Ethnol ruining rubber fuel lines

I have a couple antique cars that have a short piece of rubber fuel lines. I think the 10% ethnol is ruining the fuel lines . I keep getting fine pieces of black rubber in fuel pump and car. I want to keep black rubber lines, are there any that ethnol dis not effect ? Or what type of fuel additive I should use ? Thanks
 
Yes, there is an improved hose available at auto parts stores like NAPA. It is lined with maybe teflon, and solves this problem. I do not remember the specification # of this hose. However others will disagree with me, but I run only non-ethanol gas in my vintage vehicles. It might cost $0.50 more per gallon, but I think it saves a lot of aggravation.

Paul in MN
 
Very simple. Replace the old lines with the new rubber hoses and your problem will go away. The old lines do not hold up to the gas we have now days but the new fuel lines do
 
I agree with Paul. ALL my small engines get pure gasoline with NO ethanol. I have no carb or fuel problems anymore.
 
Specify you want hose rated for fuel injection.

It is higher pressure, which you don't need, but also ethanol resistant.

I've seen just what you are talking about, chunks of the fuel line breaking loose, getting in the carb.

I only wish there were a solution for fuel pump diaphragms and carb parts.

No additive that I know of that will prevent it. Only other solution is find non-ethanol fuel, or run the lines and carb dry every time it gets stored.
 
The only way to get pure gas around here (NE Oh) is to buy those liter cannisters from Lowes at $7 each. I just plan to replace fuel lines ans clean the carb each season :(
 
Gates brand ? barricade ? hose is what you want. Should be available at any parts store/supply house that sells gates products.
 
I replaced all of the hose on my F-932 JD mower(gates hose soled by one of the auto chains.) It takes ten feet of hose,two days later I had a bigger mess than I had to start with. Different brand of hose at a different store and it has been fine for three years. If it is going to set I run straight gas(yes it costs more but I can still get it)If it is going in the mower and get run out, I will buy 10%. Boat,weed eater and chain saw all get straight gas.
 

I am not too far from National Trail Raceway and some of the gas stations near there sell racing gas, unleaded and something like 110 octane... $6.999 a gallon. Only source of unleaded gas I have found.
 
Yepper if not rated for it it will. My outboard motor had a lot of rubber fuel lines and after 10 years they just started disintegrating with carbs and fuel filters full of tiny little specs of black rubber. Never had that happen before using it.
 
Is it true-- The 'Premium' higher octane, at the pumps is alcohol free ?
I switched to that for my small engines a couple years ago.
 
"Is it true-- The 'Premium' higher octane, at the pumps is alcohol free ? "

Around here one has to look for NO ETHANOL on pump or sign (lot of stations sell premium that has ethanol). Even if it costs more its worth every penny, chainsaws ,mowers ,tractors no longer have carb or gas line problems. Of course someone will say he's been using ethanol for past 10 years with no problem do not believe!It rots rubber lines & clogs fuel systems.
 
Just for giggles go on U-Tube and look up how to remove ethinol from gas. Not too difficult to do. You might need to readjust the carb a tiny bit richer but that would be all. Have done it and it works!
 
(quoted from post at 14:08:23 10/18/17) I have a couple antique cars that have a short piece of rubber fuel lines. I think the 10% ethnol is ruining the fuel lines . I keep getting fine pieces of black rubber in fuel pump and car. I want to keep black rubber lines, are there any that ethnol dis not effect ? Or what type of fuel additive I should use ? Thanks

ANY new fuel line you can buy today will be rated for ethanol. Have been for at least 40 years if not longer.
 
How old are these hoses? What brand are they and where were they made? If they're old they probably just need to be replaced. If they're fairly new I would suspect a low-quality hose from overseas.

I have a rubber fuel line soaking in a bottle of everclear like a giant tequila worm. Everclear is 98% pure ethanol. Nothing is happening to the hose.

You'd think if ethanol was this instant death sentence the feedlot farmers want you to believe (because ethanol raises the price of corn, and they want cheap feed for their cattle), the hose would turn into a gob of black goo in the bottom of the bottle.
 
Gees, I never thought about it. I just get what ever fuel line Napa sells. I have clear fuel filters and have never seen any trace of rubber in them. The only issue I have is I have an old jeep someone removed all the environmental stuff from the carburetor and I have to use vacuum line caps on the tubing the hoses were attached to. The vacuum caps only last about 3 months.
 
(quoted from post at 05:26:35 10/19/17) How old are these hoses? What brand are they and where were they made? If they're old they probably just need to be replaced. If they're fairly new I would suspect a low-quality hose from overseas.

I have a rubber fuel line soaking in a bottle of everclear like a giant tequila worm. Everclear is 98% pure ethanol. Nothing is happening to the hose.

You'd think if ethanol was this instant death sentence the feedlot farmers want you to believe (because ethanol raises the price of corn, and they want cheap feed for their cattle), the hose would turn into a gob of black goo in the bottom of the bottle.

I've been using E10 ever since it was introduced in the '70s. Cars, trucks, tractors, motorcycles (2 stroke and 4 stroke) lawnmowers, and chainsaws. I've NEVER encountered any problems of ANY kind.
 
Actually unless it specifically states it the high octane fuel probably has more ethanol - that's how they boost the octane.
 
