Octane and Additives

[HowardT64]

I was told by a good friend and Mechanic that these older engines were not designed to run on Ethanol for very long. Fuel without ethanol is preferred for optimum function. Since I had no choice to put some of this cursed mixture in my tank, I decided to use an octane booster to try and counteract its effects. Now my Jeep smokes!! Scared the crap out of me !!!

Here is what I used... https://lucasoil.com/products/fuel-trea ... ne-booster

Could the additive be causing my exhaust to smoke?

Thanks Hope you are all well

[SJTD]

Idunno but what makes you thing you need a higher octane rating than what it says on the pump?

Seems to me the problem with ethanol in fuel is corrosion and maybe the rubber parts get attacked. I don't think that stuff will help.

[BCRAWLER]

Think what your mechanic is refering to is lead additive. Older engines used this to lube valves I think. New engines runs have stellite valve seats.

[candymancan]

Youre friend is wrong. The manual even says ethanol 10% is fine.

I do know my 90 doesnt like 87 or 89 though. Might be a timing issue. Or maybe its because my egr is dead so i plugged it. But it was dead the day i bought it. All i know is if i use 87 or 89 the engine predetonates. Or pings with medium to heavy throttle. So i have to use 93 and it wont ping anymore, it sounds just like my 5.9 Zj engine does if i use 89 or 87. That engine was tuned for 91 or higher. So anything lower predetonates it sounds like marbles ina tin can if your wondering.crackling noises

It sucks having to use 93 when you get 11mpg.. but thankfully im s member of BJs club. And their 93 is 60 cents cheaper than any big chain gas stations 93, exxon, bp,sunoco, shell ect. Their 93 is cheaper than everyones 87 its funny. So every fill up im saving about 10$

So yea., im used to having to use 93 in my 5.9 ZJ so its whatever on the waggy. Though itd be nice to figure out why i need 93 and fix it.

If your engine runs fine on 87.. use 87. You dont need additives. If your engine pings like mine switch a higher grade fuel like 89 or 91 or 93.

The difference in cost between a full tank of 87 and 93 is 10$ or so. How much is your additive ? I garuntee it isnt raising the octane level as much as you can by buying the higher grade gas can. Those bottles are misleading

[carnuck]

Depends on your altitude. I discovered that the high octane gas and additives to get it there had a reverse effect in Ouray above 5,000 feet. It slowed combustion so much my motor sputtered like timing was retarded. 85 octane (not E85) worked great. I got better fuel economy (20-25 mpg highway)

[babywag]

Zero truth or need for that stuff in a stockish/street driven Jeep.
If you have a CAT installed? It may damage it.

You say it's smoking...probably due to increased emissions or/and poor combustion?

I ran e85 for over a year on my '88 with TBI...never gave me any trouble or had any issues. So I claim total BS.
All that is required is tuning for it.

[letank]

I have been running regular w 10% EtOH for so many years it is hard to remember when it started, this is what is available in the great smoldering state of California. No pinging at any speed or any throttle demand with the stock carburetor... no additives, only the ZDDP added to the the oil.

[Chubbinius]

My 1970 Wagoneer gets a couple of ounces of StarTron enzyme treatment dumped in with each tank of gas since it helps counteract the ethanol and the related carb gelling/rubber damage. Same thing we used to put into the fuel for lawnmowers/tractors and rototiller for winters or if they were going to be sitting fir a while.

[HowardT64]

Ill pull plugs and see if one is not firing...look at the condition of each plug....just may be a bad plug. Star Tron you say? How expensive is this?

[freehold]

Several years ago, I pulled out my weed eater after a long winter of not using it only to find the carb was clogged and it wouldn't start. The small engine repair guy asked me what kind of gas I was using for the mix, and I admitted just the cheap stuff from the gas pump. In good southern form, he chuckled and said the ethanol-heavy gas was like sugar water when it sat too long. So I started keeping a can of no-ethanol gas around for all my yard equipment.

