SEMA and Ethanol ... please read ..

[My427stang]

Yuck,  all I do is pour the fuel out of the tanks on the 2 strokes, and throw some Stabil in the 4 strokes in the last couple of times I use them.

I sure wouldn't want to mess with that sludge though.  I wonder if there are different additive packages that cause that.  Midwest stuff seems to not bother any thing of mine

[Joe-JDC]

If you use stabil too often, and don't completely run it out of the tank and put in fresh fuel, then the stabil over time will turn the tank into a  rust bucket that cannot be cleaned or used again.  I had one of my Mustang GTs that I don't drive often so that I could keep the mileage low, and over a winter the stabil turned the whole tank into a fuzzy mess like sponge and hard as a rock.  I had to change the tank, filler neck, fuel pump and purge the fuel lines to get the injectors to prime and start the engine.  Stabil is the only thing that was added to that vehicle, and I will never use it again.  Short term, maybe, but for several months--over a winter, no.  Maybe the temperature here in SA TX was the culprit, but I will not chance it again.  Just my experience.  That picture with the crud in the carburetor is very typical of what happens after a couple of weeks if you don't start the engine and drive it to clean out the old fuel here.  I even had a squirt bottle of fuel sitting on my work bench to just add fuel through the vent tube, and the squirt bottle turned brown as the fuel evaporated on the bench.  Looks like varnish or shellac in the bottom of the bottle.   Joe-JDC

[HarleyJack17]

I am not smart enough to figure it out but I think there is an argument that ingredients in fuel itself have changed.  But it seems nowadays fuel changes fast....I have some that is maybe two months old and smells bad...it isn't bad but does not smell like fresh fuel should. And it is non-E and been in the dry.  Maybe some of the fuels could be getting the bad rap when it is actually the other additives in it, who knows....I am no chemist and can only regurgitate what I experience and see.

I was taken aback when I saw those jets in my ATV though...pissed is more like it.  Some pretty funky stuff to corrode brass so quickly, especially when it says safe for carbs.  Pretty much mimicked what CJShaker Posted except these jets are a lot different. Long with tiny holes etc. in them....lot more prone to issues when you have corrosion or impurities.  They were gunked up inside, outside, holes filling in.  4 Cycles in the HF freight Sonic Cleaner and they looked like new.

[My427stang]

If you use stabil too often, and don't completely run it out of the tank and put in fresh fuel, then the stabil over time will turn the tank into a  rust bucket that cannot be cleaned or used again.  I had one of my Mustang GTs that I don't drive often so that I could keep the mileage low, and over a winter the stabil turned the whole tank into a fuzzy mess like sponge and hard as a rock.  I had to change the tank, filler neck, fuel pump and purge the fuel lines to get the injectors to prime and start the engine.  Stabil is the only thing that was added to that vehicle, and I will never use it again.  Short term, maybe, but for several months--over a winter, no.  Maybe the temperature here in SA TX was the culprit, but I will not chance it again.  Just my experience.  That picture with the crud in the carburetor is very typical of what happens after a couple of weeks if you don't start the engine and drive it to clean out the old fuel here.  I even had a squirt bottle of fuel sitting on my work bench to just add fuel through the vent tube, and the squirt bottle turned brown as the fuel evaporated on the bench.  Looks like varnish or shellac in the bottom of the bottle.   Joe-JDC

Joe, there has to be some blend differences.  When I say I do nothing, I mean nothing.  My lawnmowers go away for the winter with nothing but an empty tank, snowblower all summer. Weedwacker premix stays in the jug for over a year, unless I am low on clean fuel and dump it in a 4 stroke.  No kidding, no exaggeration, my 4 stroke lawn and snowblower are 12+ years old and I haven't even pulled a plug (or changed the oil for that matter LOL) and they start first pull.

