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

As may others have said, I only run ethanol free in my carbureted engines. My C10, CJ5, and all lawn equipment. I don't worry one bit if I leave one sitting without starting it up for a few weeks.

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

I run ethanol free fuel in all my carbureted and small engines.

Last Friday I hooked a trailer loaded with a mini excavator to my Longhorn and headed east 45 miles to help my BIL with a flipper house he bought.

I was running late and had no ethanol free fuel on that side of town, so I filled up with 10% ethanol. On the morning trip, it was cool, and the old truck was running great.

On the return trip the temp's were in the nineties. In the long pulls, the truck started to vapor lock.

I have about a mile of uphill pull to the shop, and I got about 150 feet from the gate when it completely quit. I let it cool for 10 minutes and it ran enough to get me in the gate.

I have two big blocks that will vapor lock when running ethanol in hot weather.

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

We have 91 octane ethanol free at most stations here and one station that has pumps with both 89 and 91 octane ethanol free.

Re: Do you run ethanol free gasoline?
 

I have an electric fuel pump to feed the mechanical fuel pump on the engine. The electric fuel pump was installed by my FiL because of the running-out-of-fuel issue when switching tanks. The truck could use a gauge that reads each tank, instead of watching the odometer. I see that those were available. Gonna have to look around for that.