The Official 356Talk Forum

tom meighan wrote:Hi Glen
Sta-Bil offers a Marine Formula product. Is this the one you meant?
Tom

Yes

Mike
"Petrol in sealed containers" answered my question --Thank you.
To all thanks for your comments. All things considered, I have decided to continue as before with the addition of a shot of Sta-Bil witheach fuel addition.
Regards
Tom

It's a sad commentary when one of the most used and over priced items every American buys had lost so much of its quality that we have to develop strategies to work with it after a few weeks. Kind of like buying a burger and having to bring your own bun.

Adam Wright wrote:Kind of like buying a burger and having to bring your own bun.

More like getting it at the drive up window and it's ice cold by the time you get home.

Plus you get the benefit of higher food prices thanks to the grain byproduct fuel.

Let's face it, in 10 years you'll be lucky to get anything that will run in our cars.

Glenn-
It's not just our cars, I had to do $100 worth of work on my chainsaw this year because of the crap gas, my small motor guy said he is flooded with work because of the gas.

For small engines I just like to run them dry at the end of the season. Otherwise Stabil works well. Six months of storage without Stabil seems fine but I don't believe we have ethanol in all our gas up here.

Some folks can still find non ethanol fuel, unfortunately I am not one of them. In the marina business we are struggling with this just like all small engine folks. Some marinas in some states do carry the non ethanol stuff along with some gas stations, I think its worth the search.

http://www.buyrealgas.com/index.html

Mike
Long Island

Does anybody have tips on getting my old race car started again? It wouldn't start after the winter and I checked all the hoses, replaced one of the two fuel pumps but now I believe this bad gas has clogged up the carbs. I can start the engine with gas dropped into the carbs. but it starves for fuel. I've checked the fuel lines and they are open to the carbs. and there was fuel in the lines at the carbs.
Is there anything sort of pulling the carbs. off and blowing them out that anybody has had success with (you know like waving a magic wand and it starts immediatly)?
Thanks in advance. Tom

Tom, You might try using some of the spray cans of carb cleaner thats on the market for cleaning carbs. It is a crap shoot using it but you might get lucky. But like everything there is a right way and then the short cut way but good luck on which ever way you go.

George

Go to your friendly local racetrack and fill er up with 110 leaded. Bring a couple jugs if it's a long trip. Then go to the drugstore and get a bottle of castor oil and add it to the gas. Now your 356 will not only sound good it will smell like you are running oldtime castor bean racing oil. This will greatly enhance your 356 experience and make anyone over 60 swoon with nostalgic reverie.

Sorry Tom, I was responding to the ethanol gas question. I would start by pulling the fuel line off the carb inlet side and crank the engine and see what comes out of the line. This will isolate the problem to either the carbs or something upstream.

A few months ago I was on a plane sitting next to a Petroleum Buyer and former formulator. In our conversation we discussed the effects of Ethanol to the historical automobile. He stated with much confidence and conviction that using Stabil and a capful of 2 cycle oil in every fill-up will tremendously assist in the combat of the corrosive effects of ethanol. The 2 cycle oil was to substitute for the lubrication loss that was inherent in leaded fuels and the Stabil addresses the issue with water that comes with the use of ethanol. I can not validate his claim but at the same time I can not find fault in the process and can logically theorize that the process offers value to our engines.

John,

Pat Collins, a respected 356 mechanic in the Atlanta area, advised me to use Stabil every fill-up per the instructions and add 4 ounces of Marvel Mystery Oil every 3-4 fill-ups. I've followed his advice for over four years and have not experienced start-up or performance problems. My coupe is not a daily driver but I do manage a run 2-3 times a month. Seens the advice is sound regardless of the source.

Ron

1958 356A Guards Red Normal Coupe