Ethanol Treatment - StarTron

[docc]

Not sure what you mean by "email alerts?"

 

Here are the links you had posted:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol

 

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120517170037AAlSJvz

[chamberlin]

Thanks Docc- by email alerts, I mean the topic subscription update emails. Everytime I reply to a thread, or start a new thread, it subscribes me, and I receive an email everytime a reply to that thread is posted. That's how I knew you just posted above....Maybe you have automatic subscriptions turned off? I would never be able to keep track of all my threads without subscription update emails!

[docc]

I think you have to set those preferences in your profile. Check there. Certainly nothing I would have changed with my limited wizardry.

[chamberlin]

Yes indeed Docc, those settings are in your general profile settings (User Control Panel): Look for the tab on the left called Notification Options... once there, you can select the options under Topics & Posts. I highly recommend enabling them so you never miss a beat! But I do understand that you are probably involved in a lot more threads than me, so your notification emails could get out of hand quite easily...

 

So guys, was there anyone who *was* subscribed to this thread (and got the email notifier with the included text) so I could re-post it?

[Twocati]

So for a tank that's showing signs of seeping and bubbling paint it's probably easier (not cheaper I bet) in the long run to replace the tank?  Or is there a remedy to seal the damage and prevent any further corrosion? I did have someone recommend stuff called Carswell but that will have to wait until I have time to remove the tank and do a complete flush. Anyone here have any recommendations ? Thanks in advance.  Marty 

[chamberlin]

Hey Marty- the tank can be returned to normal size by draining, drying, and waiting. The plastic isn't 'corroding' per se, it is just swelling. That's what causes the paint to crack, since the paint can't match the same expansion rate as the Nylon. Once the water evaporates away, the tank will shrink back to normal in all directions. Caswell is the coating you are referring to, and supposedly works well. I had some links to tank sealers and a lot of plastic tank info on this thread, but the posts got wiped out in a server outage.

 

Replacing the tank all together is great if you can find one (and afford one), but what are you going to do to protect the new tank from Ethanol? That's why I decided to remove the Ethanol from my gas. I just didn't want to coat a brand new tank with a messy sealing compound.

[docc]

There is a whole thread started by Denis how various forum members remove ethanol from closed containers . . .

[chamberlin]

Haha! I think I will try Denis' method shortly *after* I complete a successful batch and test ride of my own!

[Twocati]

Interesting that Docc's link to Denis' thread involves Scotch hmmm... Scotch tastes like Ethanol? Maybe to some folks. I'll just stick with the Caswell and hope for the best. In the meantime my garage smells like it did when I had my old TR3A . Cheers Marty

[waspp]

I have been using the K100 MG stuff for a while. A lt of the local offroad racing guys were using it and swear by it.

 

http://k-100.com/

[chamberlin]

Wow, that stuff looks like the ticket...I think I will get some K-100 after I finish up this 32 oz can of RaceGas additive. I admit, that my first 'Ethanol scrubbing' session was a bit intimidating, but went off without a hitch (or "spark" in this case!). The first gallon I washed took about 30 minutes, trying to figure out what funnels to use, how long to mix it up, pouring off the good stuff, discarding the bad stuff, and putting the left-over 85 Octane stuff in my Jeep (just a few ounces).

 

Here's what the owner of RaceGas told me: "If you are trying to get your octane back to 91 (after removing the ethanol) you will need to add 3 ounces of our product to one gallon of gas. The rule of thumb is 1 ounce of RGC per gallon of pump fuel will raise the base fuel 2 full octane. Also, we don't have any chemical in the product that would damage your fuel system."

 

So, for every 5 gallon batch of gas I make, I will need 15 ounces of RaceGas additive. That means I will only get two tank fulls with one 32 ounce can....at $41 a can...definitely not 'wallet friendly'. Fuel efficiency and saving money on gas is NOT my primary goal here, but there is a limit to my insanity. So I'm basically paying an additional $20 per tank of gas (not including the cost of the glass vessel, Mr. Funnel, distilled water, etc.). For reference, 5 gallons of premium costs about $18 bucks around here. So that's easily $40 per tank of pure gas for the V11... Yea, it feels good to buck the system and make simple chemistry work for me, but I think I will chalk this up to a fun experiment and call it quits once my supply of RaceGas additive runs out. The K-100 sounds like a much more viable and realistic solution to Ethanol induced tank expansion. I hope it works as advertised. At least I know for sure that my over-priced pure gas is safe in the tank!  But hey, it was worth it for my now almost $10,000 restored V-11 LOL

 

Here are some photos of the 1st gallon I made. I purposely over-saturated it with water, as the ambient temperatures were above 100 Def F. You need to add more water the warmer it is, but I went way past the minimum .45%. Out of all the components used here, water is obviously the one I can afford to waste a little bit of - it's OK to over-saturate. BTW, all the steps and mixing below were done outside, far away from the garage! The following photos are just to show the process.

 

[GuzziMoto]

At the cost per gallon you quoted to remove the ethanol and then restore the octane you could have just bought race fuel. Actually, it sounds like the race fuel is way cheaper. The other option is there are a few fuel suppliers out there that sell fuel for "small engines" like lawn and garden equipment that has no ethanol. You can buy it in small quantities like quarts, but some also sell it in larger quantities like 5 and 30 gallon drums.

Sunoco sells one, I seem to recall it is called Optima. But I have yet to find a supplier in my area. I have though about contacting Sunoco, but I don't seem to have the extensive issues others have with ethanol fuel. My biggest issues with ethanol have been in lawn equipment and a snow blower. I actually want Optima for that, not for my motorcycles.

[docc]

My biggest issues with ethanol have been in lawn equipment and a snow blower.

Hey! My Guzzi resembles that remark!

[rossoandy]

My Rosso now is exhibiting a large bubble in the paint at the front of the tank, about halfway up.  I want to prod it to pop it but....pretty certain the tank has been erroded internally by the ethanol just leaving paint holding in the fuel!

 

Bike has been usused for  some time now (started several times though)  and now I feling I should be sorting this issue out when I refurb all the paintwork on the bike.  Tank paint is otherwise perfect but the grey sidepanels and tail piece have 'faded' or are otherwise pretty shabby as the paint has worn or bleached.

 

I will need, 1)  The red pearl paintcode

                  2)  A way to line the fuel tank from ethanol attack.

                   3) A way to repair any pinhole in it.

                   4) The paintcode for the light grey on the sidepanels.

                   5) The paintcode for the pork chops/valve covers.

                   4) The silver tank and tailpiece decals, rossomandello script in red.

 

I am considering covering the tail and sidepanels with carbon wrap.....what you think folks?

Apparenty the wheels too can be wrapped?

 

I am in the UK but any comments/suggestions welcome.

[rossoandy]

Oh, I do have a spare fuel tank from a crashed early V11, just needs painting ...just in case.

 

I have been absent from here for a while..sorrry all but the two Calli's and the Breva have been used a fair bit over past two years.

My little 2 stroke 250 Guzzi has been used once a year and picked up a couple of show prizes too!   

 

A front tyre blow out in France at 80mph put us in hosptal for a while too....so not so much going on for a while after that.

 

Still working on my Suzuki GT125 twin, a Yamaha RD125,a Honda VF400, two T500 Suzukis, an RD400, a Ducati Monster, an RGV 250, a CB500T Honda, a 400Superdream, a 250 Dream, another earlier TS 250 Guzzi twin, plus three 50cc bikes two Aprillia and a Derbi!