i have a recurring and very frustrating fuel problem. I have problems ideling and taking off and trying to cruise at town speed, about up to 35mph. once i get up over that she cruises fine. i have headers and a offy dp intake, new gasket on that about a month or so ago. edelbrock 600cfm carb. i took the carb completely apart at cleaned it and put it back on and it ran great for about 4 or 5 days and then it started acting up again. again, i tore it apart and cleaned it and put it back on and it ran great for 3 days. both times a noticed a clear gel like substance on the bottom of the fuel bowels. what is that? it doesn't look like dirt or grime. after i cleaned it out the last time i put a new filter in and got a half tank of higher octane fuel. didn't help any. also put some fuel stabilizer in with the half tank. the tank is only about 2 years old. i can't figure out what it is. i also notice when i have this problem i get more backfire and crakeling when i let off the gas, mostly when i downshift. when it runs good the fews days after i clean the carb it is smooth accelerating and decelerating and not crackling or backfireing at all. i was wondering of some of that gel like stuff was getting in the metering rod passages and effecting something. i have no idea.

 

you may want to drop the tank, and look inside, some really nice person may have put sugar in your tank.

 

would that get through the filter? and would i be able to smell a difference? what i was thinking the other day was that if whatever the problem is big enough to plug the carb, seems like it would be big enough to plug or get stopped by the filter.

 

snopes.com: Sugar in the Gas Tank

Looks like it makes a mess, but doesn't turn into syrup because it doesn't dissolve.

However, I think dropping the tank, thoroughly cleaning it, and starting with fresh gas may be your best option. If something keeps getting in there, there's really only one source for it to come from.

 

Has this been happening off and on since the carb/intake install? 600cfm seems HUGE to me I see modded 300's with only 500cfms on them. Sounds like its loading up if it wont idle or cruise normal. I put the holley 390 on mine and it's fantastic

 

no it ran great for about a year after i put it on. i know its big. i'm looking for a smaller one i just gotta wait till i have more money. its deffinately a clear gel which must be coming from the tank i just don't know what caused it. tank is a pain to pull, have to remove the MASSIVE custom home made bumper that weighs a ton and a half to get the tank out. did it two years ago.

 

**** anyone off then?...sugar in the tank? that would suck and hope its not the case

 

no not that i know of. people are stupid though. maybe there just jealous of the beast. truck got egged in the school parking lot a few years ago. luckily it was before i painted it. what does sugar do exactly? obviously its not good.

 

Did you read the link I posted above?

 

AbandonedBronco,

Interesting read about the sugar in gasoline... however, I wonder... the article cited the research was performed in 1994 [I believe]. Gasoline in 1994 did not have alcohol [gasohol] in it. Alcohol has an affinity for water. That is why it is the major component in gasoline "dryer" additives. The alcohol "connects" with the water, which by itself, stays on the bottom of the tank. But, when mixed with alcohol [methyl or ethyl] the water can mix with the gasoline and pass through the fuel system. SO, I wonder if the sugar can now be dissolved in the "new improved" gasohol? Hmmm?

 

sorry i didn't see that. interesting. i'm just wondering if that is the case, the sugar could be setteling in the bottom of the carb and plugging the jets. maybe? ill have to put some sugar in a jar of gas and see what it does

 

DOPE THE TANK AN GET A LOCK ON YOUR CAP MATE. KIDS DO YOU HAVE THEM IN YOU HOOD ALL WAYS UP TO SOMETHING IT WOULD BE THEM GO TO THERE PARENT AN TELL THEM THERE WILL BE GETTING A BILL FOR THE DAMAGE

 

X2 on the locking gas cap.

 

MYUTE went off hahaha!!!! Lovin these forums so far y'all. And yes X-3 on that locker cap!!!

 

Interesting thoughts. Could be. I didn't notice when the research had been done. As dm300 stated, maybe the easiest solution would be to put some sugar in today's gas and see what happens.
It would make sense for it to dilute (and cause nasty problems) if today's gas had different properties than the gas in the snopes test.

I'm only used to turning sugar into alcohol. Never thought about what alcohol in gas would do to it.