Shelby/Dakota

So did you run the gas or drain It?

j_martin

Bonehead's back.
I decided to try to run it, as all of you are just dying to see what happens without risking your own precious ride, so I will be the sacrifice.

Among other things, the 4 year old battery was dead in a month with only parasitic load on it.

I mixed a gallon of TCW3 2 cycle oil and 4 gallons of pump diesel in a gas can and poured it into the tank. Should be about 25 gallons total now, with 13 gallons of gasoline and oil mixed at 12:1. Then I disconnected the grid heaters. Wait to start light stays on, probably due to that disconnect.

It runs, albeit somewhat gutless. Idle is a bit low. Starting it doesn't "pop" like normal, but needs help across a few to get running, sorta like a Ford. The exhaust smells like an outboard marine engine. All that would be expected from the poor heat content of the fuel. The slight idle miss that was evident before I gassed it is slightly more noticeable. I suspect that is valve adjustment, as I've been negligent in that department.

After I adjust the valves, I'll commute with it to burn off this crap.

Takeaway is that in an emergency you can run gasoline and oil in these things at reduced power.

I disconnected the grid heaters because I figure that if a little gasoline vapor leaks into the fairly large volume of the intake manifold and inter-cooler equipment, ignition would probably put the inter-cooler through the grill.

I'll keep ya posted.

NJTman

Most appreciated, senior guinea pig


Please be kind enough to pull, and cut open the fuel filter casing to see the net result of running gas in there. Curious to see if it dislodges stuff, or not.

j_martin

That's in the plan. I suspect it will take a couple of filters to deal with 25 years worth of crap. I carry a spare behind the seat.

cougar

I would keep adding diesel as you burn the old stuff off, to thin it out even more.

j_martin

Senior guinea pig back with the report.

Driveability was too poor to keep going. It wouldn't start cold, started good when water temp was about 100. Started poor and tended to stall at a stop sign when hot. Pretty much acted like an IP about to crap out. I parked it till I got a chance to get after it. Turned out to be for the rest of the winter.

Today I pulled the fuel quick connect off the fuel pump, stuck a length of 3/8" OD vinyl tubing into it with the other end in a gas can. Then I swiped my wifes itty-bitty plastic funnel, put it pointy end into the fuel filler neck, and pressed a rubber tipped blowpipe into it with very low pressure on the hose. It took a couple of hours to get 20 gallons of pretty blue half gas out of the tank.

Then I put 5 gallons of #2 fuel into the tank. It happened to be light green in color. I put a little air on it till the fuel in the hose turned from blue to greenish blue green. I Yanked the plastic hose out of the connector and hooked the fuel line back on the lift pump.

Then I cracked the bleed screw on the filter and then drained the filter dry through the water drain. Using the lever on the lift pump I primed the filter and tightened the bleed screw down.

Cranked her up. Started like a Ford, spinning for 30 seconds and slowly catching on. Ran like crap for a few seconds, then began to settle down. After a minute it was running decent. I shut it down and restarted it. Took off on the first one over the top. Drove it to town, filled er up with #2, and it runs good just like it always has.

Here's what I learned. If gasoline accidentally gets introduced into a first gen, you can add a bunch of engine lube or 2 cycle oil to it so it doesn't spall the IP, and run it out. It won't be pretty, but it probably won't permanently damage anything.

cougar

Check your oil, see if any of that gas made its way past the rings.

j_martin

Oil's fine.