[T2] Gas issue

[Dave Gillingham]

Fellow Bussers:

I recently attended a meeting of a Corvette Club at the invitation of one
of my knuckle dragger friends.  I figured I could go along as the adult
supervision :) . The meeting was at a private museum in Carson and the cars
(mostly Mopar and Corvette) were incredible.  Some really unique vehicles.

There was also a tech session on the dangers of pump gas - at least in CA.
Turns out the ethanol added to essentially all pump gas in CA does really
bad things to the carbs and rubber fuel lines on older cars.  For reasons I
don't understand, later model cars with "closed" fuel systems are not
affected.  As evidence, the presenter passed around a Holley carb for us to
look at.  The accelerator pump tunnel was badly corroded!  Anyway the
recommendation was to use an additive when filling your gas tank.  it
convinced me.

Fast forward a couple of months and my bus (73 Panel van with a 2.0 and
dual Kadrons) wouldn't start one morning.  After futzing around with it I
determined it to be a fuel problem.  Neither carb was getting gas.  I have
an almost new (and expensive) fuel pump, and I had recently changed the
main gas line (I try to do that annually) and all three filters.  Closer
inspection revealed that the filters were all dirty!  So I again
changed the filters together with the fuel lines, only to discover that my
right side carb had a stuck needle valve (new Kadrons that are less than 4
months old!).

So lesson learned:  I suspect the fuel additive effectively cleaned my gas
tank and then clogged my filters.  A small piece of grit may have also
jammed the needle valve.  But perhaps most important:  There is a chance
that the rubber fuel lines were collapsing from the inside.  Evidently,
rubber or braided lines are easily deteriorated by the new gas mix.  At my
next available day off I am going to fabricate some steel lines for as much
of the delivery route as possible and plan to change the rubber connectors
regularly.

My $.02

Dave Gillingham, Owner/Broker

License # 01184185

o:  (619) 435-0145

m: (619) 992-5318

e:  dave at coronado-realty.com <natalie at coronado-realty.com>

a: 1111 9th St #202, Coronado, CA 92118