Morris Minor Owners Club

A few days ago I put a posting on here regarding what I believed to be the damage done by ethanol in fuel. There is an article on the TR Register that I believe everyone with an older vehicle should read.
For example , did you know that ethanol is only added when the petrol is in the tanker, prior to delivery to the petrol station. This is because of the possibility of damage to storage tanks and pipelines.
Here is the link...http://www.groups.tr-register.co.uk/wes ... pdate.html

By the way 'roblocket' I have two Monzas, 1981.

This needs to be urgently looked at by the MMOC National Committee, espespecially financing development of 'ethanol risk' components for the Minor.

I know the MMOC have representation on the FBHV but I believe the Club must take the initiative, maybe along with other car clubs, on developmental work to combat ethanol 'corrosion'

I have a 'working' Minor and the last thing I want to do is to travel miles to get a tank full of low ethanol petrol

Ethanol was the subject of last month's FHBVC annual conference. The slides from the presentation have been posted on the home page; http://www.mmoc.org.uk/index.php?page=545

There are already a number of biofuel corrosion inhibitors available on the market. The FHBVC are currently testing a number of these and are part way through a 13 week test sequence. The results should be known by the end of the year and the FHBVC will then look at endorsing suitable products. The corrosion inhibitor additives are added to the fuel in the same way that lead free fuel additives are eg directly into the tank.

An interesting read. I am intrigued, however, as to why a 10% ethanol content is expected to cause all these catastrophic-sounding problems, when a 5% ethanol content seems to cause no difficulties whatsoever.

It would be nice to see a continued supply of ethanol-free (or 5% ethanol) petrol, but if the experience of LRP is anything to go by, I wouldn't be overly hopeful of it lasting more than a year or two. Even if it does, it'll no doubt be at a hideously inflated price and only at a small number of garages, making it useless for those of us who use our cars every day. The availability of additives is a good thing, however I have absolutely no desire to pay yet another few p/l extra for my fuel for no good reason. If it really can cause damage to even comparatively new cars, then these additives really should be blended in with the fuel at the refinery (as appears to be the case in the US), at least for a good number of years.

Time will tell

I would much rather replace components than faff around with additives to combat effects of ethanol

millerman wrote:Time will tell

I would much rather replace components than faff around with additives to combat effects of ethanol

Have to agree with this. Surely getting rid of leaded fuel was far more disastrous, but surprise surprise we all seem to cope perfectly well with original, then when it fails most* will replace it with an alternative slightly better designed* for the new fuel.

*Don't feel the need to argue with this statement, I am aware it may not be 100% accurate however it is fair.

The problem is not the ethanol itself but the water and traces of acids that the ethanol contains. You cannot easily remove water from ethanol and when mixed with petrol, the water separates, leaving concentrated aqueous acids to attack the fuel system.

A neutralising additive is the answer.

Having read the FHVBC report, and fought my way through the DFT(dept for transport) website to get to their independant research report, it also appears quite likely that older vehicles already suffering hot starting problems, are likely to find the situation worsens due to the boiling point/stability disparity between petrol and ethanol!
What is also grim is that since earlier this year all "red" diesel has to be virtually zero sulphur content. This is acheived by adding a proportion of bio to it, which has a great flushing effect on fuel storage tanks, causing lots of blocked filters etc, as well as corrosion and fuel component problems....

Currently there is 'up to' 5% allowed - however the actual content is (or at least it often was) less than that. In future there will be continued political pressure to reduce the 'non-bio content' of road fuels so ethanol levels will be pushed up.
So yes, the problems with fuel vapourisation (hot days + heavy traffic) in Morris Minors could increase due to the increase in ethanol content. FHBVC suggestions on how to alleviate that are what some Minor owners are doing already.

Fuel pipe heat shields are already available and I've seen a nice low-tech solution where the pump was relocated to the engine bay floor - this removes the negative pressure in the pipe, and I think that would be very beneficial for a Minor.

Apart from the flexi hose to carb, there appears to be very low risk of short term material failures on a Minor fuel system. If the corrosion inhibitor is not put in as standard then long term corrosion effects could become apparent on those cars that spend a lot of time laid up. In that respect there are other classics and old cars that may suffer much worse.

Hi here's the link to the online petition about it.

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/15535

One of the serious worries for owners of old British (and some Italian etc) motorcycles, mainly the more sought after competition types, is that the ethanol content WILL destroy the fibreglass tanks, and apparently no sealer exists which will adhere to the fibreglass and also be compatible with ethanol. NOTE: Users of old steel fuel tanks who have sealed them with "Petseal" in the past will also have a compatibility problem. Apparently you can get "Petseal" remover, and ethanol proof steel tank sealer, but what a palaver!!
Imagine being the lucky owner of one of these rare bits of "British motorcycle manufacturing imagination allowed loose", and seeing the tank disintegrate due to our eco-trendy fuel:[frame][/frame]