Old Cars and New Gasoline

Is there any known risk with running new gasoline containing Ethanol in older cars? I'm mostly concerend with my 1976 Country Squire. Are there any additives to counter act the Ethanol?

 

I've been running gas with up to 10% ethanol in both my '67 and '73 Oldsmobiles for years without a problem. Some gas stations sell pure gasoline, and maybe some do in your area. But in many cases, you have no choice but to put gas with ethanol in it because that's all there is.

There is nothing you can put in the gas to "counteract" the effect of the ethanol. It's there as a source of oxygen to presumably increase the efficiency of combustion and produce fewer pollutants. The problems are that it's a polar compound and that it attracts water. This means that it can both, by itself, chemically attack fuel system components that pure gasoline wouldn't touch, and any water that's dissolved in it can also possibly harm fuel system components.

The way to counteract it is to replace rubber seals, fuel lines, etc. with parts that are resistant to the effects of ethanol.

 

I have had both 78 and 79 Thunderbirds. The only thing the ethanol did was reduce my gas mileage by about 50 miles a tank.

 

The real problem is the ethanol is damaging to plastics materials that may be in the fuel line. Most of our cars don't have much to go wrong there. The only thing I have ever done was to swap out my accelerator pump cup for one that was an appropriate material for ethanol fuel. It was ready to be replaced anyway.

 

On all of my older vehicles, I make it a point to change out ALL of the rubber and plasitic fuel system parts. Ethanol IS detrimental to older fuel systems, especially plastics, and the leather used in OLD carbs.

Thankfully, logic rules in OK, where you can get 100% real gasoline everywhere, and you have the OPTION as a consumer to use E10 or E85, rather than having the corn-squeezins rammed down the throat by the all-knowing Federal bureaucracy.

 

I haven't had any problems with thousands of miles and occasional setting but I try to put a pint of transmission fluid with at least every other fill up. I am not sure exactly what it does but a good old mechanic advised it.

 

That, or a small amount of kerosene or Diesel fuel does the same, too. Plus, it's cheap when corn squuezins are all that is available.

 

It sounds like there is not a lot to worry about with the ethonol gasoline, other than the rubber and plastic parts, which many of the new cars are loaded with.

 

DO NOT use it in lawn equipment, especially if that equipment is under warranty. Nearly all manufacturers have a disclaimer that tells consumers they will NOT warranty fuel issues in anything that ran moonshine (ethanol) through it.

 

Good luck here in Ontario with that. There is not a single gas station that does not have the "MAY CONTAIN" sticker on it.

 

We have a few 100% regular pumps at at least two stations here in the boonies. Both say MARINE FUEL. But for the added cost I just use corn juice added fuel in my mower and chain saws. So far they are still working.
It's the antique cars that will be a problem until the carb and fuel pump parts are upgraded. Sadly many really old cars won't have modern replacement parts.
Since our politicians and other leaders drive Lexus' and similar new cars they really don't care about the rest of us.

 

New Gasoline? Nothing has been new for many years.

 

Cat, second from the left...

 

Yep that was me. Fresh out of high school in 1932 and my first real job in the fueling industry. My bride and I moved from Illinois to Lincoln, Nebraska to seek our fortune.

 

hmmm

As I have come to understand the situation, the cars that need "additives" are the ones with engines built to run on leaded gas(pre 69 in American cars. New trucks and vans were built to run on it until the early 80's, I believe). Not only was the lead added to help stop pinging and make the fuel burn more evenly, it also helped lubricate the valve train. Or, so I've read and been told. And unleaded gas provides neither of these things. There are additives that add lead or lead substitutes, to return to the fuel, those qualities it used to have. Gasoline with alcohol in it, once again, or so I've been told, in the "good old days" was called ethyl.