Carb "Storage" over winter - Page 2

Ron61 · #21 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 10:00 AM

Not much of an answer for the question asked, but I just go out and run mine about once a month until everything is nice and hot. If it isn't bitter cold or raining I take them for a quick run around town. I have been doing this for 30 years and have had no problems. Now watch the dam thing fall apart after I said this.

Ron

427SnakeSC · #22 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron61

Not much of an answer for the question asked, but I just go out and run mine about once a month until everything is nice and hot. If it isn't bitter cold or raining I take them for a quick run around town. I have been doing this for 30 years and have had no problems. Now watch the dam thing fall apart after I said this.

Ron

I like your idea of winter storage better!

Wayne Maybury · #23 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 11:28 AM

Methyl hydrate is an old term for methyl alcohol which is commonly known as methanol. Another very old name for methanol is "wood alcohol". Methanol is the alcohol generally used as fuel in "alcohol" race cars.

The main reason for adding methanol to a tank of gas is to make sure that water does not accumulate in the bottom of the gas tank. The methanol mixes with any water that maybe present and runs it through the system. Adding a gallon is OK if it is a really big gas tank such as in a boat but just a few onces are required for most car tanks. It does increase the octane but as I said earlier, methanol will separate from gasoline in very cold temperatures. I have no idea what effect fuel stabilizer will have on alcohol.

Wayne

427SnakeSC · #24 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 11:34 AM

Wayne, you said that the alcohol will separate in cold temps. Does it remix when the temp rises?

Wayne Maybury · #25 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 11:59 AM

Methanol will separate from gasoline in very cold temps, to what extent I am not sure. A lot depends on the amount of methanol compared to the gasoline and of course the temperature. Small amounts of methanol will remain mixed with the gas but some of it may separate if the percentage is very high. Gas line antifreeze is straight methanol and is to be used in very cold temperatures but the average container size is just a couple of ounces. This small amount of methanol will easily mix with, and stay mixed with, a tank of gas no matter now cold it gets. Throw in a couple of gallons and it may be a very different situation.

I am only guessing now but I can not see any reason why a mixture of methanol and gasoline that has separated should not remix when warmed up. I used to race snowmobiles and I tried running a 50/50 blend of methanol and gasoline. Of course 2 cycle oil was also involved. I gave up because it was just too much trouble trying to keep this blend mixed. Maybe I should have just reduced the amount of methanol I was trying to blend but I was young and in a big hurry at the time. I looked for other ways to go faster.

Wayne

427SnakeSC · #26 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 12:09 PM

Thanks Wayne, appreciate the knowledge! Just wondering because of the amount I put in my boat fuel tanks. The tanks are 60 gallons each and I put 1 gallon of methyl in each. Cured my problem, just wondering how that will affect the fuel over the winter storage. Thanks again.

Excaliber · #27 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 12:18 PM

What is this a BOAT THREAD?

Good stuff all around. The reason I ask about fuel cells is this:

The Formula Ford owners share a common warehouse for their cars and pool their resources. Last year they bought like 25 gallons of 100 octane from 76 ($6 a gallon). Of about 12 cars 5 or 6 had damaged fuel cells immediatly after ward. The internal 'foam like stuff' in the tanks deteriorated and plugged up filters like crazy. Most everyone replaced their fuel cells ($$$$).

OLD fuel cells perhaps? Was alcohol used in the 100 octane to boost it's rating? We never found out WHAT the problem was. Gasoline is locally refined here in the Islands, only crude is shipped in.

Wayne Maybury · #28 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 02:31 PM

427SnakeSC

If it has worked for you in the past, no reason to change now but I would think that a gallon in each tank is a bit of over kill. When I was talking about separation, I was considering a situation where a much higher percentage of alcohol was involved. If your tanks are just about full of gas, you are still at less than 2 percent. Unless you have had a serious condensation problem in the past, I would think that you could easily split the gallon of methanol between the two tanks. That amount of alcohol will still be capable of removing a significant volume of water. The next time I'm at Canadian Tire, I will look at a can of gas line antifreeze and see what the recommended concentration.

