Filled with zero ethanol gas and. . . SMOKE!!!!

[shawnfj40]

All the gas I run in my two very original 2f motors is e15. They show zero ill effects from it after 10 years.

Sorry I thought we were talking about his 40. I didn't invent the information on ethanol. It is just a fact. If you want the hard core info, talk to someone with a boat or snow mobile. I think the National Parks only use ethanol free when they sell fuel at the park ( I know Yellowstone does). So good for your results. I use it on and off and have no problems either. I will say, from my experience I have Never seen ethanol free gas cause an issue with a motor. Usually it is 89 octane though and if you were using 87 or 93 it would change your performance a bit. If the shop you took it to could not adjust your carb, they should not be setting your valves.

 

[Fast Eddy]

Sorry I thought we were talking about his 40.

Simply providing a data point.

Usually it is 89 octane though and if you were using 87 or 93 it would change your performance a bit. If the shop you took it to could not adjust your carb, they should not be setting your valves.

In a 2f? No. Once you have enough octane to ignite the fuel at a given pressure, higher octane provides zero additional benefit. It is the compression (=pressure) that provides performance (=efficiency). The octane prevents pre-ignition. If your motor doesn't knock with 87 octane, there's no benefit of running more expensive gas. On a dyno, you would not see an increase of hp of even a very small amount.

 

[FJ40Jim]

FWIW, higher octane gasoline has a slightly lower energy density that lower octane. So a sensitive dyno might show a .2% decrease in power when switching from 87 to 93 octane.

If the OP is seeing smoke out the tailpipe, the first step is to diagnose the fuel source for the smoke: oil, coolant or fuel.
From there go through the troubleshooting tree.

FWIW, I would start by pulling plugs for inspection, do a compression test. If compression is good, screw in 6 new W14EXR-U plugs, then fill up with regular gas and drive for 50 miles, then see what it looks like.

 

[PabloCruise]

FWIW, higher octane gasoline has a slightly lower energy density that lower octane. So a sensitive dyno might show a .2% decrease in power when switching from 87 to 93 octane.

If the OP is seeing smoke out the tailpipe, the first step is to diagnose the fuel source for the smoke: oil, coolant or fuel.
From there go through the troubleshooting tree.

FWIW, I would start by pulling plugs for inspection, do a compression test. If compression is good, screw in 6 new W14EXR-U plugs, then fill up with regular gas and drive for 50 miles, then see what it looks like.

If compression not good, then leak-down test?

 

[shawnfj40]

Eddy, your right, I should have said from an emission perspective. Whatever octane he was running when the carb was adjusted, is what he should be using when he has it tested. If the compression is not good after a wet and dry test, a leak down test is not going to help. You already will know that there is a problem. If it changes drastically you will know wether its rings or valves. If the compression is good there is a whole process from there Jim just mentioned some of the steps. The smoke is what failed the OP so I guess thats his main concern.

 

[edwjmcgrath]

I'm with FJ40Jim. You don't even know what the smoke is from at this point.
You've got to do some diagnostics before you start even talking about pulling the engine.
A compression test is the best place to start. I'm going to predict that it's the head gasket and it's steam-not smoke.
When a little bit of smoke goes away when the engine warms up, and suddenly one day turns into a lot of smoke that wont stop...
But just a WAG from someone who has seen a few blown head gaskets.

 

[shawnfj40]

You keep using that work e85... I don't think you know what that means

Are you actually using e85 or are you using 10% or 15% ethanol gas ... E85 is 85% ethanol

I must have blown right by that in the original post. The problem isn't from using ethanol free gas, it was because the OP used E85 in the first place. These old 2F motors can handle a little bit of alcohol but not 85 percent of it.

 

[thebigredrocker]

Seems like quite a story....hmmm.....

 

[seis]

Sorry all, 15% ethanol gas is the regular and the pure gas is what coincided with the smoking.
Pulled the plugs #4 wasn't firing, which explains the richness. Still trouble shooting the reason it wasn't firing. Cleaned the plugs off ran it rechecked the plugs and it is firing again, for now. Using Sea Foam engine cleaner in the cylinders to clean up any remaining sludge buildup.
Timing is ~5º. Compression across the board ~90.
PCV was sticking a bit, cleaned it and is free now.
Adjusted the fuel mixture and idle speed. Most of the smoke is gone.
The vacuum hoses were "tinkered with" and several were left unattached with one hose being plugged with a screw. I need to find a diagram that I can go off of. I replaced the hoses a few years ago, as the stock was cracked and leaking. I pulled one hose off at a time and replaced each one individually, so it was correct before taking it in this last time.

The vacuum advance was disconnected from the distributor. I reconnected it but it doesn't seem to be sucking noticeably.

Breather hose is aftermarket junk that pinches off, what does go through is rich enough in oil and gas that there is a pool of oil in the air filter housing with an oil-soaked filter.
There is enough blow-over that smoke puffs out of the oil cap and valve cover when breather hose is removed.

Sequence moving forward is this, thus far:
Sea Foam cleaning out the cylinder
Run the engine for a few dozen miles
Check the plugs again
Re Sea Foam
Change oil to 40W clean out air filter and change plugs
FJ40 passes emissions and I drink whiskey 'til the baby gets here.

Otherwise, I'll have to take it to someone that can resmog the engine and fix the vacuum and timing issues.

 

[seis]

I didn't take it to Barrett's this time. Probably should have. I'm still tinkering now but may have to haul it down to him or Cruiser Engineering. C.E. is great if you need parts because he has a bunch but, I've never had him fix anything. How is he as far as labor and quality of work? You can PM me if you want to speak candidly.
I'll call Kurt after my pride is officially devastated.
Picked this last shop due to proximity to my parents' place. Lesson learned.