Seems like the southern states have the worst, maybe there is something different so it can handle the temps

Good to know on the Stabil though

[Drew Pojedinec]

^same.....
I don't even really change fuel filters.  It's one of those "gee, it's been a decade, I should probably buy a filter" type of thing.

[rcodecj]

I'm in Az. My cars went years on a tank of fuel and the inside of the carb was clean. I have started using Stabil for the last two or three years and the carbs are still clean. I don't know why I'm having no problems with carbs crudding up but I'm glad I don't. What a pain. 
The last time I checked my 67 was driven an average of 55 miles a year for the last 5 years.

[Joe-JDC]

It has to be something in the gasoline here in TX, since I drove to SC a few months ago with my '14 Tundra, and when I filled up in another state my mileage went up to 21.5 mpg, and when I drove to Ohio, I averaged over 19 with my EMC engine and all my equipment, engine stand, in the truck.  I went to Colorado and averaged 22, but come back into TX and the next tank of gas drops to 17.5 and stays there.  When I checked the average on the display, it was 17.0 here around town with mixed road driving over months.  Really disappointing to go out of state and mileage jumps up even with my wife's car.  I have tried Shell, Exxon, Valero, Standard, HEB, Wall Mart, and even some truck stop fuel with similar results.  We must get the swill of leftover fuel here.  Joe-JDC

[RustyCrankshaft]

Most of the pump gas we have around here does bad stuff if let un-treated for several months. I just run race gas in all the saws and weedwhackers so no worries with them. The mower gets run a little in winter so it gets at least a little fresh gas once every 6 weeks or so.

It's funny, but some vehicles have more trouble than others with modern gas. My 73 F350 with the stock incab tank and a saddle tank will sit for months and as soon as it cranks long enough to fill the float bowls on the Edelbrock it came with it'll fire right off. My 73 Camper Special I can't let sit more than a month maybe without running it or the carb will be full of jell. Both trucks get 87 from the same station.

The camper special I dropped both tanks and cleaned them, replaced all the rubber fuel lines, new filters, new fuel pump and rebuilt the carb. The F350 I just put gas in, and the saddle tank has a pretty good layer of dirt floating close to the bottom and never any trouble with it. I though maybe the gas cap or filler neck hose was leaking on the Camper Special so replaced all that too, still does it. Then I though maybe somehow water was getting past the air cleaner, so I put new cowl lacing on it to seal the hood, no change. Then I started parking it under the carport when it was the rainy season, and the gas still turns to too if I let it sit too long. There is something in that truck that causes it to pull a lot of moisture into the fuel system but I don't know what it is. It's even worse than both of my boats. The Nova and Gal also really don't have trouble sitting the winter with pump gas in them. The Nova is covered but outside still.

The larger boat I haul out 2 or 3 times a year and take it home for maintenance and a bottom clean, etc. and when it's out I buy gas on land. I have occasionally had issues with the ethanol fuel in it, but it's moored. After I made sure to only put enough gas in it for the stretch it'll be moored for I haven't had any trouble. The smaller boat will go 6 months sitting and so far I've never had any trouble with the ethanol gas in it.

[hwoods]

I’ve read this a few times and haven’t decided how good or bad it may be.

What I take away is it’s already against the law for me to drive my Mustang to any of my regular stations for fuel. Which I didn’t know!! There is a Buc-ee’s in Katy that sells ethanol free fuel. 60 miles round trip to top off the tank doesn’t sound real economical either. I think I will stick with the local Kroger’s.
 
I guess the labels are too small, I don’t remember ever seeing one.

Anyone think we will get a bunch of new stations selling the ethanol free stuff?

Buc-ee's in Hempstead sells ethanol free fuel too.  Gas Buddy can help find other locations

[cjshaker]

Gas Buddy can help find other locations

How do you look up ethanol free on Gas Buddy? I tried and couldn't find a way to do it.

[RustyCrankshaft]

Dunno about Gas Buddy, but this site seems to be updated at least semi-regularly.

https://www.pure-gas.org/