The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk My comment on gasoline........

Wanted to post this here in the hopes that as many people see it as possible. I recently put my truck back on the road after a major repair. I drained the tank and put in a full tank of FRESH GASOLINE. It was just simply amazing how much better the truck ran compared with how it ran before the fresh gas! Much has been written about modern ethanol laced gasoline, and how quickly it deteriorates. After 30 days this new stuff gets pretty rank!! I'm posting this to say that if you're engine is performing poorly I STRONGLY SUGGEST that you drain your tank and then put in lots of fresh gasoline and see if that doesn't cure your problems. My truck has never run better and I didn't have to do a thing other than put in fresh gasoline!

Hope this helps some of you guys pulling your hair out trying to figure out why your truck isn't running good.

The word on the street (as the kids say, I think), is that the ethanol is not what dissipates from the fuel, but rather, it is the volatile chemicals added to the blend to make the ethanol work as a fuel additive.

That's OK for you to propose Carl, unneeded corn is not grown in VA.

(deleted political comments.)

Somebody needs to get ready with defibrillators out in Texas for when Cletis reads that.

Brad

OK, I've deleted 2 political comments, one with foul language. The next one gets the thread locked. There is no need for this.

Thanks Chuck,
For the Info and Bringing this to light.
I Guess No one wants to solve the real root problem of why that truck was running like crap and admit that this "Experiment" with Our UUGGHH gasoline is killing all fuel systems in the internal combustion realm.
Stabil helps a bit and prolongs the inevitable Phase Separation.
You gotta see what it does to marine fuel systems,chain saws,snow throwers,mowers,trimmers,generators etc.
Face it, It,s nothing but glorified Water! For 2.21 a Gal.
regards,
steve sr.

Thanks for your comments Steve. Yes, I've already spent a fortune on my string trimmers and backpack blower fixing damage done by this new water laced fuel. I've learned the hard way to use fresh fuel in small engines and large ones, like the ones in our trucks! I think folks don't think about their old fuel being the source of their engine problems, so I was just trying to pass along some helpful advice.

FWIW I regularly run two to three month old gas in my '38 during the winter. I gas it up in the late fall, don't drive it a lot but do drive it some during the winter, & usually get by on the same tank all winter. I coated my tank using Redkote. I've never had an issue with gas going bad or my tank coating peeling. My oil/gas mix for my chainsaw is several years old and the old saw still fires right up on the rare occasion I need it.

I know Denny did a mason jar experiment and posted that nothing happened to the gas sold in his area. Never went bad or changed color.

you can see by the pic of my fuel pump that the gas in my area definitely went bad.

I'm pretty sure a lot depends on brand, time of year, blend, maybe heat?

better to be safe

1. We in Missoula starting using "oxyfuel" (ethanol/gasoline) long before others. It supposedly lowered carbon monoxide at a single street intersection long, long before the global warming fear and push for ethanol everywhere. The big problem initially was ethanol softened and dislodged gunk in the fuel tank. I know one person who had a lot of engine work done when she probably just needed a new fuel filter.

2. Ethanol does lead to water absorption but remember the good old days when we added Heet, another alcohol (isopropyl alcohol, a bigger brother of ethanol), to absorb water condensate? Go figure.

3. My lawn mower recently sat for 7 months (the Montana lack-of-growing season) with the old gas. It started and ran beautifully with one pull this spring.

4. Who said "Sorry for such a long reply. I didn't have time for a short one?"

Gosh, I remember back in the late 60's, I put an additive in my fuel .. something like STP or something with an S. It was suppose to get the water out - other than that, I'm not sure exactly what it did. Maybe nothing but they had a good marketing company.

Back in the 50-70's the additive was called "dry gas". It was used to prevent gas line freeze up in the winter. I would experience carburetor ice up if the outside temperature was below 55 degrees in my 67 Ford pickup. That was when the gas tank was behind the seat. White ice buttons would form on the secondary venturi's as I was driving down the road, especially the expressways. One can of dry gas per fill up prevented it from happening. I do a lot of small engine repairs for my friends and neighbors. Nine out of 10 times it's a junked up carburetor.

Rick

It' probably my fault, but I went to get some "gas" at a local store several months ago. I forgot about how easily the trucks would overflow when you put the nozzle on auto. Well as luck would have it mine overflowed. I wiped it off as quick as I could and to my surprise when I got home the paint below the filler cap was very blistered, all the way down the body. The paint was so bad it was down to the primer. Also the running board paint was the same way. I've overflowed it before and it did not do anything. Go figure! The "gas" here in Mississippi is supposed to be 10% corn (he-he) maybe it was 10% corn whiskey. Who knows. I've found 2 places that sell real gas. Truck is getting a rear end installed at the present, by ("I'm so slow-me) I've had a problem with some cutting out or stumbling at low speeds so I'm going to take all the gas out of the tank, blow the fuel lines out and put an accelerator pump in the carb. and refill the tank with "real" gas. I'd be willing to be a nickel it runs OK. Just some thoughts. The "real" gas cost just a little more but if it fixes the problem what the heck. Sorry this is so long but had to get all of this in. Thanks, Steven
PS- Do I think this present gas is not good for our trucks. You bet I do.