V6 + carb + ethanol

Has anyone tried (or acomplished) modifying their carb to run on ethanol?


Josh

 

I am also interested. Could a guy set up a carb for E-85 and just swap carbs for the fuel flavor of the day or are engine mods needed (I doubt it) ?

 

I wondered that too. Someone also told me it is illegal to distill your own alcohol in the US. Is this true? It would seem ridiculous to make it illegal with all this talk of alternative fuel and the push towards it. Anyhow, If anyone has done this conversion let us know.

Josh

 

I would think you would need to open up the Jets a bunch since you have to flow more fuel to get the same amount of power. Also the seals I think might need to be changed to neopreen to survive the alcohol( at least with Methanol you have to) I don't know if you could just swap back and forth easily but if you can figure out a way by all means do it, do a write up and let us know.

 

I thought ethanol was already mixed into gas, so why would you need to change the seals. I can understand adjusting the fuel air mixture, but would think the seals should be okay.

 

I am not sure if you would have to. Ethanol also is much nicer of an alcohol then Methanol so I don't even know if you would have to change seals if you were running strait ethanol.

 

are you talking about straight ethanol, 10%, or 85%?

i have avoided using the 10% cause i don't trust the gaskets, etc. on my 69 v6. i rebuilt the carb last summer.

i also live in iowa home of ethanol, where it's heavily subsidized at the pumps. i ran it in once by accident with no ill effects but that was before i stripped, cleaned and rebuilt the carb. but i have always run straight reg 87 octane. about every two tanks i'll put in a couple of oz. of lead subsitute from gunk.

 

Technically Biodiesel is illegal. No road tax.
Remember the government needs there percentage.

 

of course it's illegal to distil alchohol, ever hear of "bootleggers"?? I'm sure it is legal with a permit though.

JB

 

I thought it was legal as long as you don't sell it.

 

It's not illegal to distill alchohol, just to sell it, afaik

 

Here is the basis for problems running ethanol in your engine, most of these are easily addressed. You'll just have to tune the jets and possibly change the excellerator pump.

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http://running_on_alcohol.tripod.com/index.html

 

nice post mike.

the float in my carb is a black plastic foam instead of the original brass. thus i'm not sure until i test it.

ethanol is supposedly safer than methanol

 

In NH if you have a alterntive fueled vehicle you pay road the taxes when you get it registered it instead of at the pumps. I'm sure the other states have the same thing. Or you could not tell them:twisted:

 

Fascinating responses. Thanks guys.

Josh