Joined: Sun Mar 14 2010, 12:57PM
Location: Justin, TX
Posts: 446
This weekend I had to drop my fuel tank out of my 66 Fury. I had developed a pinhole leak in it. It was only seeping, and throughout the week I may have lost a large tablespoon of gas, just enough to stink up the garage, and create a fire hazard. Anyways, about 5 or so years ago, I replaced both the fuel sending unit gasket and fuel filler tube grommet. Now to my issue, when I disassembled my tank, both the gasket and grommet we toast. They were both deteriorated beyond re-use. Is this normal? I would think that they would last longer than that. Is there something I should do when installing these gaskets to make them last longer? Doesn’t seem right to me. Both were bought from mega parts. Any helpful hint before I install the next set would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Joined: Tue Oct 11 2005, 01:33AM
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 5893
Everyone with a classic car should read this article on Ethanol Issues.
I knew about the gasket problems, but I had no idea about the venting and phase separation. I just filled the tank on my car to ready it for winter, but now I'm thinking I'd better go out for a long drive so I store it with only fumes in the tank. PITA
Before the whole ethanol thing happened, I would typically not worry about how much fuel was in the tank but I would add a can or two of fuel line anti-freeze. This stuff is Methyl hydrate or wood alcohol and I wonder if I was doing more harm than good. I'm thinking I must have introduced phase separation and with the water layer at the bottom of the tank, rust.
I'd never heard about emulsifiers before, so that was interesting read. For now I use only premium with no ethanol, and haven't had a real problem. BTW the guy who services my outboard is recommending the exclusive use of premium for recreational vehicles, not because of the octane but because of the ethanol.
Here is an interesting (if dated) discussion about the use of emulsifiers. I realize it may slightly predate the general use of ethanol, but it's got me questioning enough that I think I'll avoid them for now!
Here is another link from some organization who, admittedly, sells ethanol test kits.
Joined: Tue Oct 11 2005, 01:33AM
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 5893
I did some more research and it looks like, although I can't verify it, they don't add ethanol to fuel in Alberta! There are some Husky stations that advertise they sell ethanol, but the rest seem to be just gasoline. I talked to a couple station owners and they didn't know, seems a few years ago the oil companies decided ethanol was going to be in demand so they put "May contain ethanol" stickers on the pumps. Some stations got the additive but generally the station owner's weren't told if they got it or not. Then it appears the oil companies discovered ethanol wasn't good for profits. The stickers remain and the tree huggers are happy. Crazy world!
As an aside, old 1982 regular unleaded didn't seem to age. I filled the vert in 1983 and parked it. In 1995 I put a battery in and after maybe 60 sec of cranking to get fuel in the bowl, it not only started but settled to a smooth idle. At that point my 19 year old son, tired of all the 440 hype, insisted on a test drive around the block. I stomped on it, blew off both rusted up mufflers and scared the heck out of me as thought something blew up. I maintained my "Mr Cool" look and told my son, that's a 440! The legend lives on!
Joined: Fri May 08 2009, 10:41PM
Location: Finger Lakes, NY
Posts: 315
Yup. Ask a a station that knows. There a some where the regular has it but the higher grades do not.
It is all politics with big money for the corn belt states. I was in Peora, IL two years ago and thought there was a brewery in town. Nope just ethanol plants.
I put in new sending unit gaskets (as well as others) on my tank when I had it resealed in the winter, and damned if the tank leaks at the unit gasket already, anywhere past half full.
Joined: Sun Mar 14 2010, 12:57PM
Location: Justin, TX
Posts: 446
Well unfortunatly for me the leak wasn't from any of the gaskets. Not that a leak from t here would be much better. As far as I could tell they still were doing their job. (no leaks from there) It didn't notice anything was wrong until I took the tank apart. The grommet just crumbled out of the tank, and the sending unit gasket seemed to have melted to the tank and sending unit. I did clean all that up so it is ready for new gaskets and grommets.
As far as I could tell they still were doing their job. (no leaks from there) It didn't notice anything was wrong until I took the tank apart. The grommet just crumbled out of the tank, and the sending unit gasket seemed to have melted to the tank and sending unit. I did clean all that up so it is ready for new gaskets and grommets.
