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[Spridgets] A (sad) tale of ethanol??

Subject: [Spridgets] A (sad) tale of ethanol??
From: lee.fox at sbcglobal.net (Lee Fox)
Date: Wed, 25 May 2011 17:17:20 -0500
References: <mailman.13.1306346403.31243.spridgets@autox.team.net>
Steve,

I agree completely that the ethanol "requirement" is all about politics 
and special interest groups. These are the same folks that complain 
about welfare for the most vulnerable in society while reaping huge 
subsidies (another word for welfare.)

Dave,

What in the world makes you think ethanol is to blame for your problems? 
You readily admit that you did not prepare the car for winter storage. 
What is it about ethanol that causes green crystals?

We've had ten percent ethanol is all our gas here in the midwest for, 
perhaps, 30 years and all that old rubber that was incompatible with 
alcohol was replaced long, long ago. E10 is harmless. Modern fuels have 
a short shelf life and are seasonally formulated. If you stabilize the 
fuel before storage, you'll be fine.

Lee

On 5/25/2011 1:00 PM, spridgets-request at autox.team.net wrote:
> Date: Wed, 25 May 2011 13:26:14 -0400
> From: Steven Guterman<an5.sprite at gmail.com>
> To: derf<derf247 at gmail.com>
> Cc: "spridgets_autox.team.net"<spridgets at autox.team.net>
> Subject: Re: [Spridgets] A (sad) tale of ethanol??
> Message-ID:<BANLkTik_AqovOV14hK4B6yVuh=XiLr3JKg at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> It is called a very powerful farm lobby.  Not only do they force the use of
> ethanol, but they also restrict cheaper ethanol imports from Brazil that can
> make the stuff at 1/2 the price using sugar cane.  The final killer is due
> to the use of ethanol form corn, feed stock prices have gone up making our
> food more expensive.
>
> Misguided and stupid policy even if ethanol was good.
>
> Steve
>
-------------------------------

Date: Wed, 25 May 2011 15:22:06 +0000 (UTC)
From: Dave KK7SS <kk7ss at frontier.com>
To: "spridgets_autox.team.net" <spridgets at autox.team.net>
Subject: [Spridgets] A (sad) tale of ethanol??
Message-ID:
        <1157836864.525265.1306336926281.JavaMail.root at 
cl02-host03.dlls.pa.frontiernet.net>
        

Last year I had to use E-10 (15?) fuel in my '65 Spridget as 
ethanol-free gasoline was not yet available in my area.
For whatever reason Winter came and I forgot to use Stabil and run the 
motor like I usually do!
So... this week the temp went above the 50's and I went to start the 
Sprite (been working on the Midget and Minor) and it would not start -- 
eventually I found I had fuel at the fuel filter but dry carb throats!

After much aggravation (using some choice words!), I found that:-
1) both carb float needles were corroded and jammed shut.
2) Both carb needles were corroded with what looked like green crystals 
on the surface - very rough, felt like a nail file!
3) the front piston was stuck in the chamber.

Two days work - dissassembling, careful cleaning and refitting has the 
motor running (on bit the rough side) - lots of smoke!

I'm guessing I'll have to do the same for the fuel pump :(

Thank goodness I can now get ethanol-free gas!

Would I get some benefit by running some injector cleaner through the 
system??

--
Dave G  KK7SS
DN06ig   Richland, WA

'59 Morris Minor 1000
'65 Sprite - in process
'76 Midget - shared with my #4 son.
'06 Honda Civic Hybrid

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