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EFV-8 Club Forum / Light Commercial Truck Discussion / WHAT TYPE OF GAS TO USE

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Discussion Topic: WHAT TYPE OF GAS TO USE

BOB HYSER

04-12-2012 @ 5:22 AM

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I am sure this topic has come up before, but being new to the EFV-8 Forum I must ask again. Also I tried to search for past forum question but no results. I have a 1939 85 HP V-8 My question is what type of gas should I be using. I can buy non-ethanol with octane rating above 87. Or use non-leaded ethanol and put some type of additive. Thanking you in advance.
Bob

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BOB HYSER

Stroker

04-12-2012 @ 5:36 AM

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Bob:

I wouldn't get too paranoid about the lead, but I'd try to avoid ethanol at all costs. If you live by a small airport, you might consider purchasing about 10 gallons of 80/86 octane av gas
for winter storage, as it degrades less than auto fuel over time.

TomO

04-12-2012 @ 7:03 AM

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The 39 engine should handle either gas very well without an additive. The problems with ethanol is that it is a good solvent and will dissolve varnish and rubber.

Your gas tank probably has varnish in it from years of service and the carburetor and fuel pump may have rubber parts that are not alcohol resistant. If the fuel pump and carburetor have been rebuilt wit parts manufactured since 1990 the rubber is alcohol resistant.

If you use the gas with ethanol, reset your fuel level 1/32" tp 1/16" lower than stock. This will help with some of the problems associated with the modern fuel.

Tom

BOB HYSER

04-12-2012 @ 2:43 PM

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I can buy non enthonel gas at a local gas station but the octane is above 87 I think it is 89. Will this higher octane cause any harm?

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BOB HYSER

Stroker

04-12-2012 @ 2:56 PM

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If you have the option of NOT buying ethanol, I'd take it. Granted, by replacing pump diaphragms,carb innards and all will make your fuel system more alcohol-resistant, there
are other issues in an unsealed fuel system with ethanol due to its' affinity for moisture
from the atmosphere.

I live in the "Corn Belt", and we even get a tax break on the price of ethanol. I still
prefer not to use it. Higher octane fuel won't hurt your Ford, but it won't make it run better.

I might add that there are no currently sold non-racing, or non-aviation motor fuels that contain
lead, as it was banned many years ago by the EPA. You can still purchase it as avgas or racing gas, and you can purchase lead "substitutes" in the form of additives, but that's hardly practical for a road vehicle.

Ford flatheads seem to survive quite nicely on non-leaded fuels, plus non-leaded fuels eliminate
frequent spark plug cleaning/replacement issues.

This message was edited by Stroker on 4-12-12 @ 3:51 PM

BOB HYSER

04-12-2012 @ 5:45 PM

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Thanks very much to all that have aided in my gas issue. What I have concluded from my question is that ethanol is not good to use, which I felt was true from the begining. And it is all right to use a higher octane gas it will not harm the engine.
Till I have another question I thank all of you for your knowledge.
Bob Hyser

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BOB HYSER

51f1

04-13-2012 @ 5:31 AM

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I think that the ethanol flavored gasoline degrading over time issue is over blown. I grant you that my experience is anecdotal, but I just started my pressure washer that hadn't been run is 3-4 years. It had old ethanol gasoline in it. The gasoline smelled good, and the engine started right up. I have never had a problem with old gasoline containing ethanol. My son, who works on old motorcycles, would disagree.

The qualities of ethanol that cause deterioration of rubber parts is another question. My '51 truck doesn't have any old parts in it, so I can't comment on that.

Richard

supereal

04-13-2012 @ 11:28 AM

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The primary problem with ethanol is that it attacks and disolves non-resistant rubber parts anywhere in the fuel system. In our area, we have a choice of non alcohol gas, but most of it still has some detectable alcohol in it, probably from the transport, or a service station trying to make an extra buck if there is a tax advantage. Using alcohol gas in older small engines will usually result in damage. That is why most manuals say to avoid it. The ethanol producers want to increase the content to 15% from the current 10%. If they succeed, then we will see real problems.

TomO

04-14-2012 @ 9:29 AM

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Richard,

There are so many blends of gasoline out there that it is very hard to give an answer to whether it goes bad or not. In the Chicago area, the gas does not hold up very well without Stabil. It is more noticeable in the small engines like my 2 cycle snow blower and chainsaw than in my car. I must drain all of the gas out of them if they are going to sit for more than 2 months. When I did not do this, I had to rebuild the carburetor as it was all gummy with varnish.

I use Stabil in all of the gas in seldom used engines (car, lawnmower, pressure washer, etc.). The 2 cycle oil has a preservative in it also.

I have not seen any signs of phase separation (alcohol and water separating from the gas) of the gas and alcohol, but then I have never left gas in a can or the tank for more than 6 months. I do believe that it will occur and the time that it takes to occur will vary depending on where the gas was purchased and the storage conditions. I would expect more of a problem in the coastal areas, due to the higher humidity levels.

The small engine manufacturers and the rising cost of ethanol production have kept the levels at 10%. If they do go to 15%, we will have to drain our tanks more frequently and will probably have more fuel related problems with the cars.

Tom

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