Old car new fuel what to do?

[1Aries]

I'm baffled by what to do (what should I add, if anything, to fuel in Calif. where it's all laced with ethanol)  34 Dodge.

[cahartley]

Assuming the soft parts in the fuel system have been changed to ethanol compatible components just run it.

You can tame down the fuel by adding a small amount of diesel fuel to the gas if you want.

As a matter of practice with my old cars I add Marvel Mystery Oil every other fill.

My thinking is that getting ANY amount of upper cylinder and valve lubrication is better than none,

[Spinneyhill]

Use the lowest octane rating available.

[Wheelmang]

Not at all familiar with CA fuel regs but here in N GA there are usually No-E pumps in areas close to lakes for all the boats. 

[R.White]

When I was a lad my Dad always used to choose "Cleveland" petrol for his pre war car.  The reason was that it had ethanol added.  I remember he would also add a couple of shots of "Redex" which was an upper cylinder lubricant which could be found on every petrol station forecourt.  I guess no one knew about the harm ethanol could do to soft soldered parts - any more than they thought smoking 20 a day could damage your health.  

 

In those days, of course, an attendant would fill up for you and the Redex was a free service; as was cleaning the windscreen and wipers.  Politeness and service have all but disappeared - but one enterprising independent near to me has re introduced the attendant, with all the good old fashioned service thrown in.

 

My wife won't go anywhere else now! 

Edited May 4, 2017 by R.White (see edit history)

[Plyroadking]

I've ran 15% ethanol in my 1940 for close to 10 years, probably 40-50k miles, mostly because I'm cheap and carry a spare fuel pump just in case. However if the car is going to be sitting awhile I spend the bucks and run a tank of non-ethanol before putting it away. Once and a while I'll add a quart of marvel and do an oil change with a zinc additive. 

[MikeC5]

I knew ethanol was bad for natural rubber seals, etc. but for soldered joints too?  Is soft solder similar to what you would use on copper pipe (as opposed to something like silver solder/braze)?  I haven't seen the term soft solder before.

[R.White]

Mike, here we use the term "soft solder"  for low melting point solder - such as you would use for soldering wire connections.  I have heard of carb floats failing because of ethanol.  Also, some petrol tank sealant is now marketed as "ethanol proof".

 

Ray.

Edited May 5, 2017 by R.White (see edit history)

[Spinneyhill]

According to this article, ethanol attacks a number of metals: zinc, brass, lead, aluminium, terne (as used in older fuel tanks), lead-based solder. It also is detrimental to a number of non-metal materials. So pot-metal fuel pumps might not last long term unless coated with something in the fuel chambers?

 

Ethanol & E85 Material Compatibility.pdf

iqlearningsystems.com/ethanol/downloads/Ethanol%20&%20E85%20Material%20Compatibility.pdf