On Tue, 15 Apr 1997 05:44:29 EDT 246084@ibmmail.com writes:
>When I drive to work in the morning if I pull up to lights then the
ignition light comes on, the revs drop to around 500 (sometimes is stalls
at this point) - if it doesn't stall, it then comes back up to 950 and is
fine.
>
>It was pinking slightly the other day so I retarded the timing slightly.
>
>Only being a learner on all this, should I advance the timing again?
Any other suggestions?
Yes. Set the timing back up to spec's. If the pinking bothers you, or
if you get run-on when you shut it off, use higher octane gas. And above
all, avoid the fuel with 10% ethanol if at all possible (good luck).
a.) Alcohol is an octane enhancer, a cheap one even, so the oil
companies like to use it.
b.) It is also an oxygenator, so is popular in specific polution problem
areas.
c.) Gasohol is also cheaper to produce and sell because there is no
federal fuel tax on the alcohol content, making the alcohol cheaper than
real gasoline.
d.) Alcohol has 1/2 the energy per unit volume that gasoline has, so a
10% mix of alcohol in gasoline has 5% less energy, and you may expect a
5% reduction in fuel economy. Value says that gasohol should be priced
5% lower than straight gasoline, but it usually isn't, so the gasohol
costs you more in the end.
e.) Alcohol can be hard on a lot of elastomer parts in the fuel system.
f.) Vapor pressure of alcohol is quite high, so it can lead to vapor
lock in the carburators in warm weather, especially after a short period
of shutdown with a hot engine. It can also agrevate a run-on problem for
the same reason.
Barney (I hate gasohol) Gaylord,
1958 MGA
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