We have a 1984 Chevrolet Sportvan that we purchased in 2001. This is a great travel vehicle for Peggy and me. We pack our necessities, load our critters (Mac, Chloe, Daisy), and head out to wherever. On some of our trips the van runs great but on other trips I struggle to keep it running.
This inconsistent problem was a great mystery to me.  I've done all I could to put the engine in
good condition but its sporatic operation continues. We drove to the Gulf of Mexico last summer and the van ran like a new one; then we went to Wisconsin and we had a nightmare of a trip home. 

Being determined to find what causes the 'great-then-horrible' engine operation, I turned to the
Internet for answers. I've included my findings here, starting with a letter I wrote to some very
nice people in Illinois. Follwing the letter, I've listed some articles that help explain the cause of my engine problems. If you have an older carburetor type engine that's giving trouble, your problem  
could be the same as mine: Ethanol.  

Note: There are (how many?) millions of good, older vehicles on the road and vapor lock is not a thing of the past to those of us who own and drive them; it is a hateful reality every time we get on the highways. We never know whether the required Ethanol label is on the gas pump, or whether the store clerk knows if the gasoline is mixed with Ethanol, or even if the station operator tells the truth when asked.

In the interest of safety and good business, a customer should know what kind of gasoline is being pumped into their vehicle and every city in every state should have some gas stations that sell non-Ethanol gasoline and a way for drivers of carburetored vehicles to find them.
Doug

If you have the ethanol problem, read all the pages for info. To go directly to a new page,
 'The Fix' click THE FIX button. January 30, '06.