Ethanol, it's here!

[Cliff Ruggles]

Ethanol is alive and well and has found it's way into most of the fuel that we use.  Some states are NOT required to label the pumps, but rest assured the fuel you are using probably contains up to 10 percent.

So far, the only big concern with using it is that it will attach any black accellerator pump seals.  They will swell up and come off of the pump.

It tends to make fuel slightly more difficult to burn, and contains less energy that older fuel blends.

We have had several inquiries about setting up q-jets for E-85, but currently we have no plans to start building/testing q-jets to run on E-85, and it is not currently available in our area......Cliff

[comp]

what color is the good seals ?

[17058263]

the good seals are blue and ethanol resistance

[comp]

the good seals are blue and ethanol resistance

 thanks

[Schurkey]

I see an awful lot of "fear and loathing" about the "new" alcohol-blended gasoline on various internet forums.

I've been using 10% ethanol-blended gasoline (now called "E-10", but sold for years around here as "Gasohol") as my fuel of choice since about 1981 or so.  For a very short time (I'm thinking about six months) the fuel was blended with (5%, I think) methanol; the ethanol blend replaced methanol.

I have had Z-E-R-O problems that I could attribute to the ethanol/methanol.  I've used this fuel in everything from lawn mowers, Rochester Q-Jets, Holley Tri-Powers and 4-barrels, Mikuni carbs, Kehin carbs, TBI, Port FI,--you name it.

Install fresh rubber hoses; a "blue" accelerator pump cup and maybe a touch of additional richness (jetting) and you're pretty much good-to-go.    I did have some problems with Holley needle 'n' seat assemblies--the O-ring around the outside went bad a couple of times.  Replacing those O-rings with Viton 'rings instead of the cheap Chinese bulk "parts store" O-rings absolutely solved that problem--which may not have been alcohol-related in the first place.

There were a lot of problems in the early years, the alcohol content would "clean out" all the crap and water in the underground tanks at the service station.  Of course, it cleaned out the underground tank by transferring that crap to the VEHICLE gas tank, the vehicle then (repeatedly) plugged the fuel filter and ran terrible because of all the water in the gasoline.  The EPA has required that those old, rusty, leaky underground tanks be replaced--that is now a very rare problem.  (I've seen ONE case in the last ~ten years--and that happened to a relative of mine in Colorado.)

Ethanol isn't the AntiChrist like some folks make it out to be.

It's terrible Farm, Food, and Energy POLICY, (I hate Corporate Subsidies) but it's fine fuel.

[comp]

do you mean the viton is OK with E-85

[Cliff Ruggles]

"the good seals are blue and ethanol resistance"

Just to add a bit here.  Not all of the "blue" seals are ethanol resistant, or at least some are a LOT better than others.

The "soft" light blue seals do not hold up as well as the harder dark blue ones.

Also, the soft plastic white accl pumps found in many kits will come apart after exposure to fuel for as little as a few weeks.

We went thru several sources before finding the best accl pumps and accl pump seals to use.  Zero failures to date with any of the latest parts we have been supplying in our kits and installing in carburetors built here......Cliff

[mrruffhouser]

I see an awful lot of "fear and loathing" about the "new" alcohol-blended gasoline on various internet forums.

I've been using 10% ethanol-blended gasoline (now called "E-10", but sold for years around here as "Gasohol") as my fuel of choice since about 1981 or so.  For a very short time (I'm thinking about six months) the fuel was blended with (5%, I think) methanol; the ethanol blend replaced methanol.

I have had Z-E-R-O problems that I could attribute to the ethanol/methanol.  I've used this fuel in everything from lawn mowers, Rochester Q-Jets, Holley Tri-Powers and 4-barrels, Mikuni carbs, Kehin carbs, TBI, Port FI,--you name it.

Install fresh rubber hoses; a "blue" accelerator pump cup and maybe a touch of additional richness (jetting) and you're pretty much good-to-go.    I did have some problems with Holley needle 'n' seat assemblies--the O-ring around the outside went bad a couple of times.  Replacing those O-rings with Viton 'rings instead of the cheap Chinese bulk "parts store" O-rings absolutely solved that problem--which may not have been alcohol-related in the first place.

There were a lot of problems in the early years, the alcohol content would "clean out" all the crap and water in the underground tanks at the service station.  Of course, it cleaned out the underground tank by transferring that crap to the VEHICLE gas tank, the vehicle then (repeatedly) plugged the fuel filter and ran terrible because of all the water in the gasoline.  The EPA has required that those old, rusty, leaky underground tanks be replaced--that is now a very rare problem.  (I've seen ONE case in the last ~ten years--and that happened to a relative of mine in Colorado.)

Ethanol isn't the AntiChrist like some folks make it out to be.

It's terrible Farm, Food, and Energy POLICY, (I hate Corporate Subsidies) but it's fine fuel.

[mrruffhouser]

Sorry my response timed out.  In short--Ethanol has been a very costly, time consuming government screwup as far as I'm concerned.  Ethanol attracts water-Water causes rust.  Rust shuts down the fuel delivery system.  A ethanol costs more and produces less power.
It is the "AntiChrist" as far as I'm concerned.

[Cliff Ruggles]

I can say for certain that no rubber carburetor components like the stuff, even in small concentrations.

Interesting that most over the counter parts kits do NOT contain ethanol resistant accellerator pumps, or pump seals. 

Some do contain blue seals on their pumps, but there are at least 3 different "grades", and the lighter blue/softer seals will still swell up if used with ethanol fuels.

We have went to a hard blue seal, made for us, and a hard plastic pump body, which will not soften with long term exposure to ethanol.

Same with the fuel inlet needles, the tip is made from a material which will not swell up or go out of shape with ethanol fuel. 

I don't know of any over the counter kits that contain these specific upgraded components, they are still using up a lot of old stock, and many kits still have the old rubber black seals in them.....Cliff