Bad Alcohol Motor Symptoms

Today, I went to start my car after a few months of not running and started ok but after a little bit, it started popping and banging like the timing was off so shut it down, went thru the mag timing and it was good so restarted and started popping and banging again.

Shut it off again and looked in the bug catcher and could see puddles of fuel inside so I got a sample from a puddle and smelled it and smelled like weak alcohol. I went to the fuel jug that I filled the fuel tank with and it smelled weak also.

My question is, would bad alcohol make the motor pop and bang and shoot small flames from the headers?

I've got a hydrometer on order so I'll check the fuel when I get it but just looking for some answers as to what bad alcohol motor symptoms are. I live in Arizona so we don't get much humidity and I've stored my alcohol for longer times than this last time.

The motor: 406ci Dart Little M SBC, Brodix 11x heads, J&E 11.5:1 pistons, Comp Cams grind CS 1612/1639 R 114.0 blower cam, BDS 6-71 Stage III blower and Vertex OAC mag.

Thanks in advance for any info provided.

 

You sure a pushrod or plug wire did not go away? As far as fuel, I had a "crew person" fill the tank with Mineral Spirits (not reading the label on the jug!) and we warmed the car up in the pits on it! Sounded a bit "off" and smelled....odd...but still idled ok and revved up. Found out when he went to top it off. Good help is hard to find....

 

Hey Joe, long time no chat, how you been?

Well you got me thinking so I just checked the push rods and they're all good, wires are new so I pulled the plug that was shooting the small flame and it had moisture in it so I'm thinking the moisture in the alky is the culprit.

I got this batch of fuel from a different supplier than normal so while I'm waiting for the hydrometer, I'm going to get a jug from my normal guy and try it out, can't be any worse than what I got now.

 

Well 400 views and only 1 response, I guess this is not the place to ask questions!

As a follow-up to those that might be interested, got new fuel and after the motor started, it ran really good so it was the bad fuel after all!

 

Since I live in Arizona to I was going to offer you the use of my hydrometer to check your fuel. But you beat me to it. If I may ask where did you get the bad fuel at? I do not need the same problem. Good Luck

 

I got the fuel that went bad at Western States Petroleum, it was good when I first got it just didn't last.

I went back to my normal supplier Speedway Fuels for the refill, never had a problem with them and will stay with them.

 

Have you ever tried Torco Fuel? Where is Speedway Fuel?

 

Speedway is located at 2845 W Broadway Rd Phoenix, AZ 85041 and have never tried Torco, they're too far from me, I'm on the west side in Avondale, where are you?

 

I'm on the east side in AJ. Nice ride to Paul.