What type of fuel do you use?

-
Craig Burriss

Craig Burriss

FABO Gold Member
FABO Gold Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2017
Messages
842
Reaction score
954
Location
Statesboro Georgia
As the title states, what type of fuel do y’all use? I have a 440 with around 10.5:1 compression and an edelbrock 800 (I know I should’ve gotten a Holley) also have an edelbrock mechanical fuel pump. I have been using 91 octane ethanol free fuel but it’s hard to find anywhere but this one gas station on the other side of town. Do y’all have problems with the ethanol affecting your carbs? I’d like to start using 93 E10 but if it’s going to eat my carb from the inside out then I’ll just figure something else out.
 
I've been using 93 with 10% ethanol for years. Holley carb. No issues other than a hard hot start once in a while. Sometimes the car will sit for 3 weeks between uses. The E gas evaporates faster though so if your car sits for a bit between uses you most likely will have to crank it a bit to replace the fuel in the carb bowls being your using a mechanical pump. A good idea is to use rubber hose designed for the E gas on your fuel system.
 
Craig Burriss said:
As the title states, what type of fuel do y’all use? I have a 440 with around 10.5:1 compression and an edelbrock 800 (I know I should’ve gotten a Holley) also have an edelbrock mechanical fuel pump. I have been using 91 octane ethanol free fuel but it’s hard to find anywhere but this one gas station on the other side of town. Do y’all have problems with the ethanol affecting your carbs? I’d like to start using 93 E10 but if it’s going to eat my carb from the inside out then I’ll just figure something else out.
Click to expand...
There's no E0 in NYC metro, NJ, or SE PA, so that's we all have to run here.
The E0 that is available outisde those areas is usually lower octane. If your car can use it, great!
If you hear the engine pinging, then the 91 is too low and the fact its E0 is not a big help.

For longer term storage, the E0 should be better than the E10.

E10 should not affect the materials in a newer fuel pump or carb. That said, I've had to change an acceleator pump umbrella valve a couple times on a Motorcraft 2150 carb. Even though it was a new kit, I don't when the parts in it where made. Apparently the check valves couldn't handle the newer fuels and distorted. Maybe it was the eth. Maybe it was something else in the fuel formulation.

Another option is to mix in the E0 when you can.
Since you're in a hot climate, reducing the eth content should help the light end of the fuel (the portion that ignites at lower tempratures, and also can evaporate the most easily from the bowls when the air termperatures are hot)
 
340doc said:
I've been using 93 with 10% ethanol for years. Holley carb. No issues other than a hard hot start once in a while. Sometimes the car will sit for 3 weeks between uses. The E gas evaporates faster though so if your car sits for a bit between uses you most likely will have to crank it a bit to replace the fuel in the carb bowls being your using a mechanical pump. A good idea is to use rubber hose designed for the E gas on your fuel system.
Click to expand...
Awesome, that’s what I was wanting to hear because this E0 fuel is more expensive than the 93 here, and it’s only 91. When I replaced my fuel hardline I went ahead and replaced the fuel hoses with ethanol capable hose. I guess I’ll start using regular 93 and see what happens!
 
Craig Burriss said:
Awesome, that’s what I was wanting to hear because this E0 fuel is more expensive than the 93 here, and it’s only 91. When I replaced my fuel hardline I went ahead and replaced the fuel hoses with ethanol capable hose. I guess I’ll start using regular 93 and see what happens!
Click to expand...
:thumbsup:
 
340doc said:
I've been using 93 with 10% ethanol for years. Holley carb. No issues other than a hard hot start once in a while. Sometimes the car will sit for 3 weeks between uses. The E gas evaporates faster though so if your car sits for a bit between uses you most likely will have to crank it a bit to replace the fuel in the carb bowls being your using a mechanical pump. A good idea is to use rubber hose designed for the E gas on your fuel system.
Click to expand...
I experienced the same thing this weekend.
My Duster has been sitting in storage, way too long around 11 months and I had to crank on it for some time to get fuel pressure.
I also starting experiencing hot start issues with the Holley 700 DP carb.
It is frustrating.
I ordered a new street demon carb with the plastic body, I had excellent results with one when they first came out on my old truck, it would start easy hot or cold. I never touched that carb on the three years that I had that carb on the truck. Plus it took care of heat issues the Holley 750 vac secondary carb was having.
I think with the street demon carbs being a new design, they were built around the ethanol fuels.
 
I have run E10 93 octane with no issues for years. Add a can of seafoam because it will take me a month to burn off that tank of gas sometimes.
that being said, my buddy had issues with it when it first came out causing the cap oring on his cell to swell. so much that he couldn't get it closed.
even ran Teflon lined hoses on the valiant so I can run some E85 if I want down the road.
 
With old fuel you can be fighting a variety of problems:
Moisture
Loss of the most volatile and easily ignited portions of the fuel
Varnishing (probably heavy portions, or any fuel components that oxidize).
Change in Reid vapor pressure (RVP), or incorrect RVP for weather conditions.
 
I know its not a performance car, but I run E10 pump gas in my stock 318 all the time. I daily the car, so it doesn't sit with that gas in the carb forever, when I've stored it, I put ethanol free into the tank. Haven't had to rebuild the carb at all, been running it like that for almost 4 years now
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top