[DeTomaso] nasty carb mess

[David and Marilyn Bell]

I still think the goop is arriving at the float bowl dissolved in a liquid,
then plating out on the aluminum.  If the goop was immiscible in gasoline
and just carried along with the flow then it would tend to settle out mostly
in the bottom of the float chamber and also eventually plug up the fuel
filter.  This stuff looks like it coats everything it touches.

Don't under estimate the power of ethanol to dissolve all kinds of things.
The carbureted motorcycle forums (I have two carb bikes) are full of ugly
stories and photos of plugged and corroded carburetor internals.  This
problem has accelerated greatly since ethanol became a common gasoline
additive.  The real issue is that alcohol and gasoline don't mix well and if
they aren't stirred up regularly the ethanol will separate out and attack
the aluminum and/or coat the insides with an ugly precipitant.  I'll admit
that motorcycle carbs are more sensitive to corrosion and precipitants than
autos just because the jets and channels are so tinly relative to car carbs.
Still the same processes are at work.

I was talking to the service manager at NW Honda in Houston a few months
ago.  He told me that since ethanol gasoline became common, they have
learned to routinely put gas stabilizer in every Honda motorcycle/ATV they
receive from the factory.  They do that because they got tired of
flushing/rebuilding the fuel systems of brand new bikes that had been on the
display floor for only a month or two before selling.

Sta-bil works well for me in everything that doesn't get used very
regularly. I use it routinely in the Pantera, as well as my CBX (where I
just spent $600 having all six carbs professionally cleaned and rebuilt), my
wife's PC800 motorcycles, lawn mower, gasoline generator, pressure washer,
etc.  Sta-bil won't clean up the goop that's already formed (I use double
strenght Techron to help with that), but it does seem to keep the nasty
stuff from forming.

Dave Bell

-----Original Message-----
From: Haas, John [mailto:john at haasline.com]
Sent: Sunday, October 28, 2012 11:16 AM
To: 'David and Marilyn Bell'; 'CharlesMcCall'; detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: RE: [DeTomaso] nasty carb mess


I think it did get by the filter. I'd just rebuilt carb and cleaned the
hard-line to it so it was clean. That only left about 20" of Teflon lined
flex hose. This gunk is extremely fine but it settles out FAST. A tub of
fresh gas cleaned it up quickly and the sediment fell right out. I also
failed to mention that while running it a couple weeks ago I ran the tank
out of gas and the pick up tube sock had been removed about 24 years ago
when I ran out of gas and clogged that up. I'm sure I picked up a pile of
crap then. Yesterday I pumped gas out via the fuel pump and this old gas is
dark amber even after being diluted and it was full of black bits that leave
a sticky rubbery residue behind. I reckon I'll drain and flush the tank and
replace the fuel pump and the few inches of rubber fuel line I have. I'd
better hurry as I'm not going to suffer the embarrassment of hosting a club
event without a running car. It will be plenty challenging trying to relax
at my Indian Princess and other family camping trip between now and then. Of
course that's not the only thing needing done...

-----Original Message-----
From: David and Marilyn Bell [mailto:davidabell at att.net]
Sent: Sunday, October 28, 2012 10:26 AM
To: CharlesMcCall; john at haasline.com; detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: RE: [DeTomaso] nasty carb mess

I don't think that stuff passed through the filter.  It looks more like a
precipitant to me.  Ethanol gasoline doesn't like aluminum or pot metal,
especially if it sits for long periods.  Ugly stuff like that gets left
behind.

Like you said, drive it more often - and a gasoline stabilizer is a good
idea as well.

Dave

-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com
[mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com]On Behalf Of CharlesMcCall
Sent: Sunday, October 28, 2012 9:15 AM
To: john at haasline.com; detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] nasty carb mess


Wow! You are right - that is pretty ugly!

Charles McCall
Raising Pantera Awareness Across Europe
1985 DeTomaso Pantera #9375
http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=2323


-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
Behalf Of Haas, John
Sent: domingo, 28 de octubre de 2012 14:51
To: detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: [DeTomaso] nasty carb mess

http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=38450

I finally thought I'd overcome some negative inertia from moving and having
3 young kids by getting my carb rebuilt. It ran great in the garage until
the accelerator pump hydraulically locked up again. See what I found in the
link above. Boy that's ugly, the sintered bronze filter didn't stop any of
this from getting out of the tank. I DESERVE EVERY BIT OF IT FOR LETTING MY
CAR SIT!

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No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2012.0.2221 / Virus Database: 2441/5359 - Release Date: 10/28/12