Fuel questions

Rockymountainsparky

Rockymountainsparky

Senior Member
I have a stock 221 Flathead. I was wondering what type fuel people use. Do you use ethanol free? Are there additives that you put in the tank with every fill up? Thanks in advance.
 
Ethanol free gives me the best starting on all my engines with a carburetor. It also won't deteriorate rubber parts.

I have a tank at my farm where we get bulk ethanol free gas. However, I know for most folks this is not practical. Also, while out driving you will sometimes require a fill up and ethanol free gas is not widely available.

Therefore, I use both but fill up with ethanol free whenever I can. I also will occasionally add some MMO to the gas. I'm not aware of any additive that will remove ethanol completely from gasoline.
 
I use Ethanol Free in my V8's. Three or four different stations here in No Fla.and close to me have dedicated pumps for it...at a much higher rate, obviously. Like Seth, I use Marvel Mystery Oil with every fill-up as well as Stabil.
 
If you can find it, ethanol free 87 works best for me too. I thanked the Lord above for showing me it existed in TN. When I lived in the Chicago suburbs, ethanol free gas simply didn’t exist. But whatever 87 octane gas (10% ethanol) I could find worked fine then.
 
I know this is going to open up a can of comments, but it is what it is. I run ethynol free gas in all my carberator engines, from military vehicles to Model T's to lawnmowers and weed eathers. A petroleum engineer told me what he runs and I do it, right or wrong. I add about 5 percent of diesel fuel to my clean gas. Just enough lubrication in the diesel to help older and air cooled engines. Eliminates the need for MMO. Does not smoke or decrease octaine rating. It's just what I do and so far it has been working.
 
Lotsa folks have made Lotsa money on Lotsa additives for Lotsa things!

Lotsa folks swear it's great!

Lotsa folks call it snake oil!

Whaddya you think is all that matters. LOL
 
If it looks like I'm going to leave a vehicle more than 6 months without refueling I'll add a bottle of Sta-bil fuel stabilizer, especially when I can't get ethanol-free gas, which is all the time.


According to Miss Google, "ethanol readily absorbs water due to its hydrophilic nature, meaning it has a strong affinity for water molecules. This absorption can lead to phase separation in ethanol-blended fuels, where the ethanol and water mixture separates from the gasoline and sinks to the bottom of the fuel tank." That's why I use Sta-bil as above.


Otherwise, I don't see the need for any additives.
 
MMO definitely unstuck a valve on a newly rebuilt Model A engine of mine. It took two tries, with addition to the gas tank, and sucking it up into the carb.
 
Bruce_MO said:
MMO definitely unstuck a valve on a newly rebuilt Model A engine of mine. It took two tries, with addition to the gas tank, and sucking it up into the carb.
Click to expand...

I would have a problem with a stuck valve on a new rebuild and an even bigger one if mmo fixed it. More to your problem in my experience. Time will tell.
 
I run whatever is cheapest in my stock 36 with no issues as far as how it runs but you had better had your fuel tank coated first or big problem.
 
I don't have a pre-54 engine anymore and it has been awhile since my last flathead. But the engines I have (two are YBlocks and one 302) I have run 10% 89 in them all the time for years because all we have is the 10%. that is readily available. I don't have any problems with the 10 %. I use no additives like Sta-bil. Never had a fuel system problem with any of them. The gas I put them away with in November is the gas I start them with in April. Yes , I have made sure that all vehicles have parts that are ethanol compatible. The only thing I do during down time is to start and run the engines up to operating temp once a month. And will take out if no salt on the roads.


My son had a street rod and he never any additives either. But one year he used Sta-bil and his carb got all screwed up.
 
I live in TN and the non ethanol pump where I fill up has no octane label. At a second location I think it is 94. I would use 87 if available to me.
 
I have three 40 Fords. I’ve been running ethanol gas in them for many years and miles without any issues. However, I do have ethanol proof diaphragms in my fuel pumps and ethanol proof power valves and flex hoses.
 
Ken/Alabama said:
I have three 40 Fords. I’ve been running ethanol gas in them for many years and miles without any issues. However, I do have ethanol proof diaphragms in my fuel pumps and ethanol proof power valves and flex hoses.
Click to expand...

Yes sir...
 
I run whatever is cheapest. never do anything special for winter, cars run just fine. I think the ethanol absorbing moisture is good as long as you are driving it, like summer, but sitting all winter that moisture could be a problem. Fill with the good stuff on last drive if you feel the need.
 
I had my fuel pump reconditioned by CharlieNY a couple years ago. I later sent him an email asking if my pump would be able to survive ethanol usage but did not get a reply. I assume my new 97 from Uncle Max would be OK if ethanol was used.
 
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