Electric M37?

[johnbyrdgates]

Well. Batteries are expensive and I’ll need a lot of them. I’m upgrading the rear suspension to carry the extra weight and still be a useful truck. Bob at Electric Vehicles of America in neighboring New Hampshire has estimated I could get as much as 100 miles on a charge with enough batteries and two 35 hp motors in series. 144V, 400 amp hours. The batteries will cost twice what the motors and control system. But I have a heated barn, a long winter ahead and a poorly running 67 year old internal combustion truck that I dearly love. I’m going for it. I’ll send postcards.

[johnbyrdgates]

Nice idea, Doc!

[Doc Dave]

One other option for you all.
We have a bulk gas and oil supplier who well sell ethanol free and deliver it if you buy 100 gallons at a time.
I got a 100 gal tank from tractor supply and now run ethanol free in all my power wagons and small engines. Also occasionally in my street vehicles.

[johnbyrdgates]

Agreed. When I was looking at 100LL was before I learned how to remove ethanol from premium unleaded. As I’ve been bumping into this problem out here for almost 10 years, I think I’ll do the electric conversion. Not that I don’t like getting intimate with my truck’s fuel supply...

[John Mc]

Last I checked, the airport where I keep our Cessna 172 still sells 100LL to "outsiders"/non-pilots. There is no federal prohibition against selling it for non-aviation use that I'm aware of. They could get in trouble for selling it for "on road" use, since there are different taxes collected for that (and airports typically aren't set up to deal with that). So if you wanted to put it in your truck, they would likely balk. They might be willing to fill a 5 gallon can, if they were assured it was for off-road use.

I'm not sure what you would hope to accomplish with 100LL, however. The stock engine in an M37 does not need the higher octane (compression ratio is only something like 7:1, if I recall). It also doesn't need the lead. So 100LL is unlikely to "cure" any problems. 100LL is not any better at dealing with moisture or other contaminants than auto gas.

[johnbyrdgates]

Thanks, Mathew. I actually tried to get some airplane gas but was rebuffed. Seems airport rules have changed here. I do use sea foam and have also put marvel mystery oil in before. Right now, the truck starts and idles for a few seconds and then dies, so I might have another carburetor cleaning in my future. This is why I’m considering going electric. It just seems the cards are getting stacked against old vehicles and I’d like to keep this truck which I’ve owned since it came out of service on 1967.

[Matthew Welcher PWA]

[QUOTE=johnbyrdgates;n189823]I’m having carburetor problems and crud in the tank and fuel lines whenever it sits for a couple of weeks. I’ve cleaned out the tank and coated it and replaced the carburetor. The last time I rebuilt it, the parts kit quality was poor and the plunger spring seems to be the wrong size. I go on road trips with my Vanagon for months at a time and when I get back I have to go through a bunch of stuff just to get the truck going again. I’ve been doing this ethanol dance for about 8 years now with the truck and I’m getting sick of it. I only drive it once or twice a week to the town transfer station and into the woods to get firewood, so I don’t go far. Electric seems like a decent fit. EV4U has a conversion course that I’m thinking of taking. [/QUOTE

A few thoughts, try dumping in some seafoam when you fill up? Pick up some 100LL from the airport to mix in with it, make triple sure you don't have a vacuum leak somewhere along the line.
I am lucky as far as here in Iowa to have a BP 4 miles down from the farm with 91 octane no ethanol. I have never been a big "snake oil" fan but as far as disipating water and giving a little lubricant the sea foam is good stuff.
Many years ago in big compression motors I would run the 100LL and throw in a quart of Ford type F tranny fluid per every 30 gallons. I never had any issues running that but now a days that AV gas is very expensive. It would be a test to see if it cured some of your problem?

[johnbyrdgates]

Yep. The old M37 doesn’t care, but the Vanagon notices.

[John Mc]

Yah. I’ve checked that site. Too far away to be practical for me. I also make my own de-ethanol-ed gas using a contraption I saw in a YouTube video. It’s just getting to be a hassle.

Just be aware that removing the ethanol from E10 gas drops the octane rating by 3 or 4 points. That's not an issue for a stock M37 engine, but it is for some other engines.

[johnbyrdgates]

So I guess no one has electrified their M37 yet. I’m going to study up on what it’d take.

[johnbyrdgates]

Yah. I’ve checked that site. Too far away to be practical for me. I also make my own de-ethanol-ed gas using a contraption I saw in a YouTube video. It’s just getting to be a hassle.

[John Mc]

Check out www.pure-gas.org for gas stations that sell Ethanol-free (E0) gas in your area.

[Cheyenne Dave]

I know its available in NC, didn't realize it's not more widespread

CD

[johnbyrdgates]

That’s right, Cheyenne. No ethanol free here. I’m always envious of the western state old vehicle owners. When we drive the 1987 Vanagon out your way, we always use the straight gas. It seems to run better.

[Cheyenne Dave]

Do you not have ethanol-free gas in your area? Here in Wyoming its called clear gas and the pump handles are blue. I've been using clear for 3 years now and recommend it to my customers in all seasonal engines and limited use vehicles.

CD