Has ethonol mucked up my carbs?

[obxtrainman]

Hello everyone,

It's been awhile since I've posted. I parked the 73 240z with 2 year old rebuilt ztherapy carbs about 2.5 months ago. Its been hot, I've been busy. I started it a few weeks ago and let it run for awhile. I have been putting off driving it untill I change the oil. I just tried to start it to change the oil. It wouldn't start. I have gas up to the top of carbs. It will start for a second using starter fluid. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanx in advance for any replies.

obx

[Gary in NJ]

Two month old gas should not hinder combustion. Unless you last drove the car two months ago with 2-4 month old gas. Now you just might have an issue.

Here is something else to consider. Just starting a car and allowing it to warm up isn't the best thing for the combustion chamber(s). This practice can lead to fouled spark plugs. Try some fresh spark plugs and see if that get's you going.

Edited September 2, 2010 by Gary in NJ

[Bruce Palmer]

With a babyfood jar in hand pull the gas line off the float bowl or the nozzle. See what comes out, if anything, and what it looks like and work back from there.

Everybody has babyfood jars right?

[Zforce]

Check your nozzles, maybe they are not dropping when you pull the choke. They can definitely stick from lack of use when gas dries up.

[Bruce Palmer]

Check your nozzles, maybe they are not dropping when you pull the choke. They can definitely stick from lack of use when gas dries up.

Nozzles stuck in the up or down position wont keep an engine from starting. If there is fuel to the nozzles it'll process on through. Nozzles are just a hole in a brass tube the I.D. of which is half the metering equation.

The above problem sounds more like needles and seats are goobered shut. I'd remove the float bowl lids and douch out the needles and seats with carb cleaner. If there is gas to the inlet side of the float bowl lids, yet nothing is getting into the carbs then it's one of two things. Needles and seats are stuck shut or the final filters are plugged. Once gas gets past those two things it's gravity from there on and it's hard to screw up gravity....

[Unkle]

Bruce , most of your replies use the word ''douch''.

Is there another substitute word ? I want better pics in my head.....:sick:

[Bruce Palmer]

Bruce , most of your replies use the word ''douch''.

Is there another substitute word ? I want better pics in my head.....:sick:

Well, maybe this'll help bury the concept.... Just repeat the saying "Step right up and get your handy dandy dash board douch bag, guaranteed not to rust, bust, corrode or beat your children".

Or if things are backing up on you, try this one...... Thirty days has September, April, June and no wonder all the rest have peanut butter except Grandma she drives a Buick?

That's all.......

[Unkle]

Well , I tried.............:eek:

[obxtrainman]

First off, Thanx fellas:classic: I took the float bowl tops off, borrowed a used douche bag from my wife, then proceeded to give them a good douching with carb cleaner. As I had said earlier, I knew I had gas to the end of fuel lines. When I removed the bowl tops, ta da, no gas in the bowls. The old girl started right up after the douching;)

It's been hotter than hell here with matching humidity. I've been having carb trouble on my mower. I here carb trouble on every mower on the street. Everybody's boats are having carb troubles. From what I've been reading, it's the ethanol. Apparently it readily attracts moisture. The new Sta-Bil has ethanol treatment in it. Mechanics across the country are reporting carb problems. They're mostly referring to small engines. I'm sure no one is thinking about older cars with carbs. I just purchased a stihl weed trimmer. It had a big orange warning about the problem, as a matter of fact, the warranty is void if ran without sta-bil ethanol treatment. When I took the bowl off of my mower, there was moisture clinging to the bottom of the float. Anyhoo, just giving you guys a heads up the the soon to be scourge of ethanol:mad:

[Bruce Palmer]

Here's where I'll draw the line..... I have no idea what effect carb cleaner will have on a douch bag. Probably something more serious than what our crappy gas will do to carb parts.

And for those bothered by the douch reference, try substituting "flushing" to see what kind of "crap" is lodged in your needles and seats. Better word picture? You're welcome.

[Travel'n Man]

Bruce - you're just not right!!

[Bruce Palmer]

Bruce - you're just not right!!

Yeh and it's too damned old to fix!! No parts and all the old mechanics are retired......