Sticky needle valves

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Guys

Well this morning being April 1 figured it would be good day to start all three trucks last time they were started January 1st. Last time the trucks were fueled was last week in July so the fuel is pretty stale.

All three trucks fired and ran fine, little weak acceleration on hills, did a GoPro video, but the only the only things of importance to this discussion is the sound of the electric fuel pumps priming the carbs. No starting ether no pumping the peddle just prime carb with fuel pump, choke and hit the starter.

Did remember one thing though from last time had starting problem, plugged modern fuel between tank and pump, the clear type should be able to see dirt and crud, but last time the filter looked OK but would not pass fuel. Back clear it with air and the pump worked and would then plug again. Cut the filter open and the filter the filter media was gummed with white deposit.

Sorry short on solutions long on observations. Only possible solution I see is drive more often.

Cheers Phil

PS Long no driving period was because of hand surgery.

[chris vickery]

Phil, are they adding ethanol to your fuels in the USA? Stale gas usually works, not the greatest depending on age but there may be a difference between US fuel and Canadian fuels...
I am going to hit the guy up down the road that runs float planes. I see he has a 500 gallon tank of Avgas sitting by the hangar.

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Chris

They started adding ethanol here in New Hampshire in 2006, immediately started causing problems. I first notice it the first time, filled some Canadian style Jeery cans that had always been carried on their sides in the side rack on my HUP, they had always been carried full and never leaked. Used them up at a rally, refilled them drove back to the rally and both caps were leaking. Opened them up and the gaskets in the cam lock covers were the consistency of marshmallow whip.

With in a very short time club rides and parades were being regularly interuptured with, leaky fuel lines, failed fuel pumps, plugged fuel filter. Took almost a year to get most everyone in the club to get the message. One on going problem was fuel pumps because so many pumps were and so much fuel line in the parts system. Think I replaced four mechaical fuel pumps in two years, until ethanol resistant Chevy fuel pumps started coming out.

Cheers Phil

[Stew Robertson]

Just an old trick from way back when that has served me well
add some mothballs to your fuel tank and they seem to help get rid of the water and dissolve the fine dirt
any carbs That I have used it on are always nice and clean

[Lynn Eades]

Stew, our moths are only small and it's just not worth my time to catch them.

[Jesse Browning]

Interesting discussion on fuel problems. Over the years I have encountered numerous similar problems where everything in the fuel system had been replaced, sometimes repeatedly, only to find the problem was a bad condenser. Runs fine when cold, but starts acting up when hot. I always tell people with symptoms such as these to replace the condenser first. It's cheap and easy, and eliminates that possibility. Get a new one, not a nos one. They don't age well. Jesse.