Parking the Mustang

[TC Chris]

Fall got away from me this year. I suspect that both the truck and the Mustang are due for oil changes but have been afraid to look until I have time o my hands. Both have had mostly highway miles all summer, and with Mobil 1, it's probably safe to go a bit beyond 10K. Maybe we'll get a warm weather streak.

In any event, the Mustang was sitting in the garage with a part-full gas tank, and that was all Evil Ethanol Gas anyway. That's a problem. Today was sunny, of cool (mid-30s). The snow all melted last week. I had a bunch of chores to run today so they got combined with season's last run for the pony car. After the start-and-stop chores like recycling, groceries, and an office stop to drop off stuff too bulky for carrying on the bicycle, I headed on down the road and put about 30 highway miles on the odometer to dry out the oil, with a stop for 7.4 gallons of rec gas at the end. I'd like to have more rec gas in the tank, but it didn't work out this year. I'll add stabilizer. Can't recall f I have any more Biobor EB. Practical Sailor magazine did some tests and liked that one best. If I don't have any, I'll use Sta-Bil, which is on hand.

The only notable old-car burp involved the clutch safety switch. The starter won't run unless the clutch is in. Well, today it wouldn't run, period. Previously it sometimes needed a second depress-all-the-way motion. I pumped it a few times and made sure it was all the way down and still no luck. Popped it into neutral and it started jut fine. Had to do that one or two more times and then it started reliably. I probably need to find a new switch. Tonight I'll go out and add the stabilizer and connect the battery maintainer.

I don't do any other winterizing. Back in 1962 my Dad bought a fiberglass runabout boat with a very early Volvo-Penta inboard/outdrive. He asked the shop's mechanic what to do about winterizing. The guy said "Warm it up and then dump ATF down the carb until it stalls." I've done that on a lot of carbureted engines. But the Mustang is fuel-injected and has catalytic converters so I just park it. I still have the old boat. A nice old Volvo 4-cyl. marinized engine--water cooled oil filter and exhaust; displacement-style water pump; flame-arresting air filter.

Chris Campbell

[electra225]

I have used Sta-Bil with oxy-fuels for 25 years with no obvious signs of deterioration...(see me banging my brow, "knocking on wood"?). Here in good old sunny (not today, it rained) AZ we have been blessed with oxyfuels and emission testing for a LLLOOONNNG time. I used to make GM cars with Quadra-Jets or AFB's run well and idle smoothly at 1 percent CO, maybe a tad more, but certainly under 2%. Av gas is available in some areas, but not around here. And marina gas is nowhere close. I have stored the Buick here in summers and just make sure the tank is fairly full, but down some to allow for expansion. I run Sta-Bil in every tank of gas, so if the car sits for an extended period, I don't have to worry about forgetting the Sta-Bil. One would be in big doo-doo if fuel stabilizer is not used.

Old cars and their hiccups are part of what keeps life too interesting at times.

[TC Chris]

Av gas is available in some areas, but not around here. And marina gas is nowhere close.

Rec gas was $4.40/gal today. I forgot to look at regular, but I'm guessing ca. $3.95. I'm too cheap to pay the extra cost in the summer when the car is going through a tank a week, but for winter safety it's cheap insurance. We have it available because you are required to own a boat in order to reside in Michigan. Boats and alcohol gas are bitter enemies.

Chris Campbell