Gotta love Ethanol fuel effects

[cbwheels]

float small.jpg

After a few years of ethanol fuel use on the 69 F100, quantity indications took a dive. After pulling the quantity float, I was shocked to see how it affected the 5 year old float. The rubber "anti-rattle" cap was super brittle with pieces in the bottom of the tank. I believe the cause of the holes might have been that that cap trapped moisture that attacked the actual brass float. Trying a new style solid float with no rubber piece.

[basketcase0302]

Am amazed your truck is still running, (on ethanol fuel if you've been running it for years)!

Every single thing I've owned the past 10 years got only ethanol free fuel as the ethanol will eat away at carburetor rubber gaskets quickly!
I've also seen firsthand the damage it does to ANY rubber, (all fuel injection uses Nitrile (Buna-N) that is made to withstand the ethanol's harsh composition). I'd warned my late Step-Dad about this, (yep he was hard headed) and a year later he was replacing the carb on his RV Onan generator, (it drew fuel from the main RV gas tank).

For the newer guys that didn't know there are a few of these sites on where to find ethanol free fuel for our trucks/boats/lawn equipment and whatever else you need it for.
Puregas has been around for many years and actually has an ap:

https://www.pure-gas.org/

[LeoZelig]

Basketcase0302, that tip is gold! The PO complained about the ravages ethanol wreaked on the carburetor, and I thought, "wouldn't it be better to find ethanol-free gas?" But being raised by good parents, I listened and nodded, and wondered if ethanol-free gas was even still a thing. Glad to know it is!

[basketcase0302]

Even though "bumpless" for now I still buy no less than 30-40 gallons of ethanol free fuel for my generator supply every year. After hurricane season I then run the same fuel, (which has had Stabil added to it the day it comes home) into my DD so as to "cycle" the fuel always having fresh ethanol free fuel for the generator. And yes...man alive do we ever pay the price for ethanol free fuel but the benefits are endless when considering the damage ethanol fuel does to ANY carbuereted engine, (unless the manufacturer has specified the same carb has updated gaskets and o-rings that are ethanol "resistant").

Highly suggest doing the same if your Bump isn't a DD guys, (siphon the fuel out at least yearly) and run it in youir mowers etc. to keep fresh ethanol free fuel in your Bump. I've sadly already decided to add fuel injection to my next 302 build for my next bump, (still keeping it with a points ignition for EMP threat/safety/dependability). I'd gladly damage the carb on my mower/weedeater/or chainsaw any day of the week with ethanol fuel before doing damage to a priceless bump!

[cbwheels]

Basketcase, thanks for the reminder about the app.
In the Las Vegas area I typically only see a few places that have the "Race Fuel 100" for $7.99/gal, but no where on the pump does
it say "Ethanol Free".
I used to have access to AvGas and kept that in my motorcycles during non-riding season, but no longer have that option.
I am going to make it a weekend project to physically visit the stations on the app in my area and see if they have any ethanol free.
I'll update the app for anyone in the area.

BTW, other than the float getting destroyed, I would rebuild the old motorcraft every couple of years. No leaks though.

Just finishing installation of a fresh 390 I built. Ran it on a test stand to check for leaks, now installed and almost ready to move.

[basketcase0302]

Love...the Motorcraft 2150,(I ran the 2150 exclusively on my 71' F-350 one ton DRW custom aluminum flat bed getting 14 MPG all day long)! It's an old Navy saying...KISS Keep It Simple Stupid! The 2150 is so easy to rebuild and so few parts to break down, (and never have to worry about a secondary float getting stuck 30 miles from the nearest pay phone on a swamp buggy with a Holley 4 BBL that almost ended in disaster)!

Most airboaters down here run av-gas, (sold my airboat back in 2008 when I had to start paying $5.00 a gallon for lead free 93 octane).
I'm blessed to have ethanol free 1/4 mile from my home here, (old skool service station that still pumps the gas for you if you want).

[Ohiotinkerer]

Up here in Ohio we have gas stations called Bellstores and they have what's called 9O REC gas - it's 90 octane ethanol free gas - $3.19 a gallon (right now) and my bump runs great on it......I made the mistake of not filling it up with that right before I stored it for winter and used regular 87 octane a couple years ago and ended up having to pull and clean the carb - owned it for 5 years and that was the first time I ever had an issue so even though it's pricey it's well worth the money since it's not a daily driver.....and I use it in all my small engines and my crotch rocket so to anyone up this way here's your alternative to regular pump gas......

[DrakenJ35]

Are there modern engines that can handle ethanol? I'm asking because although I'm coming back from Europe to Kansas where I intend to avoid it as much as possible, I'll also spend 4 months a year in one of these houses in Berlin that our company's going to get for the ones who will work there (3 shifts per year, so they're getting us a house), and I'm wondering what would be best to drive there, a standard car running on ethanol, or an electric/hybrid car.

[basketcase0302]

"DrakenJ35"Are there modern engines that can handle ethanol? I'm asking because although I'm coming back from Europe to Kansas where I intend to avoid it as much as possible, I'll also spend 4 months a year in Berlin that our company's going to get for the ones who will work there (3 shifts per year, so they're getting us a house), and I'm wondering what would be best to drive there, a standard car running on ethanol, or an electric/hybrid car.

Easy answer to this is that any vehicle manufactureded after the 80's that had fuel injection was designed using gaskets and seats with viton or other materials that ethanol doesn't break down and degrade. Most all of our older carbureted vehicles used rubber o-rings that will swell when exposed to ethanol fuel and lose their natural shape.

[DrakenJ35]

Great, that's what I wanted to know!