Recent content by Smithsonite

Truth right here. The green movement is nothing more than a tool to transform the economy so slowly that nobody will recognize what's happening until it's too late. "Rules for thee, but not for me." These morons have frigged up the economy so badly, there's no way out except for a total...

The GMT-400 series trucks are the last, best built, solid trucks GM ever produced. I made the mistake of selling my '94 for a brand new '07 GMT-900 series truck off the lot. Was a mistake that was! Brakes pulsated on the TEST DRIVE - 40 miles on the clock. Door trim fell off the 1st week. I...

Geesh ... $6,400 and it looks like a homeowner z-turn sold at Home Depot. NO THANKS!!

If these sit outdoors, you can get a situation where the ground between the starter and the engine becomes poor. Doesn't happen often, but that would explain why it spun on the bench but not bolted to the engine. The brushes can also get oxidized, and the bushings for the armature can dry up...

The media has turned their backs on Musk now, because he uttered words that MIGHT sound a little on the Conservative side. And that's the WRONG side for corporate media. The meltdown has been highly entertaining, though. After hearing about what J/D has done to farmers spending a half-million...

Yeah, I've found gas stations around MA are widely varying in alcohol content. Near or in the cities they're closer to 10%, while the ones around me are 6-7%. Explains the poor mileage whenever I fueled up in the city.

I've got the same one Steves has. 12 years, zero issues. I use it mainly on generators, but it comes in handy for lawn equipment if the RPM sounds a bit low. Those I can usually tune by ear.

Sometimes you get lucky. Depends on how the carb vents some are better (or worse) than others. My brother had a '93 Suzuki DR350 that was converted to a dual sport - if you forgot to turn the petcock off as you were close to the house to run the bowl down, that thing would clog right up in...

When cars aren't driven at least weekly, I've seen the exact same issues with them as with OPE. Ethanol separation in the tank, then the return action of the pump mixes it all up and friggs up the injectors. Also just the fuel sitting in the line, rail, and injectors will go bad and screw...

I won't even run E10 in my paramotor, and I've got over a 9:1 glide ratio. 😂

He might live where it's hot, and is just cooking valve seals out of them, possibly ...

When I was in eastern OH a few years back, I found 90 octane at a small gas station right near a major highway. I filled up my 2.5 gallon can and brought it home with me. Cheap, too! I'd have bought more, but we had our little Volvo 940 packed to the roof with camping shit, plus stuff we...

Nowhere can you get it at the pump, except those 2 places. Problem with airports is, #1, the cost - deep-$5/gallon around here, and #2, lead. Lead won't be a problem until you get some hours on the equipment. Then it can foul plugs and help plug exhaust ports, build up on heads, etc.. That's...

Indeed! I need a time machine. I'd get back there, then smash it.

I always thought the main reason for adding ethanol was for emissions. Like I mentioned several posts back, to get my '85 Monte to pass emissions, I'd add 4 bottles of Christy Drygas (isopropyl alcohol) to a half tank of gas, then go out and drive around in 1st gear to get the cat smoking hot...

Yeah, but they're BUILT for that. Higher compression and tuned to match. My buddy has a 1k HP 2011 Camaro built for E85. The fuel system alone on that cost him $12,000. Has 3 fuel pumps and 1/2" fuel lines - that's what it takes to make power on E85.

It clogs injectors just as badly as carburetors. It's just that people tend to use cars and trucks FAR more than OPE. Cars and trucks aren't seasonal, and they're kind of needed in daily life. I bought a '93 Volvo 940 in 2015 that hadn't run in a couple years. The owner at the time tried to put...

Because when E10 87 sits, it'll end up MUCH lower than 87 in time. I didn't do any testing to prove this - I can just tell by how my equipment runs. My zero turn in my avatar would KNOCK super loudly when first started. That first "pop" was a loud knock on that old fuel. The octane rating had...

Yep, right on the money. Usually the differences in mileage between E10 gas at different stations is differing alcohol content, I've found. The sticker on the pump says "Up to" 10% ethanol. My local Cumberland Farms I've tested at 7% ethanol. In the city it's always closer to 10%, and your...

Oh yeah, methanol is a big no no, unless the fuel system is specifically designed for it. BIG damage ...

Fun, fun! I have more, but this site doesn't allow anything more than flip phone pics ...

Keep in mind, here in MA, anything listed on that site is an OPE dealer, powersports dealer, airport, hardware store, or canned fuel sold in the gas station store. Not a drop of E0 is available at ANY pump here in MA. It's all by the can - quarts, gallons, or 5 gallon jugs at $25+ per gallon...

If you keep a barrel air tight, you can keep even E10 usable for a year or more. I wouldn't use 87 octane in something you cared about after that length of time, but it's possible. I've done it. E0 I'd wager would last 3 or more years in the same conditions. It's cold quite a bit up here in MA...

I used to use Christy Drygas for passing emissions in my '85 Monte Carlo. Worked like a charm every time! Putting that in today's fuel is asking for trouble - probably why you don't see it anymore. Fuel already has enough alcohol in it as it is. Drygas was isopropyl alcohol, mainly, and alcohol...