I am an English major, so I don't know jack about GW carbs, but I figured it might be simpler just to put the non-ethanol gas in mine. I don't daily drive it, and sometimes there are stretches where it takes me a month or two to exhaust a tank of gas. I don't know if it helps, but I don't think it's hurt anything (except, perhaps, a few extra dollars from my wallet, which I consider the cost of doing business in a GW).

FWIW, there are intense, passionate threads in the Acura MDX forum I've dropped into occasionally about whether you really have to run those engines on midgrade or high-test gas. I think fuel preference may be a sleeper conversation on par with talking religion/politics at Thanksgiving.

[Chubbinius]

Ill pull plugs and see if one is not firing...look at the condition of each plug....just may be a bad plug. Star Tron you say? How expensive is this?

It's not too pricey, depending on what size you buy, usually $10-$20 or so a bottle but even the small one usually treats about 100 gallons.
https://www.bing.com/shop?q=stratron+en ... ORM=SHOPTB

[candymancan]

Several years ago, I pulled out my weed eater after a long winter of not using it only to find the carb was clogged and it wouldn't start. The small engine repair guy asked me what kind of gas I was using for the mix, and I admitted just the cheap stuff from the gas pump. In good southern form, he chuckled and said the ethanol-heavy gas was like sugar water when it sat too long. So I started keeping a can of no-ethanol gas around for all my yard equipment.

I am an English major, so I don't know jack about GW carbs, but I figured it might be simpler just to put the non-ethanol gas in mine. I don't daily drive it, and sometimes there are stretches where it takes me a month or two to exhaust a tank of gas. I don't know if it helps, but I don't think it's hurt anything (except, perhaps, a few extra dollars from my wallet, which I consider the cost of doing business in a GW).

FWIW, there are intense, passionate threads in the Acura MDX forum I've dropped into occasionally about whether you really have to run those engines on midgrade or high-test gas. I think fuel preference may be a sleeper conversation on par with talking religion/politics at Thanksgiving.

Maybe if the gas sits in your lawn equipment for years and isnt cycled through by use. But i have a landscsping business i use 87 octane or 93 if im filling my Jeep up ill fill my cans up.

But i dont have any issues with ethanol in my equipment. EXCEPT for the clear tubing going from thr gas tsnks to the carb they tend to shrink all the time. Very annoying

[HowardT64]

okay, found out that the additive I used, has some degree of oil in it. Not much but its there...ten to one its whats causing my issue It may smoke for a bit till its all out of the tank, but after that, im thinking the additive will have helped to burn off excess carbon and such as well. The Star Tron will be the stuff I use from now on...

Thanks for the input

[HowardT64]

Did some checking, there is enough oil in the additive I used to cause the Jeep to smoke. SO until this tank runs out I put up with it. No problemo

[Chubbinius]

Glad to hear that you were able to narrow it down to the additive, and not anything more problematic.

[HowardT64]

Me too I was afraid something else went bonkers!! I do think I have a plug not functioning right...running just a bit off....Easy to check and fix

[HowardT64]

Wish there was a way I could clean that crap out of my fuel....short of draining the tank, I do not know how. Unless I just run it out....then put fresh hI Octane fuel in it.

[candymancan]

Drive till the tank is empty. My orange empty light works and ir accurate. When its on i can drive 20 more miles and then fill up full and itll take 18 gallons or so.. meaning i had 2 or so gallons left.

The lights are generally on when you have 2-3 gallons left.

I douvt the octane booster is making you smoke though. Ive put in 2-3 gallons of gas mixed with 2 stroke oil for weed whackers.. and i never had smoking issues

[HowardT64]

well the Lucas booster I used feels oily....and, it does not smoke all the time....I hope its not a valve seal.

[HowardT64]

Why would my Jeep only smoke after its warmed up? Could it be the exhaust has so much crap in it that is burning out? I dunno...no top end noise...compression check was good when I had the top end done. Thought it might be the additive, hell I dunno anymore...