Gas

[GeorgeG]

I'm getting ready to crank over my 390 after a rebuild and I started thinking about gas. When I had the heads rebuilt I specified hardened valve seats, so using unleaded gas should not be a major problem. The issue is ethanol. Here in my area of southern Virginia we can get ethanol free gas, but the highest octane I can find is around 89 (mid-grade). My question is fairly simple: should I go with the mid-grade ethanol free gas or use high test with ethanol? I guess I can play with the timing to retard things so that I don't get pinging with the mid-grade, but with the standard compression ratio being relatively high, I worry about retarding too much which can cause other problems. My carb was rebuilt by Pony carbs several years ago and I'm using stainless steel fuel lines if that all matters.

Just wondering what gas everyone else is using.

George

[60fore]

I say use the ethanol-free mid grade, at least for a trial period. In my burg we are lucky enough to still have ethanol-free premium (91 octane) so this is what I use. Not for the higher octane but for the lack of ethanol. The things that ethanol can do to the fuel system of our old cars are the stuff of nightmares.

[55Greg&Amy]

If you are looking for ethanol free gas in the USA try this site. Click on your state and find the nearest city. I happen to have 1 in my hometown. http://pure-gas.org/ After going thru 3 fuel pumps in as many years I found this site and now only run ethanol free in my Bird and small engines around the house.

[GeorgeG]

Neat site. I live on a lake and a lot of gas stations provide ethanol free gas since no one who runs a boat wants ethanol, so I know most of the stations here who provide ethanol free gas...and there are lots of them. My problem is that I don't know of any that provide hi-test ethanol free (most boats just use regular). I can keep searching though....probably go with the mid-grade ethanol free first and see what happens.

George

[ICON 1956]

I had put 87 octane by mistake and my bird ran like crap!, I went to a auto part store for a octane booster for a 8 oz bottle the price was $5.50. There is a Speed way by my house which sells racing gas 100 octane I pumped in 1 gallon for a little over 6.00 a gallon. Car runs great now. I'm not saying that I needed to put in racing gas all the time but I figure that for the price of a little bottle vs a gallon I'll go with more than less for the money.

[abaucom]

Thanks much for posting the link http://pure-gas.org/

Following the link found 3 stations within a 15 min. drive from my home in Ottawa Ontario.

[Wklink]

I've ran ethenol added fuels in both my Fairlane and my Thunderbird without problems. Both have had extensive carburator rebuilds and of course hardened valve seats so they run on premium without an issue. If you have a carb with an older rebuild or an original carb that hasn't been rebuilt then don't run anything with ethanol. Both cars run autolite 4100s, the 65 Fairlane has had close to 75K put on her without a problem. Both were rebuilt with modern kits though.

[surfmurf]

I live in the Clearwater-Largo (unincorporated) area of Pinellas County, Florida. Started using E-Free gas about 1 year ago (August 2015). Only difference I see is a tad more white smoke. Had engine rebuilt about 21 years ago and my top-of-the-line machine shop goofed and forgot to harden the valve seats. At least he told me, ex-post-facto!
I go online and find a web site that shows where these stations are that sell E-Free gas. It is about $0.90 a gallon more down here.
To test your gas, get a clean bottle and mark 1/10th (= 10%) of the way up and again at 10/10ths (= 100%). The proportions are important, not the size of the spaces. Fill the bottle to the 1/10th (10%) mark with the supposed Ethanol free gas and then the other 90% with water. Put the CAP back on and SHAKE the mixture up, then let it set to settle. After a few minutes IF the Ethanol 10% line has not changed / INCREASED / moved UP, that is a good indicator that your have E-Free gas. If it increases that is because the ethanol has absorbed some of the water, which it will do. Here in FL they can advertise it as E-free if it has 5% or less Ethanol (= legal lying - hooray for the right!). I am using it in everything I own that uses gasoline. Mower and other tools seem fine. Happy hunting. Murf
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