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Ethanol in 1978 Buick: Problematic, or OK?



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 11th 06, 02:34 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Ethanol in 1978 Buick: Problematic, or OK?

Hi,
Around where I live, most gas stations have ethanol-blended gas, for a
lower price than normal gas. But my car is a 1978 Buick Regal (231 cc
V6), uses a carburetor and was not designed for ethanol. Would using
ethanol harm it in anyway?

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  #2  
Old April 11th 06, 05:42 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Ethanol in 1978 Buick: Problematic, or OK?

Assuming the car does not have closed-loop control (that is, no oxygen
sensor in the exhaust)-
It will run somewhat lean. and depending on the jetting from the
factory, it might or might not cause hot-running, pinging, etc.

Expect a power decrease as well.

You could attempt to get slightly larger jets for the carb if you start
having problems.

I had my motorcycle nicely dialed in and then CT switched to gasohol
(10% ethanol) and I had to re-tune.

Dave

  #3  
Old April 11th 06, 08:26 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Ethanol in 1978 Buick: Problematic, or OK?

What percentage, not e85 this will not work.
"Bill Johnston" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hi,
> Around where I live, most gas stations have ethanol-blended gas, for a
> lower price than normal gas. But my car is a 1978 Buick Regal (231 cc
> V6), uses a carburetor and was not designed for ethanol. Would using
> ethanol harm it in anyway?
>




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  #5  
Old April 11th 06, 11:12 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Ethanol in 1978 Buick: Problematic, or OK?



10% I beleive.

Shep wrote:
> What percentage, not e85 this will not work.vacy via Encryption =----


  #6  
Old April 11th 06, 11:23 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Ethanol in 1978 Buick: Problematic, or OK?

10 percent blend will probably be ok. It WILL clean out the
rust/dirt/crud in the fuel system though. Have a few extra fuel filters
on hand and be sure you know how to change them. You may also end up
dropping the tank if there is much crud in it as that can plug the sock
and cause problems.

It will lose a bit of power as well.

--
Steve W.


> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Bill Johnston > wrote:
> : Hi,
> : Around where I live, most gas stations have ethanol-blended gas, for

a
> : lower price than normal gas. But my car is a 1978 Buick Regal (231

cc
> : V6), uses a carburetor and was not designed for ethanol. Would

using
> : ethanol harm it in anyway?
>
> I think you'd be OK with it. I have the same engine in my boat and

have not
> had problems with it. Actually, the older MTBE additive would be

worse
> for the car as that additive had a tendency to dissolve some of the

seal
> materials in the fuel system.
>
> I've used methanol additives in gas (those provided at the pump, not

stuff
> dumped from a bottle in to the tank) in several older cars (a '66

Dodge for
> example) with no adverse effects.
>
> b.




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  #7  
Old April 11th 06, 11:25 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Ethanol in 1978 Buick: Problematic, or OK?

You should check with your owners manual if you can. My 1986, 87 and 88
Jeeps pointedly state in the owners manual 'not' to use any mix of
alcohol no matter how many 'drying agents' they state they add.

I sometimes can't help but to get a 10% mix and my carb Jeep runs like
crap on it. I drop about 25 to 30% for gas mileage with it and my top
end power is just plain gone. I have no knock sensor or computer
messing with the timing.

I also seem to have serious issues with the float needle and seat. I
get new ones with the carb kit I do every 2 years, but they crap out
open before the next two year emission test is due.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Bill Johnston wrote:
>
> 10% I beleive.
>
> Shep wrote:
> > What percentage, not e85 this will not work.vacy via Encryption =----

  #8  
Old April 12th 06, 12:48 AM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Ethanol in 1978 Buick: Problematic, or OK?

I've looked but the manual says nothing about it. 1978 I think was
pretty early in the history of ethanol, I'm not sure but it may not
have been widely used yet.

Is there some reason ethanol might harm carb parts, like you seem to
suggest? The alcohol?

  #9  
Old April 12th 06, 01:01 AM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Ethanol in 1978 Buick: Problematic, or OK?


> You should check with your owners manual if you can. My 1986, 87 and 88
> Jeeps pointedly state in the owners manual 'not' to use any mix of
> alcohol no matter how many 'drying agents' they state they add.


Ah-yup.

As I recall, the late 70s saw the advent of "gasohol" in response to
the energy crisis (plus ca change...) and the stuff acquired a spotty
reputation, not only for being improperly handled en route to the
customer and thus absorbing water, but also for compatibility with
rubber compounds in the car that came in contact with it.

Even after these problems were licked, there were some cars that simply
didn't run well on the stuff -- many cars of the day had a fairly
narrow range of tune parameters anyway. That era when smog control
requirements outpaced engine controls wasn't always pretty!

If a '78 with a 231 is much like an '80 with a 3.8, the most comparable
vehicle of my close acquaintance, the details are mercifully blotted
from my subconscious but the general theme was that the car needed a
lot of fussing-with to get into that window between rampant knock and
bogging down and stumbling, and even then didn't care for "regular
unleaded" (87 octane at my elevation), far preferring 89 octane.

Maybe that particular car was just kind of a stinker, or something
drastic changed in those two years; but all in all, I'd suggest staying
away from the stuff in that car except maybe occasionally if nothing
alcohol-free were available.

  #10  
Old April 12th 06, 05:28 AM posted to rec.autos.tech
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Default Ethanol in 1978 Buick: Problematic, or OK?

On 11 Apr 2006 06:34:18 -0700, "Bill Johnston" >
wrote:

>Hi,
>Around where I live, most gas stations have ethanol-blended gas, for a
>lower price than normal gas. But my car is a 1978 Buick Regal (231 cc
>V6), uses a carburetor and was not designed for ethanol. Would using
>ethanol harm it in anyway?


You're going to get a vast response on this one, I'm not going to
follow the thread.

I've been running ethanol blended fuels in all my vehicles for the
last ~25 years, and prefer it over anything else. I have never found
an engine yet that responded in a negative manner. I have found that
old, tired, low compression engines rarely have any changes at all.
Lower mileage and higher compression engine respond very favorably.

You will fine that the ethanol blended fuel will clean out debris from
your system. This is not a problem with the fuel, it just tries to
clean crap out. If there is a lot of crap, look at replacing fuel
filters and possible a fuel pump now and then.

You'll hear stories that blame the fuel for plugging up filters,
carbs, fuel pumps. But the fuel didn't put the dirt in your tank.
You're going to hear misleading stories about oxygen sensors and a
reduction in fuel mileage and power. Don't listen to them, I've yet to
see that happen.

My best advise to you is to run a consistent 5 or so tanks of your
current fuel in a row, and record mileage. Then do so with the
ethanol. You'll see for yourself that you have nothing to worry about.



 




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