Joe,Higher levels of alcohol can cause problems for sure but 10% doesn't unless you have natural rubber components in the fuel system. I am aware that anything that says its FlexFuel compatible has changes made to it to tolerate the higher level of alcohol (stainless fuel lines, more plastics, and different rubber compounds) but I was specifically talking about 10% blends and not thinking about airplanes, boats, or anything else since the discussion here is generally about cars and other than being a passenger in those items, I don't have first hand experience with them.
As far as long term damage to carburetor parts goes, when I rebuilt the original carb in my 78 El Camino (it was 25 years old at the time), there was no corrosion damage at all. That car has been well maintained but was not babied. I've worked on plenty of other Ohio cars and the only time I've seen large amounts of corrosion inside of a carburetor is when they were exposed to the weather. Yes, brass floats can get holes in them and I've seen plastic foam ones disintegrate from age but those things also failed before alcohol was used as a fuel additive.
Matt On 11/14/2009 12:29 PM, Joe Fulton spouted this sage advice:
Actually Matt I usually agree with your more scientific approach to problems and complaints but I own a light airplane and the FAA has not yet permitted an STC for supplementing fuel containing alcohol with avgas in low horsepower aircraft engines. Owners of older low compression engines have an STC (supplemental type certificate) available to them to substitute mogas (Shell, Chevron etc. car gas) instead of "low - lead" avgas because the avgas causes lead fouling of plugs, valves in these old engines. That mogas must be alcohol free though and is increasingly harder to get anywhere in the USA.The FAA will not grant an STC based on testing alcohol laden fuel because the alcohol can hold water and set up corrosion "cells" (i.e. foster electrolytic action) between dissimilar metals in the fuel system. Examples are the brass float and needle in an aluminum carburetor. These engines were designed in the 30s and 40s and derivatives of many of these designs are produced even today. Some things are slow to change in the aviation world because the FAA maintenance standards allow the technology to last almost forever. Cars, especially older cars have similar mechanical designs, and you will note the cars must be specially designed to be FLEX fuel vehicles when the use the 85% alcohol blends. So alchohol at least at some level, CAN cause problems.Joe FultonSalinas, CA--- On Sat, 11/14/09, Matt Haas <mhaas@xxxxxxx> wrote:From: Matt Haas <mhaas@xxxxxxx> Subject: Re: [AMC-list] BBD Carb Issues To: "AMC, Rambler, Nash, Jeep and family" <amc-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx> Date: Saturday, November 14, 2009, 8:56 AM How is decades of crap in the gas tank the fault of the fuel? We've had 10% ethanol in the gas in Ohio for over 30 years. There was a lot of panic when it first came out but it didn't prove to be a problem at all. The only time you will have problems with it is with natural rubber parts in the fuel system. AMC wasn't even around when those parts were being made so it should be a non-issue. Matt On 11/13/2009 10:47 AM, Jim Blair spouted this sage advice:Fuel has been progressively getting worse as morestates are putting alcohol in (and increasing the quantity. They are allowing up to 20% here for "winter" fuel) That is stirring up the crud in the tank and pushing it forward. The only real defense is additives that counteract the alcohol damage (just think what it's doing to your poor car's liver.... uh carb!) AND a super quality filter before thefuel pump.Jim Blair, Lynnwood, WA '87 Comanche, '83 Jeep J10,'84 Jeep J10From: tom jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx> To: "AMC, Rambler, Nash, Jeep and family" <amc-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: Re: [AMC-list] BBD Carb Issues Message-ID: <c81e13650911122104s2b774952rd93a8c9ac8c2370e@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" I'm skeptical about problems with the gasolineitself, in any car that's runregularly enough to go through a tank every month orso. There's zillions ofcars on the road without fuel problems. My guess is that is crap in the tank. There's noreason to believe that youcan ignore a gas tank for 20, 30, 40 years and notexpect problems. Water,rust, leaves, bugs, crud, ... soaking in a nastystrong solvent (gasoline)and run through a hot carburetor for 20+ years, yeahthere's gonna be crapin there.
-- mhaas@xxxxxxx Cincinnati, OH http://www.mattsoldcars.com 1967 Rambler American wagon 1968 Rambler American sedan ================================================================= According to a February 2003 survey of Internet holdouts released by UCLA's Center for Communication Policy, people cite not having a computer as the No. 1 reason they won't go online. _______________________________________________ AMC-list mailing list AMC-list@xxxxxxxxxxxx http://list.amc-list.com/listinfo.cgi/amc-list-amc-list.com
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