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zaphod

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Joined: 03/06/2018
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 93

Posted: 12:23pm 06 Nov 2018

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This year every one of my garden small engines has failed due to fuel pipes being eaten away I suspect by the amount of ethanol now being put in our petrol. Not only does the fuel pipe have to be replaced but the carb cleaned because the ethanol has stripped the fuel pipe and deposited the resulting gunge in the carb, on top of that I have had to adjust the mixture richer to get something like the original performance.

What worries me is what is this awful stuff doing to our cars, I have kept records of a Kia Picanto auto for many years and whereas it used to average 40mpg that's now down to 37mpg. Here in the UK they currently put at least 5% of the garbage in the fuel but are considering increasing this to 10% god help us! Of course the enviro nuts love it despite it being less efficient and producing more co2 when burnt.

Whats the situation in other countries and do other people have problems with there engines ?

Cheers Roger
1Kwp DIY PV + Woodburner + Rainwater scavanger :)

Revlac

Guru

Joined: 31/12/2016
Location: Australia
Posts: 1024

Posted: 08:43am 07 Nov 2018

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Yes I has also found that E10 fuel to be a PITA, On the old 2 stroke lawn mower it ate the plastic fuel level sight gauge into a blob of sticky mess, plastic carby and fuel lines also messed up.
I didn't use it on any of the chainsaws, it would be cheaper to buy a new one than do all the repairs.
The old Yamaha 175cc Ag Bike copped it also, the 2 stroke oil turned into dirt or something like it, that caused lubrication issues, found out the hard way riding up a little steep hill, usually give it a bit of Rev getting up it and then find the throttle slide stuck opened...F k, knocked the thumb kill switch and jumped off as the bike continued arse over head.

Had a plastic 5Lt fuel Can in the car at a farm auction (hot day) come back to the car to find the plastic fuel Can had blown up and the fuel everywhere, one spark and FK could have been a disaster.

The car did run well on E10 fuel during the winter no problems.
In the summer it was just a waste as the expansion/pressure built up in the fuel tank blowing the relief valve on the way home after refueling, it sounded like the fuel pump was rattling but it was just the relief valve.
It was also doing this in the carport the next few days, next time (going shopping) we checkout the fuel level to find it only half full, I'm sure that batch was more than 10%.

Cheers Aaron
Off The Grid

Chopperp

Guru

Joined: 03/01/2018
Location: Australia
Posts: 1057

Posted: 11:43am 07 Nov 2018

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OK, something to be aware of. Thanks

ChopperP

yahoo2

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Joined: 05/04/2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 1166

Posted: 10:43pm 08 Dec 2018

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it is a better idea to use a non ethanol blend in a motor that is being stored, the problem is that the blended fuel separates and the alcohol component is corrosive and hydroscopic.

if you cant avoid it then the products I have used in the past are

star-tron enzyme fuel treatment

sta-bil ethanol treatment

I dont have any experience with spectro or lucas safegaurd, safeguard is more for vehicles that are being used not stored.

some ethanol blend percentages are extremely difficult to stop from separating some are layered before they get into the customers fuel tank.. E10 and E60 to E85 are fine.

the other problem is that some commercial ethanol is not always processed to a high standard (a far lower standard than most of the DIY backyarders can achieve)

I'm confused, no wait... maybe I'm not...

isaiah

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Joined: 25/12/2009
Location: United States
Posts: 303

Posted: 08:06am 11 Dec 2018

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A article powerin the November 2018 outdoor power equipment has a article on 15% Ethanol
www.outdoorpowerequipment.com on page 11 is the article that explanes some of the problems. if you go to ope then put E15 in the search there is several articles

One thing I do here is get Marine gas and its not supposed to have ethanol in it .
I haven't had any trouble so far .
I do put a stabilizer in it and some Marvile Mistery oil in the gas too for upper cylinder lube. RUN THAT IN MY 1939 CHEVY PICKUP 1942 PACKARD CLIPPER STRAIGHT 8 AND
all my lawn equipment etc.
One thing you can do is use a small clear bottle and put a inch of water in it then put the gas in and shake it up then let it settle and youll see the water on the bottom the next ETHANOL and GAS on the top. some have tried to do this on a larger scale but is a lot of time to do it.
If you could find a clear bottle with a hole top and bottom it may not be a bad job.
I haven't tried this other than a pop bottle full of it so I dont know how well the gas will preform.
We have three grades of octane at the pump and the chemels are different in each.
If you go for a carb or fuel pump rebuild kit be sure you get one with the gaskets that will not be harmed with the Ethanol !!!Edited by isaiah 2018-12-12

URL=http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/1973-11- 01/The-Plowboy-Interview.aspx>The Plowboy Interview[/URL>

isaiah

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Joined: 25/12/2009
Location: United States
Posts: 303

Posted: 07:17am 18 Dec 2018

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No body else got any idea's about taking the ethanol out of the gas?

I don't like the idea to do it but if that was all I could get for gas I would something up to do it.
Don't like the idea of paying for the gas then have to take part of it out and throw it away and the time to do it.

I took a hit and miss gas engine to a tractor and gas engine show last summer and ran it for a while and it quit the atmospheric intake valve was stuck. this happened several times and i talked down and talked with another guy and he told me it was the gas.
I took it again this year only had marine gas in it and had no problems !!

atmospheric intake valve is a valve with a very weak spring and is opened with suction,no rocker arm.
Got any ideas let us know ???

URL=http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/1973-11- 01/The-Plowboy-Interview.aspx>The Plowboy Interview[/URL>

M Del
Senior Member

Joined: 09/04/2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 155

Posted: 10:27pm 18 Dec 2018

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The only method I have seen is the drum, water, shake and let settle method as you described.

Another version would be the same as washing biodeisel.
Large tank, add fuel and water, mix with a bubbler(?), settle and then drain off when fully seperated.
But I think from memory the ethanol also replaces other compounds in the fuel, so not sure how good the remaining petrol/gas woud be.

We had an e10 tank (30,0000 litres) at work that sat for 8 months as the bowser was offline, it was tested and half the ethanol had evaporated and it required re-refining to bring back to specs. The oil company was a little secretive as to why/what the issue was, we never did find out, so on that basis I only store non ethanol petrol and add a little stabil.

side query we had was, straight petrol fully evaporates as does ethanol/methanol and other aditives like toluene, why does ethanol blended petrol leave a sticky residue, we received no answer. I was made redundant a few months later, maybe they did respond.

Mark

isaiah

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Joined: 25/12/2009
Location: United States
Posts: 303

Posted: 02:38am 19 Dec 2018

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Up here we had tetraehhel lead in the gas and was a upper cylinder lubrecrent.
I add some Marval Mistry oil to the tank and it makes a difference.

URL=http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/1973-11- 01/The-Plowboy-Interview.aspx>The Plowboy Interview[/URL>

isaiah

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Joined: 25/12/2009
Location: United States
Posts: 303

Posted: 06:14pm 19 Dec 2018

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The Out Door Power Equipment magazine has another article about the ethanol
voiding your warranty
www.outdoorpowerequipment.com

URL=http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/1973-11- 01/The-Plowboy-Interview.aspx>The Plowboy Interview[/URL>

isaiah

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Joined: 25/12/2009
Location: United States
Posts: 303

Posted: 07:58am 04 Feb 2019

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Im still around but to busy right now .
I got some baby coon hounds and have to hand feed them , they are 3 weeks old. we lost the mother dog .

This is too much work for a old gezzer

URL=http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/1973-11- 01/The-Plowboy-Interview.aspx>The Plowboy Interview[/URL>

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