AutoBanter - View Single Post

**[email protected]** · July 6th 06, 05:06 PM posted to rec.autos.makers.ford.mustang

Brent P wrote:
> In article .com>, wrote:
>
> > conversion controversy. In the beginning the SAE guys said replace
> > everything not they say just drain and refill. the only things I know
> > that alcohol attacks is aluminum and that still takes a while to eat
> > up. Brazil has used alcohol in their VW's for decades and the carbs
> > look like a sandblaster got to the float bowls but other than that I
> > guess it was a great success. Anyone else here doing what I am
> > doing????
>
> I decided to see what a roughly 65% ethanol mix would do to my lawn
> mower. The inside of the carb started to corrode. I ended the experiment
> when the corrosion started to cause problems. The only reason I did it
> was because the mower has a very simple fuel system, a couple simple
> gaskets and no much to damage. The carb clogged easily, normally it was
> bits of debris, the corrosion made that worse of course.
>
> That said, when I helped build an electric/E85 hybrid over 10 years ago,
> the junkyard geo 3 cylinder we used actually ran better the moment it
> started running on E85. Since it didn't have to last a long time we
> didn't do anything to upgrade the fuel system. Just used the stock
> saturn and geo bits.
>
> I am for E85 (provided the ethanol is made using energy forms that
> cannot become a motor vehicle fuel), I would just make sure the materials
> are up to it first. Many materials may be up to the task as is. However
> without knowing what Ford used, it's hard to say what fuel system
> components need replacement.

Yeah carb float bowls get eaten up just because of the fuel sitting in
them over peroids of time. I have a non alky carb on the racecar and I
just drain the fuel when I am done using it. The float bowls look lit a
fine white crusty layer in in them. I usually just wipe this out with
my finger. In anycase my alcohol jets are so big (you could almost fit
a 1/8 drill bit in them) I doubt they would ever clog anyways. I have
had some rubber diaphram issues until I switched to the alky kit from
Holley. I doubt fuel injectors would be affected as some of the gas
additives of old like MTBE, fuel injector cleaner ect were worse than
alcohol. You need stainlesssteel or plastic fuel lines. Change the fuel
press reg to a alky safe aftermarket one. I doubt the pump would bet
hurt maybe change the tank but I don't think alky hates steel too much.
You will need a program change as your pulse width will go up and your
02 sensor will probably read max lean with all the 02 now present in
the exhaust. Valves might get a bit hot as well as exhaust. you might
want to try a blend first then slowly work up to full bore. I currently
use 50-50 blend in my 93 Jeep Cherokee and I have had no problems
except for an ocational piece of carbon bridging the plug gap and
causing a misfire. this stuff burns so clean it actually cleans out the
engine and exhuast.