Ernie, boats? What boats?

Did any any of the fuel cell owners think to call the fuel cell supplier to ask if those cells could be used with alcohol? Just a thought. I don't know anything about fuel cells but many race cars using fuel cells run on alcohol. Strange situation.

Wayne

427SnakeSC · #29 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 02:41 PM

Thanks Wayne. At the time I put the gallon of alcohol in each tank, I was having some problems. One motor had quit and would not start due to the water in the tank. I have since put water separater filters on each motor. No problems since I put the new filters on and added the alcohol to the fuel. Thanks again for the info!

Excaliber · #30 (**permalink**) 11-27-2006, 09:46 PM

I don't own a boat currently, but I've owned, built or worked on them many many times over the years. Hey, it's Hawaii, theres LOTS of boats around here.

The LAST boat (I co-owned) was a Ferrari cigarette boat. Red (of course) with white leather interior and twin Ferrari carb'd V8's in the rear. WHOA, what a ride! Perfectly useless, couldn't fish with it, so dang powerful you'd be a fool to ski behind it, couldn't swim off it, and emptied the freaking gas tanks just getting out of the harbour. But man was it 'cruising in style' even when it was parked!

Bought it for an 'investment' and darn near lost my house before I bailed on that deal.

427SnakeSC · #31 (**permalink**) 11-28-2006, 04:28 AM

Defination of a boat: "A hole in the water, into which you pour money."

So true, so true....

Wayne Maybury · #32 (**permalink**) 11-28-2006, 07:23 AM

Now that we have completely hijacked this thread, here is the definition of a sailboat: "The most expensive possible way to go slowly in the wrong direction". I'm a sailor and I just love it. Very quiet boat on the water, very noisy Cobra on the road.

Wayne

427SnakeSC · #33 (**permalink**) 11-28-2006, 07:45 AM

I have a friend, that has a very expensive bass boat. He figures that the fish he is catching and eating is running him about $5,000.00/lb! LOL

I have friends with sailboats and their most common comment is "You can't get there from here!"

Ron61 · #34 (**permalink**) 11-28-2006, 12:26 PM

The 3rd hijack of the thread. The cost of the fish runs about the same as the meat the deer hunters get when they travel up here to go hunting and buy enough booze and snacks for a week of camping.

Ron

Excaliber · #35 (**permalink**) 11-28-2006, 02:05 PM

How about the ACTUAL cost of fire wood when cutting it yourself.
4 wd truck
Getting towed out when stuck
chain saw followed by,
hospital bills
burning down the house

All of the above I have personal experience with.

lineslinger · #36 (**permalink**) 11-28-2006, 03:12 PM

You guys are killin' me!!
I've been chased down by a half drunk pissed off bull elephant and had a man eating lion try to get into my tent...so what does that have to do with carb storage/care?.........nothing.
Rick Parker came up with a simple and logical method of dealing with winter carb storage, take it/them off the car and bring them into the nice warm house, take them down to the basement and clean them up, great idea and no boats involved!
Just razzing you guys about the boat stuff, kinda', (the wild animal stories are true), I used to own a boat and will NEVER own such a money sponge again

427SnakeSC · #37 (**permalink**) 11-28-2006, 04:39 PM

And then there was the time, I was chased down the street by the neighbour's killer cat....

And don't get me started on the time that an alligator chased me on the way to my boat.....

1blackbb66 · #38 (**permalink**) 01-08-2007, 12:09 AM

I wouldn't worry about valve springs sitting compressed as this is nothing like what they go through when the engine is running. If this were a problem you would have to take the springs out of your suspension as well. What I would be concerned about is turning the engine over when the cam is "dry". As you know the only oil the cam lobes get is what is thrown around inside the engine. Turning it over once in awhile without starting is causing a lot of unnecessary wear on the cam, especially a flat tappet cam.
If you not going to drive it, it's best to use good storage methods and let her sleep.