A Fuel Question

Brendan Martin

Brendan Martin

PCS Member
Hello everyone, and Happy Fourth of July. I went to a local gas station today, Irving to be exact, and they had a 100 octane fuel. Would this be acceptable to use in my 63 or does it still contain ethanol? Thanks for the anticipated input.
 
ethonal

Brendan,
I think if any gasoline contains esthonal they have to have it listed or be able to tell you if it is an ingredient.
Mike
 
Ethanol in fuel

I belive that most gas contains ethanol,but it must say so on the pump.
some stations sell gas that has no ethanol,but you have to look for it.

to counter the effects of ethanol add a can of seafoam to every fillup.also,if your engine has not been rebuilt,you will need a can of lead additive for each fillup also.

I have to do this to both my ambulance and my firetruck each time i fill up.

Happy motoring:17875: PS i don't know if your rig requires 100 octaine,but idon't think it would hurt
 
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octane rating

this might be a good time and place to ask about todays octane ratings. I have heard that todays gas octane rating uses a different method to get the rating number. If so, what would a 1960s rating be today with the gas availible to us? I know if I run my '61 Cadillac 390 on regular it doesn't like it. So with the first couple of tanks I decided to use the 92 or 93 octane. I did put a can of Seafoam in it when we first fired it up a few weeks ago. Right now the points, dwell and timing are set at the specs in the 1961 shop manual.
Mike
 
More to this than a simple answer.. Click here for more information...

My Chrysler runs on regular gasoline with 10% ethanol, but it doesn't like it, so I just don't put my foot to the floor. It runs better on the 93 grade, but that is 60 cents a gallon more, and at 10 miles per gallon, filling the 20 gallon tank can get quite expensive. I have retarded the spark slightly, and it runs fine. No need for lead or any other additives. There is plenty of lead build up on the valves from years of driving with leaded gasoline. Also, by 1963 most of the automobile manufacturers were using hardened valves and valve seats. I have heard of some people adding 10% diesel fuel to the gasoline to counter the effect of the alcohol, but I haven't tried it, and I am not recommending it. If you try it, please let us know how it works..
Seafoam is a great cleaner for your carburator, but having it properly rebuilt is a better solution. Todays gasoline takes its toll on the carburator, especially when the gas sits in the carburator bowl for long periods of time. I just had the Carter AFB from my 1963 Pinner Chrysler rebuilt, and the car is running much better. Starts faster, and runs smoother. Even the mileage seems to have improved.
 
if the pump states may contain 10% etoh and there is only one hose it's all a 10% blend. if there is a separate hose for each you maybe getting gas or not depending on the distributor. I'm not sure what dumping kerosene in would do to cancel the effects of alcohol. the adverse effect would be to eat up the rubber. we rebuilt the carburetor so it's good to go. the fuel pump could be a problem but I have all ready ready ran 89 10% blend in it . I find it works best if you not going to be driving it. if it's going to be a problem it will happen right away. 5 gl of 10% will stay fresher then 5 GL of unleaded. then when your ready to drive it again swing down and top it off with the high test. 100 octane would be aviation gas. not a lot of advantage in it unless you wanted to freshen up what was all ready in the tank. the lead additive is to help cushion the valves. if you have a fresh overhaul it may be necessary if you did not put in the hard valve seats. but most older engines leak enough oil threw the valve guides that it's not necessary. a quart of motor oil in a 20 gl tank will do the same thing. me I try to put Gas in when I can. they run better and get better mileage when your driving them. but putting a higher octane in then the engine is built for has no advantage as it can't get any benefit from it. the higher numbers are to stop the pre ignition. the higher the compression and the lower the altitude the more you need a higher octane. they use the ETOH to bring up the octain ratting. but I find they cars still runs like you were putting lower octain gas in it. the reasion for the poorer milage and preformance not the ETOH.
 
Thanks everyone. I use a can of Sea Foam with each fill up, and recently purchased StaBil with the ethanol treatment. I use 92 or 93 octane and it runs well. I will keep you posted about the StaBil.
 
Brendan, is it Cam 2 or another racing brand. The Gulf near me has a brochure detailing all the Cam 2 products. I bet your car would love, but your wallet won't!
 
don't load the tank up with more then one additive. both are designed for long term storage. I would add them when I was going to leave the car for a long time as they were attended. the car will run fine on the 91 to 93 pump gas with out a additive, if your driving it on a regular basis. with the additives in it will run rougher. everyone has they own idea on the stuff. but the reason I like to store one with the additive and only 5 gallons of gas is so that when I do start them again things don't stick, they start easier then I can drive them down put fresh gas in the tank and dilute the additives. the sea foam is one can in 10 gallons of gas. you put one in every time you fill you never know how stout the mix is or is not. you keep the tank full all the time and your driving only a little your always driving on stale gas. so far this has worked well for me. but my weather conditions are different then most
 
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