Re: {Chrysler 300} Carter carbs / storage

Hi John,

I've noticed this same issue for years (since corn gas arrived), even on SU carbs in my MG Midget, not to mention infrequently used engines like chainsaws and weed wackers. I finally went battery powered on the small chainsaw and weed wackers as I was tired of spending more time making them run after sitting than the time I was using them.

The only 'solution' I found was pretty expensive, but satisfying. I moved to a state (Texas) where the closest gas station to my house (roughly 2 miles) is a CEFCO that sells ethanol-free gas and the cars can be driven pretty much year round. My G convert and my Hurst are quite happy running that gas, as well as running at speeds between 55 and 75 most of the time instead of putting around MA roads in traffic at 35 mph for only a few months of the year.

Even then, with whatever additives are in today's fuel, if I let something sit long enough to let gasoline evaporate out of a carb (even on a lawn tractor), crap that appears to be invisibly dissolved/suspended in the fuel will make it through the fuel filters and result in deposits in the gas bowls that can clog small orifices inside the carbs. Maybe mix in a bit of Marvel with each fill up? Dad used to do that, along with adding STP at every oil change ;-) But that was yesteryear's gas and also daily drivers that did not sit for long periods of time unused.

I think the only real 'solution' is to keep using them as often as you can. Objects at rest tend to want to stay at rest. Just like us as we get older. Keep moving, or it gets more difficult to get moving again after staying put too long.

P.S. On small engines like a lawnmower, I install a fuel shutoff and when I'm done using the machine, I turn off the fuel and let the engine run the carb dry so there is no fuel left to sit, evaporate, and leave deposits. Not as easy to do on an automobile, but it's worked well for me on small engines.

On Wed, Aug 21, 2024 at 7:31 AM John Grady <jkg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I have become extremely frustrated with what happens to our cars in storage , often after less than a year now, probably due to ethanol as a compounding problem .

You go to drive your car , it will not run right or idle etc due to residual junk “in carb passages” after evaporation of fuel , plus what is in tank goes bad .
Don’t even say Stabil , it’s ethanol .

Briggs and Stratton make some special stuff, as they have fat in this fire. I have been using it . It is an engineered product can’t hurt is thinking but still the issue remains . With a lot of cars able to go this gets really bad .

I wonder if anyone in club has a real answer ? “ Stabil worked for me “ is not a real answer , as in moonlight worked for me .

Someone mentioned putting two stroke oil in with gas ,— that might work especially if a strong mixture of this was drawn into carb the day you put it away and you are rigorous about it , keep records etc
I was thinking modify fuel line to a well done rubber hose or special fittings so you could easily disconnect and do this, put the filter right at carb , disconnect line hold temp bottle with a hose at bottom , up over for last few minutes ?

“Original looks “ that do not work is just not so good .

But the big takeaway on this I found yesterday on a hot rod site , as I have a 318 78 dodge truck recently restored , idle mix screws sort of unresponsive, stalling etc etc
Went looking about erratic inoperable idle screws on Carter
( saw that issue many times on 300 )— it has a rebuilt carb Carter BBD 2 bl rebuilt only a few years ago and ran great before two years on non use . BBD variations were used from 50 ‘s to 80’s as the mopar 2 bbl

So on the site the guy mentioned that the problem arises in the narrowed- down tip of the very narrow brass tubes that dip into fuel to feed the idle circuit . The hole at the end is long and tubular , smaller than the smallest drill in a 100 drill numbered set . It is made I think by swaging brass tube down . I believe AFB are same design , these tubes and a cover on them are part of the main venturi cluster held in with two special screws . unfortunately you have to pull carb top to get at it. Best done with carb off …. obviously

Along the lines of why not try , i did this , sure enough junk in tiny tip hole from
dried gas . cleaned out with stainless wire , blew out with air … It works! Idle screws out 1.75 turns like normal !’ Before 6-7 turns still not running right
Awwwright!
All these years thinking some mysterious thing happens to carbs , cured by rebuild , $ time and hassle . Now I feel I know something new
Good to
know …
Still learning … may help you , —- that , and use current edelbrock
needles in
our carbs , that cures deformed seats inside carb from too much golden screwdriver as taper is different
jkg

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