Its been a problem for years but yes it has been getting worse, ethanol mostly. you can seal the tank but you need an ethanol proof sealer. Personally I'd not worry about it, plenty of spares out there!
The issue I think is with glassfibre tanks and not plastic.
Ethanol has been common place as a bio fuel for some time, some fuel stations use more percentage than others, and Morrisons fuel is by and large shat because the ethanol content tends to be quite high and nearer the permitted max.
In your average DRZ you won't see any difference because it only has about 3 bhp anyway.
I think from my experience it seems to give higher emmisions mot wise and tends to fuxxor lambda sensors, I won't allow the missus to tank up in morrisions as a result because I firmly believe it is crappo fuel.
Whatever premium fuels like optimax are the defacto fuel to use in performance engines and does make a huge difference in the ZX9R whereas the missus trundling down the shops in her sholley will not notice any difference at all.
If that is the case, why do some graphics on plastic tanks bubble and lift off if plastic tanks are not affected?
Indeed the instructions on a graphics supplier website detail the need to wash out the tank in soap and water, air dry for 2 days before putting the graphics on.
Seems a faff to me..........
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In your average DRZ you won't see any difference because it only has about 3 bhp anyway.
Oh how I laughed out loud when I read that, you're going to get flamed for that one lol You're right about fuel quality/blend affecting emissions, that's for sure.
The situation, and ethanol is only set to get worse. We were on E5 (5%) fuel the past few years. Now it is E10 in some places. The EU is set it incease this as time goes on. The particular petrol station you get your fuel from makes no difference. Most of the garages in the southwest (supermarkets/Esso/BPetc etc) use fuel from the nearest supplier. In our case most of it comes from the Esso storage unit in Plymouth. Yes, it is eating fibreglass tanks, and yes it is leaching through plastic more than it used to. Mainly because of the type of plastic used in the older tanks. It is now eating previously fuel proof paints too. If you have used a tank liner in the last few years, it will eat that too and gum up your carb. There are Ethanol proof liners out there (I think POR15 is one). Steel and alloy tanks are also being attacked to a small degree. Mostly cars/bikes that do not get used often. As Ethanol is hygroscopic it will atract water. This mixes with the fuel during movement (use). When parked up this water will then separate out and sink to the bottom of the tank (water is heavier than petrol or ethanol. The water will cause corrosion (rust). When water and ethanol mix, it produces an acid (for the life of me I can't remember which one) This will attack the alloy in some carbs and some fuel tanks. For every day cars and bikes this is not an issue as the use and movement stop this happening. For those machines laid up and only used now and again the process is gradual, but is happening. Super Unleaded contains more ethanol than standard unleaded. Hence why I will only use standard in my car. The difference in performance is not noticable anyway. For the bikes, I will use super unleaded (and race fuel). I just make sure I drain the petrol out of the tank if I am not going to use it for a while. I have found that not all "old" plasic tanks suffer though. I can only guess that there must be a difference in the type of plasic ! Having used Methanol as a race fuel for many years, in great quantities (no, not bikes), it has many side effects. Just give the fuel system a liitle more maintenance than you used to, and it will all be fine.
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Thank's for the info there guys (well most of you anyway, someone here has just made my list lol).
Seems that another issue is going to get many of us soon then instaed - carb jet fouling!
The yanks seem to suffer from that alot judging by the chat on TT, seems that if they are not going to ride their bike for a month or so then some have to resort to using different brands of fuel stabliser as the Ethonla or the acid formed starter to fur is the jets. Currently I think the US run at 10% Ethanol so maybe our jump to 10% could be quite so problematic..
Simmo said : Doesn't petrol vapour contain ethanol then?
Yes I expect so but peeling stickers on plastic tanks predates high levels of ethanol, its always been a prob on plastic tanks. Although higher ethanol levels might make the peeling worse.
-- Edited by devondan on Sunday 28th of August 2011 07:46:01 PM
Thank's for the info there guys (well most of you anyway, someone here has just made my list lol).
Who might that be?
Btw the Kawasaki ZX9arrrgh had been last fueled with optimax/v power and due to my illness had not been ran for roughly 18 months. New battery and fired up after a little cranking for about 20 seconds, no coughs and spluts and after warming it up purred like a kitten on sleeping tablets, so maybe ethanol is not all bad
There is a case for high ethanol content in premium fuels though, and yes it hydrowhatsit and may even dissolve your tank and fuel lines in time particularly in older machines.
Rumour has it one guy put some in his DRZ and came down to ride his bike the next morning and all there was remaining was a puddle of plastic and yellow gunge on the floor .
I should add that when I last filled the Kawabunga up it may well have been when Optimax/V power was indeed ethanol free so my last statement maybe inaccurate, apart from the DRZ bit though.
I have a slightly different problem on my old AJS. The fuel taps started leaking. In fairness, they were the old British slide type which use bits of cork to seal themselves. I tried some brass ones which were even worse. The solution turned out to be gas taps which I got from a mate. Not pretty but they work.
Browsing through MCN in Sainsbury's today whilst the missus did the shopping (), a couple of manufacturers have said the move from 5% to 10% ethanol in fuel will be catastrophic for their machines as the ethanol could corrode carb jets, rubber fuel lines and so on. Can't remember those specifically mentioned apart from Piaggio. Doh! Thank the corrupt self-serving unelected scum that is the EU for this
Thank the corrupt self-serving unelected scum that is the EU for this
Sorry, but MEPs are elected. The EU is an economic union between the 27 members states. The European Parliament (Strasbourg) is not the same as the EU (Brussels).
The Council of Europe was formed after the second world war to help prevent mass participation wars in Europe. Blame AH, he started it!
Same panic over 10% FAME (fatty-acid methyl ester - aka Biodiesel) issue with diesel, mainly with commercial marine craft ( i.e Navy, Trawlers). The additive could maybe, potentially, eat into copper, which is what the fuel line must to be made of. Then we find out that no EU fuel producer is using the max 10%, so the max 5% rule they adhere to is fine.
Not convinced that we need to be worried, and if I need to eat my hat, I'll soak it in the new petrol first to soften it
Thank the corrupt self-serving unelected scum that is the EU for this
Sorry, but MEPs are elected. The EU is an economic union between the 27 members states. The European Parliament (Strasbourg) is not the same as the EU (Brussels).
The Council of Europe was formed after the second world war to help prevent mass participation wars in Europe. Blame AH, he started it!
Yes the MEPs are elected, the trouble is the laws that are drafted aren't written by them only voted by them, often being read by them only hours before being voted upon. The unelected scum are what steers votes into law, and this is the undemocratic part. The EU isnt a union, it's a power shift away from member states to Brussels. They bring in laws then ignore them when it suits (see terms of Cyprus bailout). It's a shame DC wouldn't give us our vote now. Anyway, back to the petrol - anyone got the MCN article?
Browsing through MCN in Sainsbury's today whilst the missus did the shopping (), a couple of manufacturers have said the move from 5% to 10% ethanol in fuel will be catastrophic for their machines as the ethanol could corrode carb jets, rubber fuel lines and so on. Can't remember those specifically mentioned apart from Piaggio. Doh! Thank the corrupt self-serving unelected scum that is the EU for this
Is that you that reads the paper then puts it back on the shelf?
You're right about fuel quality/blend affecting emissions, that's for sure.
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