The Green Industry's Resource Center

Outlawn · #1 07-01-2012, 12:53 AM

Someone school me. Does the 10% ethanol that is in gasoline now affect the rubber components (I.e. fuel lines, diaphragms, seals) that bad? Does it dry them out and make them crack or what? Also, I know it gets phase separation, but is this after a week of sitting, a month, 3 months?

We had 1 place left in town that did not have ethanol in their fuel, but I havent been by there in a while. I heard that its a federal mandate for gasoline to have ethanol in it now. Is this correct?
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newz7151 · #2 07-01-2012, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Outlawn

Someone school me. Does the 10% ethanol that is in gasoline now affect the rubber components (I.e. fuel lines, diaphragms, seals) that bad? Does it dry them out and make them crack or what? Also, I know it gets phase separation, but is this after a week of sitting, a month, 3 months?

We had 1 place left in town that did not have ethanol in their fuel, but I havent been by there in a while. I heard that its a federal mandate for gasoline to have ethanol in it now. Is this correct?
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Ethanol degrades and pulls the plasticizers in things like diaphragms and the inside of fuel lines, thereby causing them to harden and no longer perform.

http://www.b3cfuel.com/education/the...-with-ethanol/

easy-lift guy · #3 07-01-2012, 06:59 AM

Very bad material to have mixed with fuel stocks. This substance has caused untold millions of dollars worth of damaged and destroyed equipment. When ever possible use non-Ethanol fuel supply. Always try and have your fuel tanks on your equipment as empty as possible at the end of your day.
easy-lift guy

LawnMastersTN · #4 07-01-2012, 09:37 AM

Only issue I have had is fuel filters. It is like it melts the plastic and "welds" the inlet shut with plastic. It is not federal mandate that all stations carry ethonal. We have 8+ here that dont have it.

Outlawn · #5 07-01-2012, 09:50 AM

Thanks for the info, gents. I will have to go check and see if that gas station still has ethanol-free gas.

On a side note, I'm a firefighter and our department buys VP pre-mix 50:1 for our K-12 saws, chain saws, and handheld groundskeeping equipment. This is due in-part, I believe, to the VP fuel being ethanol free. Not to mention it's premix, so it's basically firefighter proof

LawnMastersTN · #6 07-01-2012, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Outlawn

Thanks for the info, gents. I will have to go check and see if that gas station still has ethanol-free gas.

On a side note, I'm a firefighter and our department buys VP pre-mix 50:1 for our K-12 saws, chain saws, and handheld groundskeeping equipment. This is due in-part, I believe, to the VP fuel being ethanol free. Not to mention it's premix, so it's basically firefighter proof

Hey now I'm a fire fighter/paramedic. We mix our own fuel right at the station house.

easy-lift guy · #7 07-01-2012, 11:30 AM

If there are any marinas near you they would have Ethanol free gas available. They will charge more fr it perhaps but it is worth it.
easy-lift guy

cgaengineer · #8 07-01-2012, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LawnMastersTN

Hey now I'm a fire fighter/paramedic. We mix our own fuel right at the station house.

Never made sense to me why they woudl sell 2 qts of premix fuel fuel for $8 but when I ran I to a FF buddy the light came on...it stores easier, longer and eliminates mistakes in mixing. From a liability standpoint it makes a lot of sense.
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newz7151 · #9 07-01-2012, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Outlawn

Thanks for the info, gents. I will have to go check and see if that gas station still has ethanol-free gas.

On a side note, I'm a firefighter and our department buys VP pre-mix 50:1 for our K-12 saws, chain saws, and handheld groundskeeping equipment. This is due in-part, I believe, to the VP fuel being ethanol free. Not to mention it's premix, so it's basically firefighter proof

Those saws have to be depended on at a moments notice, there is no time to be sitting around trying to get them repaired/kitted or standing there trying to crank it, you need it to crank within 3 pulls and get to your rescue. Pre-Mix has a reported in product shelf life of as much as 2 years stable. It's also important to remember to keep your gas out of the sun as much as possible, as it will breakdown/decay faster.

LawnMastersTN · #10 07-02-2012, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgaengineer

Never made sense to me why they woudl sell 2 qts of premix fuel fuel for $8 but when I ran I to a FF buddy the light came on...it stores easier, longer and eliminates mistakes in mixing. From a liability standpoint it makes a lot of sense.
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We get the little bottles of stihl oil and make one gallon. We never have to worry about shelf life as we start everything every shift and use them at least every two weeks for something. Plus everything that we have other than our positive pressure fans are 2 stroke so we use alot.