Tech talk:

Tech talk:
I've been asked about MPG. We got about 12 miles to the gallon. We have no idea how accurate this is as we had so many issues with fuel which at times caused us to use more gas than I think we should have. We spent a lot of time adjusting the carb trying to get the flow right. Headwinds really sucked down the gas as did "tractoring" up the passes at 10 mph. So, after all is said and done, I'm guessing 12. More than 10, not as much as 15. Malcolm concurs.

While de-greasing and cleaning Malcolm discovered that many of the issues with the Cadillac probably trace back to the gas tank lining. This was a solution he used to seal the inside of the tank to keep rust and other bits out of the fuel lines. It didn't work so well.

All the spark, carb and other issues with the gas were most likely really little clogs in the lines caused by bits of lining that made it through the filter and lodged in various places. There were still bits of lining left in the tank that we didn't get when we cleaned it as at the time they were solidly attached and appeared to be holding. Those bits were quietly shedding in the tank and one large chunk acted like a deflated balloon floating over the exit hole and blocking the flow of gas. It floated around causing all sorts of trouble when the car was in motion and settled into a corner when we stopped. We never saw it when we checked and all appeared to be fine in there. Malcolm didn't discover it until he had drained the tank and pulled the lines. This blob caused all sorts of issues; during acceleration, when starting and when the gas was low in the tank (it sucked into the hole to the line and stopped the flow completely). Discussion with other car guys has led us to the conclusion that the high alcohol levels in the gasoline out west may have caused the lining to deteriorate and sluff off the sides of the tank. Frustrating, yes... the end of the world... no. Half the battle with an old car is figuring out what is wrong. The fix might just be the easy part.

So, tomorrow is another day. There is much to do and time to do it. Besides my fingernails were just a little to clean anyway.