1957 Fairlane 500 Carburetor Ethanol Gas

[chapingo17]

Just wanted to share some information: I have the original 292 Y block with a two barrel carburetor and for the longest time I had or have issues with at car start-up when is hot (regular engine Temp). I think I found the problem carburetor's don't like ethanol in gasoline. I guess they flood. I started fueling 100% gasoline and since then, my problem was resolve. I'm sure many of have had problems with this. Does any one know what could be another fix to avoid this from happening when running gasoline with ethanol? 

[59meteor]

There are several fuel additives designed to prevent Ethanol damage to fuel systems on older cars not designed for such fuel. BG has "Ethanol Defender", Lucas also has a similar product, I imagine others do as well.  In recent years I have chosen to run ethanol free gasoline in my generators, leaf blower, lawn mower, pit scooter, as well as my 59, to avoid such problems.

[chapingo17]

Yes, I did find some additives for ethanol gas and I end up buying gasoline ethanol free. Where I purchase regular (ethanol free) gas was a dollar more than regular gas station. I will probably keep on fueling (ethanol free gas)

[geraldchainsaw]

i'll add  my 2 cents,   i had a 51 ford flathead for 25 years,  i have a 69 mach 1 mustang for 15 years,  and my 57 ford conv for 10 years,  i've burned reg gas for all those years and have had no problems in any so far,  could it be i'm just lucky?            this is a new comp,  have no pictures on it yet.    jerry

[hiball3985]

Another problem is ethanol fuel boils at a lower temp. When you shut down the engine temp rises and so will the carb if it isn't insulated well from the manifold. A phenolic type spacer between the carb and manifold cured that on two of my cars.

[RICH MUISE]

Good to hear from you again! I was wondering if you still had that Fairlane!
Guys, Eric is one of the 14 or so (lost count) forum guys I've gotten to meet, along with his wife, and shake hands with. Hope you and yours have been safe with this covid thing, I know NM has been hit hard.
Hopefully, when all this is over, they will have the Park in the Park show, and we'll get to get together again.

[lalessi1]

Another problem is ethanol fuel boils at a lower temp. When you shut down the engine temp rises and so will the carb if it isn't insulated well from the manifold. A phenolic type spacer between the carb and manifold cured that on two of my cars.

Jim is on the money! The hard hot start issue is because the fuel is boiling not because  the engine is not flooding (IMHO). There are things you can do to help; electric fuel pump, insulated fuel lines, carburetor spacers... the list goes on. Not sure about any additives. I don't think they raise the boiling point. I had the problem and I changed the things I listed. My car starts now when hot and it runs a lot better when the engine temp gets a little high. I run premium fuel. No-ethanol fuel around here is not that expensive though.

[RICH MUISE]

.40 or .50 cents a gallon more around here.

[hiball3985]

Back when these issues started I could shut the 292 engine down, take off the air cleaner and after a few minutes you could see the vapors coming out of the fuel bowl air bleeds from the fuel boiling. I have a 223 six in my 60 truck that has a glass bowl Holley and you could actually see the fuel boiling.

[59meteor]

The main reason that I use Ethanol free gas in all my older carburated stuff, is the damage caused by the absorbed moisture that occurs when Ethanol added gasoline sits. It can get corrosive, and plug up or corrode the small passages inside the carb, and even eat away the material , turning it into scrap.

[hiball3985]

The main reason that I use Ethanol free gas in all my older carburated stuff, is the damage caused by the absorbed moisture that occurs when Ethanol added gasoline sits. It can get corrosive, and plug up or corrode the small passages inside the carb, and even eat away the material , turning it into scrap.

You are 100% correct. I would use it to but there are only two places in Calif that sell it and $6 a gallon last time I checked. Luckily it's fairly dry here and and we don't have the moisture problem like some areas. I make sure to drive my cars every week to keep things flowing and so far no problems, but that can change. I worry about rust on pickup tubes in the tanks

[chapingo17]

Rich, yes I'm still here and I still have the Fairlane with the spare tire you gave me. Thank you, how can I forget. I think that I might have a timing issue. I actually back out my timing & the car is driving a lot better I still have 100% gasoline on the gas tank. I will try it again when I fuel at the regular gas station I might stick with fueling 100%. Nice to hear from Jimmy and everybody else, thanks for all the feedback.

[Fabulous50s]

I know this is an older thread, but I have some positive feedback on ethanol gas and our old cars.

I have an autolite 2bbl from a 1970 on my '59 352FE. I used a $35 electric fuel pump mounted at the tank with a new fuel line run all the way to the engine compartment. I see 5/16 cupronickel. I ran the line along the firewall and only have 1' of hose for vibration. I bent a 180 degree from the carb to face the firewall with 5/16 cupronickel.

I also used a 1/2" thick paper gasket from the local parts store after leafing through the old parts books.

I drive my car a lot and didnt want to spend the extra dollar a gallon for non ethanol. I only get 13mpg as it is!

I will say the car starts absolutely perfect hot or cold. I never pump it when hot, and it starts like an injected car. I've been very happy to say the least. 2 seconds or less of cranking hot or cold....every time.

I have a '79 C30 dump truck and the fuel boil off makes hot starts difficult with 10 seconds or more of cranking.

[Fabulous50s]

Fuel pump

[59meteor]

If you drive your vehicles regularly, you may have no issues caused by ethanol blended gas, however, having seem the damage caused by corrosion due to the ethanol absorbing moisture, to me, it`s not worth risking the potential damage. If you are lucky, it may just clog up the passages in your carb, which can be repaired by disassembling the carb, and spraying out all the tiny, intricate passages, and blowing them out. However, I have seen to many instances where the carb, fuel pump, or even the fuel lines, get so corroded, that they are non rebuildable. Passages get corroded oversize, so fuel metering is affected, or so gummed up, it is impossible to clear them again. Inside the carb gets eroded away, and turns into a blob of jelly. I drove my 59 less than 2000 miles last year, for the amount I drive it, I will gladly pay a few bucks more per tank, for the ethanol free premium gas, which at 10 1/2 to 1 compression, I should be running anyhow.