Carbon Buildup - Tractor History

I once had a '46 Ford car and had a funding problem myself with fuel supply. I was able to obtain a full 55 gallon drum of 115-145 octane aviation fuel at a very low price. I put the drum in the truck of the 46 and ran a rubber hose to through the bung hole to the bottom of the drum laid on it's side and the other end attached to the fuel line under the car. I drove the car home from LA to Al and back on that drum of avaition fuel. When I got back though in the next few days I noticed that I was loosing water from around the edges of both heads. (flat head engine). Lots of water and it had developed a slight knock. I pulled the heads and discovered that the 115-145 octane fuel had left so much carbon deposits in the last thousand miles or so that the pistons were actually pounding on the heads combustion chambers with built up carbon. In the heads where the valves moved there was only a small passage left that was not solid carbon. I had to use a hammer and chisel to dig all the packed carbon out of the heads and tops of the pistons. Under the exhaust valves was a lot of carbon too but I managed to dig most of it out with a pick and hammer without pulling them out of the block.
I never used any more avaition fuel in my old 36 Ford car.

Zane

• Spark plugs don't lie

nondem..... .carbon build-up is NATURAL. Normal by-product of burning hydro-carbons called gasoline. Usually caused by too-cool running conditions as automobile manufactures found out when Govt bureaucrats mandated SMOG controls. Can occur in less than 1-year, so I wouldn't be too excited about carbon in a 50yo tractor engine.

hummm..... .'nebber' known a pipewrench that wouldn't grip that 3in engine oildrain plug. (better have NEW one & gasket handy) Iff'n the oilplug edges are that chewed-up, bett'cha its really frozen. Use a JACK to hold pipewrench up-tite to plug so you can putta 3ft extension on wrench handle for enuff torque to break it loose. Iff'n you had a "fire-wrench" to heat things up first, probably good idea.

'nutter'tip: you CAN NOT WELD used castiron exhaust manifolds. Why? 'cuz porous castiron gitts contaminated from exhaust gas carbon soot. New exhaust manifold, $50; new muffler clamp $5; new BRASS manifold nuts $2, torque to 27ft/lbs..... ..Dell