Ethanol in the petrol

[Bob Purton]

As Has been pointed out in the latest RCN we are now to expect higher levels of ethanol in our petrol. I also recently read that most of the tank sealant that classic vehicle owners use will break down in our tanks and cause an unholy mess! I have at least one car with a tank liner that is five years old. I guess I'm going to have to somehow remove it and start again with an ethanol proof product.  Can anyone recommend a product?

[Jim Janecek]

there are a number of people out there spreading rumours on any number of topics with no evidence to back them up.

a lot of people have "sealed" their tanks improperly in the past, not preparing the surfaces correctly etc.  The failure of those liners now is not the fault of ethanol in the fuel.
Few people like to admit they made a mistake or took a shortcut. Much easier to place the blame on something or someone else.

I know one person that bought an Isetta from someone who "sealed" the tank with fiberglas resin.  Just resin and hardener.
worked well for about a month, then it all came apart.
the seller blamed the buyer for "using cheap gas" instead of taking responsibility.

I find it difficult to believe that the UK has completely different types of tank sealant kits than we have in the States and we have had 10% ethanol in a lot of fuels for many years.

[Bob Purton]

Thanks Jim. I posed the question because several of the tank liner companies are advertising new Ethanol proof products so it must make some difference. I guess we will all find out soon enough! A lot of classic racing motorcycles also have all fiberglass tanks on them. I think these guys could be in trouble.

[richard]

certainly the classic bike brigade are up in arms on the issue . pet-seal is the main product in uk and i think there is concern here. many 60's 70's bikes had fibreglass tanks , my '67 BSA B25 Barracuda was one , i believe this is really a worry .

[Bob Purton]

I didnt know BSA Barracuda had a fiberglass tank. You live and learn.

[richard]

it was  one of those jelly mould ones , i think Royal Enfield had a couple of fibreglass tanks and maybe Norman as well . fibreglass was , and is ? , often used to create a more curvy shape. however fibreglass doesnt seem to be the only problem.

[Big Al]

The Dart has a GRP tank as well.

My experience is that the British market sealants used to be stripped off by German grade fuel and vice versa. Cannot tell what the difference was between their Lead free Benzine and our cheap Petrol but there was something. Is there still a problem there? Do not know. Whatever they were doing to their Benzine both the Bullnosed Saab and Schmitt preferred it to our stuff. Smoother and better performance and less vapour based issues. I would suggest even though called Benzine there was less benzine in it!

The worry about Ethanol is it once again has a lower vaporisation point then petrol. So 10% more volatile components in your air-cooled car. Tuning is going to become ever more important to be able to drive the cars as any vaporisation will lead to a weak mixture and a catch 22 on overheating plus associated wear.

[Bob Purton]

Another issue is its effect on paintwork. When the Italian lightweight boys do the MotoGiro in Italy they come home with great chunks of paint striped off there tanks! Ok, they should be more careful to avoid spillages but never the less this doesn't happen with the UK petrol, I wonder if we will see more of this now?

[Bob Purton]

it was  one of those jelly mould ones , i think Royal Enfield had a couple of fibreglass tanks and maybe Norman as well . fibreglass was , and is ? , often used to create a more curvy shape. however fibreglass doesnt seem to be the only problem.

Not a microcar question I know but whats the difference between a Barracuda and a Starfire?

[Big Al]

it was  one of those jelly mould ones , i think Royal Enfield had a couple of fibreglass tanks and maybe Norman as well . fibreglass was , and is ? , often used to create a more curvy shape. however fibreglass doesnt seem to be the only problem.

Not a microcar question I know but whats the difference between a Barracuda and a Starfire?

David Attenborough introduces one and the other was on Battlestar Galactica, I think. Sorry this is what happens if you put petrol in Ethanol!

[richard]

oh bo you will have us banned for none micro talk - ok i will whisper. in 1979/80 i restored a rather grey porridge 350 lightweight Matchless ( hence my nickname in the club newsletter ) as completion loomed i realised i had no full licence to ride a 350. i had only at that time ridden a 250 c15 BSA and a 50cc Suzuki . so i sought out a 250 to take my test . the '67 Barracuda i bought was a different beast from the c15 !! do you have a copy of british motorcycles of the 1960's by roy bacon ? he writes ; the '67 c25 barracuda presented a new image .... square finned barrel,sculptured petrol tank and shapely side covers ...high performance...hot cams..high compression ratio... with the the same performance as the 441cc victor but with more effort . the c25 was also built as the b25 starfire for the usa - by '68 the barracuda was only listed as the b25 starfire. well you asked   terrific bikes though - i wouldnt mind another

[Bob Purton]

it was  one of those jelly mould ones , i think Royal Enfield had a couple of fibreglass tanks and maybe Norman as well . fibreglass was , and is ? , often used to create a more curvy shape. however fibreglass doesnt seem to be the only problem.

Not a microcar question I know but whats the difference between a Barracuda and a Starfire?

David Attenborough introduces one and the other was on Battlestar Galactica, I think. Sorry this is what happens if you put petrol in Ethanol!

You really will have to stop sniffing the stuff Al.

[Bob Purton]

oh bo you will have us banned for none micro talk - ok i will whisper. in 1979/80 i restored a rather grey porridge 350 lightweight Matchless ( hence my nickname in the club newsletter ) as completion loomed i realised i had no full licence to ride a 350. i had only at that time ridden a 250 c15 BSA and a 50cc Suzuki . so i sought out a 250 to take my test . the '67 Barracuda i bought was a different beast from the c15 !! do you have a copy of british motorcycles of the 1960's by roy bacon ? he writes ; the '67 c25 barracuda presented a new image .... square finned barrel,sculptured petrol tank and shapely side covers ...high performance...hot cams..high compression ratio... with the the same performance as the 441cc victor but with more effort . the c25 was also built as the b25 starfire for the usa - by '68 the barracuda was only listed as the b25 starfire. well you asked   terrific bikes though - i wouldnt mind another

I always wondered why you were called lightwieght Richard, now I know. So the Barracuda is a more tuned beast then and the Starefire a rebadged C15. It explains a lot. My Motobi Catria 175cc  see's off all the old 500 Triumph/bsa stuff. They obviously needed something to compete with the Italians. Thanks for the explanation. Now slap rists and back to microcars!

[richard]

no bob ! the barracuda and starfire are THE SAME . barracuda for the english market became starfire for the  u.s. then by '68  starfire for both markets . very temperamental kicked back like a mule but by god a lively ride. 

[Bob Purton]

Ah! Got ha! You have to be patient with us Essex folk, its all the inbreeding you know!