Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2012 22:14:17 -0500
Reply-To: Mike B <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mike B <mbucchino@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: E15 fuel?
In-Reply-To: <50DBB1F9.9010103@turbovans.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Think about it, people have been using "Dry-Gas" in their gas tanks for
decades. It's alcohol, which absorbs water allowing it to be mixed into
the fuel and burned in the engine, where pure water would either ice the
lines up in freezing temps and/or the engine would conk out or sputter
badly with a big sip of pure water. Now, it seems you wont ever need to
buy this stuff anymore, it's built-in to the fuel you buy! I can't
imagine the small percentage of alcohol that's now mixed into most
gasoline could cause corrosion when it's known to specifically absorb
it, preventing it from contacting the metal tank directly and from being
concentrated all in one spot.
Mike B.
On 12/26/2012 9:27 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
> Hi ...!
> Just responding to the tone of what was written..
> "older engines are corroding inside out with E10. ask a small engine
> mechanic or a boat mechanic. they don't get run often or long enough to
> overcome the ethanol because it's in the fuel supply."
>
> To me that sounds like small engine mechanics are blaiming E10 fuel for
> all kinds of corrosion.
> I'd say my comparison is not that unfair ..
> can you imagine ? ..a 42 year old ( in 2013 ) metal fuel tank and it's
> never been out of the car or worked on ?
> I can't say the E10 we've had here now ..what ...5 years ? ..
> is causing any real corrosion problems.
> I DO see water in the fuel in vanagons sometimes ..but I don't even
> chalk that up to the fuel.
> How long have we been using E10 anyway.
> It is simply a non-issue for me and I work on a few hundred vehicles per
> year.
>
> I do of course pay attention to a lot of things .I'm a total nut about
> corrosion ..
> but I am not finding it in fuel system compoenents very much, if at all.
>
> the small engine guys in your example sound like people who want to
> blame the gov or oil companies or something like that.
> and hey ..
> if people are not smart enough to put say Stay-bil in their lawn mower...
> that's sad, but I'll tell you what is REALLY not good is ..
> they will take their lawn mower into their lawn mower guy for some kind
> of work or service ..
> or tune up whatever..
> and the person who should know ..the technician ..
> will never remind them to put some additive in it before storing it ..
> or at least, my guess, well over half of people serviing people's small
> engines will never think to actually try to take care of their overall
> situation.
> Don't get me started .I see that Constantly ..
> people that work on stuff, and never tell the engine's owner stuff they
> should know.
>
> It's always like this ..
> the cars/vans/vanagons or lawn mower engines are just 'whatever they
> are ' ..
> it's THE PEOPLE INVOLVED that are the weak area..
> sometimes it's the designers/engineers..........
> sometimes it's the owners ..they don't take them in for service..
> and sometimes it's the people working on them..
>
> and other than people's laziness, ignorance, or cheapness..
> so tech people don't even get to work on them in the first place..
> once the thing gets in the hands of those who work on them..that's where
> the biggest chance of 'not really taking care of it right' is.
>
> I just do not find that the fuel is any real problem.
> I also don't leave my lawnmower sitting out ( I don't own one ) ...
> Most people don't actually take care of things ..
> and a lot of work on engines and vehicles is done quickly and poorly. I
> see it all the time.
> And the fuel is not 'the real problem'.
> If I thought it was , I'm sure I'd be saying so.
>
> ABuse by neglcet ..that's the law right ?
> That's what people are supposed to do ...just drive the thing or park
> it ..
> and don't do anything unless it won't work. It's good for the economy !
>
> it's not hard to treat the fuel of any gasoline engine, even ones not
> used that much.
>
> nice to see your note !
> scott
>
>
>
> On 12/26/2012 5:43 PM, MICHAEL H wrote:
>> c'mon, Scott, play fair. your Benz, as with most automobiles, has
>> better engineering and parts compared to a lawn mower, chain saw or
>> outboard oil burner. all of your motorised equipment is better tended
>> by you than a lot of other folks. abuse by neglect is not always
>> deliberate but, hey, it happens ... `especially if they are
>> (operated) not that much'. countermeasures = 1 more routine
>> maintenance item. mike
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>> From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@turbovans.com>
>> To: MICHAEL H <vwdash80@YAHOO.COM>
>> Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Sent: Wednesday, December 26, 2012 8:00 PM
>> Subject: Re: E15 fuel?
>>
>>
>> re "older engines are corroding inside out with E10 "
>>
>> Hadrly my experience. Not a small engine, but my 41 year old
>> Mercedes with twin carbs , run about 3 hours a year, does just
>> fine.
>>
>> People DO know about good fuel additives ..right ?
>> such as Sta-bil and Sea Foam.
>>
>> It is not very possible to keep and maintain engines not used very
>> often without using some fuel additives now and then.
>>
>> Actually, my poor old Benz wouldn't idle for beans a few years ago
>> ..Sea Foam fixed it nicely and easily.
>>
>> When I pick up a dead or barey running vanagon ..first thing I do is
>> treat the fuel, whether gas or diesel.
>> You gotta use good fuel additives now and then ..
>> especially on older vehicles.
>> Especially if they are driven not that much.
>>
>> Scott
>> www.turbovans.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 12/26/2012 1:38 PM, MICHAEL H wrote:
>>
>> Jack, older engines are corroding inside out with E10. ask a small
>> engine mechanic or a boat mechanic. they don't get run often or long
>> enough to overcome the ethanol because it's in the fuel supply. as
>> the motor sits , the vegatation derived alcohol stays at work causing
>> damage. it's probably a conspiracy to get us out of our paid for
>> pollutant generators and into the showroom finance loop. =(;D)
>> VW - scene , not herd mike ________________________________
>>
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