Fake
fuel hose warning
E10 fuel from September 2021
From 1st September 2021 all forecourts in the UK will be required
to sell new E10 unleaded petrol as standard containing up to 10% bioethanol
in each litre from the pump. Currently unleaed across the UK contains
5% ethanol and is labelled E5. The new E10 fuel will be labelled E10
on the petrol pump.
E10 grade of motor fuel has had enthusiasts with older cars worried
about its effects particularly on their classic cars. The two big
issues with ethanol fuels and classic cars are:
Ethanol can have potentially damaging effects on the metal, plastic
and rubber parts in the fuel system - typically fuel hoses which need
to be replaced by ethanol resistant rubber hose. The effects can also
include sticking carburettor floats but not all classics will have
problems.
Ethanol in E10 fuel is hygroscopic so it tends to absorb water and
with classics that are left idle for periods of time that moisture
in the fuel can cause problems like corrosion within fuel tanks and
then rust particles blocking fuel filters.
In addition to prudent maintenance and upgrades to the fuel system
(like readily available replacement enthanol resistant fuel hose),
another option for a classic car owner is to use E5 fuel with a much
lower ethanol content.
See our NEWS item on 18th
July 2021
Posted: 210804 |
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Fake
fuel hose warning
This is the headline in a lead article on page 5 of the popular
weekly Classic Car Buyer out today which advises classic car
owners to upgrade fuel systems to counter the damaging effects
of E10 fuel (due at UK pumps on 1st September 2021) - but CCB
adds there are pitfalls to watch for. The CCB article says "E10
petrol is arriving fast, leaving owners of some older classic
vehicles with a choice; use the more expensive "protection
grade" super unleaded that's to remain as E5, or modify
their cars to suit" fuels with a higher ethanol content.
CCB then adds "sadly some of the parts available to do
that could be substandard, potentially causing more problems
than they solve - particularly when it comes to fuel hose purporting
to be ethanol-safe". Link to the article to follow
Classic Car Buyer is published weekly and has a cover
price of £2.90. Subscribe now and save money on the retail
price and get each issue delivered direct to your door. Visit
the CCB website. More
MGBGTV8 and ethanol fuel
See a set of slides from a presentation made
by Tony Lake at a V8 Technical
Day in 2013. Slides |
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Ethanol
fuel and the RV8
What is ethanol, where does it come from, why do we have
to use it, are the myths true, what might be affected on a
classic car like an RV8, what can or must we do, and where
can we get replacement parts like fuel hose and clips? These
were the key questions Nic Houslip covered in his talk at
the V8 Technical Day held on 18th May 2013 for MGV8 enthusiasts.
More
What are the concerns with biofuel for MG enthusiasts?
In 2011 a report on the compatibility of vehicle fuel systems
with bioethanol from the consultancy QuinetiQ for the Department
of Transport recognised the problems for older cars running
on blends of ethanol and petrol. The report recommended a
delay in the introduction of higher levels of ethanol in the
UK. The questions on many MG enthusiasts’ minds then
were what are those problems, what damage has been seen with
SU fuel system components and what
alternative materials have been used for replacement parts?
So in 2011 we visited Burlen in Wiltshire, the only maker
of genuine SU carburettors, fuel pumps and spares, to see
what damage they have seen to SU fuel system components from
ethanol and what alternative materials they have used to produce
replacement parts. Article
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