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Ethanol blended Fuel

 
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KN
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Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 62
Location: Sydney Australia

PostPosted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 10:15 pm    Post subject: Ethanol blended Fuel Reply with quote

Hi All
Last week the boating industry of Australia put out a warning on using ethanol blended petrol in fibreglass fuel tanks,as it seems the ethanol in the fuel has a detrimental effect on the fibreglass. It doesn't matter what ratio of ethanol to petrol is, E5 upto E85, It is not recommended. As some of our cars such as the Olympic may still have similar fibreglass tanks, only older, the same warning should apply.
Regards Keith. Ph2 ESU816
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Rodsmith
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Joined: 16 Jun 2008
Posts: 187
Location: Pembrokeshire, West Wales

PostPosted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 12:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good advice Keith. I have both fibreglass tanks, in use, in my Olympic. What alternatives have been fitted? I believe that the Club supplied steel ones, at one time, but for some reason they were not a success ?

How have others got around this for the Olympic?

Rod
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KN
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Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 62
Location: Sydney Australia

PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 9:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi
My Olympic has had stainless tanks glassed into the orginal position, it was like that when I bought it fortunatly.
Regards Keith N
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Rodsmith
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Location: Pembrokeshire, West Wales

PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 10:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think, when I start on the rebuild, that I will have to put a metal tank inside, or underneath the boot. I reckon the fibreglass may be getting porous by now!

Rod
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Paul Narramore
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Joined: 13 Mar 2006
Posts: 181
Location: Aylesford, Kent.

PostPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 2:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Club stainless steel tanks? Ah that old chestnut.

These were made at the instigation of a former chairman of the club but were disliked by the members who bought them when it was found that (a) their capacity was a fraction of the original tanks, and (b) the inlet was often not in the right place.

My take on all of this is that the problem with the original tanks, and there certainly is a problem with them. After forty years, the petrol often leeches through to the outside gelcoat. In addition, any sort of rear end collison will result in spilled petrol. It really doesn't bear thinking about does it?

There are a number of solutions.

(1) Install a steel or plastic tank in the shape of a suitcase. For the PhI, this is easy peasy. An old PhI I had, had a steel Bedford Dormobile tank across the rear 'floor'. With a PhII, with it's raised floor, a thinner tank could be suspended from below the raised floor. Some French vans have slimline plastic tanks which may well he suitable. But you then have the problem of where to put the spare wheel.

(2) Another idea is to cut the sides out of the existing fuel tanks and take a mould of the recesses. Then make individual GRP tanks which are removeable.
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KN
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Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 62
Location: Sydney Australia

PostPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2009 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do not know if miy stainless tanks are club ones or not, the filler is in the right place and they hold roughly 4+ gallons in each side. As to making fibreglass inserts to slot into the existing cavity, I would suggest consulting with the fiberglass suppliers about the corrrect materials for the end use.
I am also not certain that inserts made of fibreglass would fare any better in an accident than the original moulded-in ones.
Regards Keith N
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Paul Narramore
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Posts: 181
Location: Aylesford, Kent.

PostPosted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 10:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Keith

For years certain motorcycles were fitted with GRP petrol tanks, mainly the boy racer ones. The Royal Enfield Continental GT also had a GRP tank as standard.

As for resistance in a crash, I think seperate GRP tank(s) with a small foam filled gap would be better than what many Olympics have.
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KN
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Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Posts: 62
Location: Sydney Australia

PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 9:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

As to motorcycles having fibreglass tanks, my Bultaco Sherpa T had one. Fine for ordinary petrol, but not for the new ethanol blends which act as a solvent on older tanks, which is what this thread is about. Google fiberglas tanks and ethanol for further info.
Foam around the insert to protect it in an accident would mean reduced fuel capacity. Alloy or even a bladder type tank would be worth considering.
Regards Keith N
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Paul Narramore
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Joined: 13 Mar 2006
Posts: 181
Location: Aylesford, Kent.

PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 9:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Anything would be an improvement on what the standard Olympic has, and 3/8"-1/2" of foam twixt tank and bodyshell would barely make a difference to a tank's capacity.
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Mike Wood
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Joined: 06 Jun 2009
Posts: 17
Location: Scotland - SW

PostPosted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 8:15 am    Post subject: Re: Ethanol blended Fuel Reply with quote

Maybe some of these tanks were made using the wrong type of resin - there's a chemical resistant resin you can buy that is used for fuel tanks (e.g. on homebuilt aircraft such as the Evans Volksplane VP1). See: http://www.allscotltd.co.uk/RESINS-&-GEL-COATS/c-1-91/

Thanks
Mike


KN wrote:
Hi All
Last week the boating industry of Australia put out a warning on using ethanol blended petrol in fibreglass fuel tanks,as it seems the ethanol in the fuel has a detrimental effect on the fibreglass. It doesn't matter what ratio of ethanol to petrol is, E5 upto E85, It is not recommended. As some of our cars such as the Olympic may still have similar fibreglass tanks, only older, the same warning should apply.
Regards Keith. Ph2 ESU816
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