I respect with the comments made here by the members. I do run E-10 in the cars, trucks, tractors, and in the 4 stroke engine in my lawn and garden tractor. Have not had any issues since it first started in the early 1980's. I WILL NOT use E-10 in my 2-stroke engines at all, and go out of my way to find some gasoline which is non-oxygenated/alcohol free, seeing to it the octane rating is at least 91. I WILL NOT leave E-10 for long periods of time in my classic tractors either, so I will typically top off the tanks with 91 octane premium. I have found those engines will start better after sitting for long periods of times and the carburetors do not seem to "gunk up" either. I believe the non-oxygenated gasoline is a superior product to E-10 because when you think about it, the ethanol does increase octane when added to gasoline. Back in the earlier days of E-10, the standard octane rating of gasoline where I lived was 87 octane, and with the ethanol added in, the octane increased to 89.5. I would believe today, the fuel depots/terminals are blending ethanol into a base grade of gasoline with an octane rating of 84.5. Could this be part of the problem with stored fuels and it is poorer quality to begin with?
 
I think it also depends on where you live. I remember when it first came out. Two people were killed from an explosion it caused on a boat. I worked on.Where I live now I have changed fuel lines once a year. On many 2 cycle engines.Started using the premix stuff very few problems.
 
It's a poor quality hose problem not a ethanol induced problem.

Case in point. Das has a kerosene fired space heater. The ones like a jet engine. It's pretty old and several years back the fuel pick up hose was pretty well disintegrated ! Nothing but kerosene was ever ran in it !
 
With all the talk here about no problems with gas and not having problems with ethanol you need to read the studies done by the Ethanol industry itself.They tell the damage caused by the corrosive effect of ethanol on aluminum,rubber hose and some plastic fuel lines.I have a carb. off my Garden tractor that ethanol pitted the needle valve seat so bad it couldn't be repaired.The carb was aluminum and seat was machined into carb ( not replaceable) it cost me $250.00 to replace carb. I now have a shut off valve on every garden tractor and run them dry and also use a Briggs & Stratton fuel stabilizer that helps combats the corrosive effect ethanol.
 
That was one of the things that saved my butt. Plus the fuel lines that turned to jello. Otherwise I could have been facing murder charges.
 
You can believe it. Been running e10 in my small engines and every other engine for years and have never had a problem. Ethanol makes crap gas usable.
 
Jeffcat put me onto using premium in small engines. I tried it in my 2011 Silverado and it made no difference in MPG....just one tank.

Since converting no doubt starting and performance has improved..like one of my mowers wouldn't let you engage the deck at idle....now I can. Also I believe the additives that make the octane 93 are of a larger quantity. Since the engine is designed for 89 speculation says that having more volatile elements to vaporize and lose, one could leave fuel sit longer and still come out with enough of the good stuff to ward off problems. Seems to be working for me but I have absolutely no idea as to what is in what....just what it does.
 
You may have posted that comment about shutoffs before. I read it and it made sense to me so I got on ebay and bought a dozen of them and put one on each of my small engines. Makes sense. We'll see how things go this spring....course I will still be using my "snake oil".
 
I hauled fuel for 27 1/2 years. Once we started using ethanol in fuel it is everywhere. Tankers load with two 6" hoses could be 50' back to manifold. That is almost 50 gallon of last product in hose. Say that product is E85. And you are just getting 1000 gal of 92 oct. You have just put 40 gal of alcohol or 4 percent give or take. One thing we don't have is water in our gas. No need for heat. Most additives were alcohol biased.
 
Steve you don't need any additives. Congress mandated all equipment, cars, lawn equipment sold after 1986 have fuel lines rated for e10 usage. Your old vehicles simply need new fuel lines. All you guys having trouble with e10 need to take your stuff back where you bought it and have them fix it. Shouldn't cost you a dime. I also run it in everything from chain saws to 10 cylinder engines and never have aNY problems with stuff sitting for months at a time. Echo chain saw sits from late fall to the next fall without any starting or running problems. Gonna switch to E15 as soon as it is available here.
 
I have not seen any small engine fuel system sold is past 30 years that will with stand damage caused by the corrosive effect of ethanol on aluminum or pot metal. I do know ethanol is not recommended in 2 cycle use.
 
(quoted from post at 09:26:35 10/19/17) How old are these hoses? What brand are they and where were they made? If they're old they probably just need to be replaced. If they're fairly new I would suspect a low-quality hose from overseas.

I have a rubber fuel line soaking in a bottle of everclear like a giant tequila worm. Everclear is 98% pure ethanol. Nothing is happening to the hose.

You'd think if ethanol was this instant death sentence the feedlot farmers want you to believe (because ethanol raises the price of corn, and they want cheap feed for their cattle), the hose would turn into a gob of black goo in the bottom of the bottle.

Try soaking it in the ethanol fuels we get in my area. You WILL see it degrade if it's actual rubber not rated for ethanols. I believe the specific blend in your area can vary a lot and that it's the blend you get that determines if you'll have issues or not. I know I've seen a LOT of small engine issues over the past 10 years that are directly related to ethanol fuel use. Change to non-ethanol and the problem goes away.

Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean the rest of us are liars or too stupid to diagnose fuel issues.
 
Even if it was made before 1986 any decent fuel line can handle ethanol. I have ethanol running through 40 and 50 year old fuel lines and its never been an issue. Some people think there was never gas problems before ethanol was used. They seem to forget that until the end of the 1970s gas stations where still service stations and almost everyone of them had an attendant that would work on carburetors.
 
fuel hose available about every where that will handle it. run small engine shop hear it all time being blamed, but if they only new the true story. run it in everything own since day one and have yet to have issue, units sit all winter start back up following spring if the battery will turn them. gas just does not have the shelf life what we see and if fuel lines over 5 to eight years old you will get what your are seeing ,nothing to do with type fuel that i see. fuel additives, thats another subject, mos sales pitch, never use here no need that i see besides read the active ingredient in most is alcohol! which you are already complain about, so yea pour more of it in!
 
(quoted from post at 16:08:23 10/18/17) I have a couple antique cars that have a short piece of rubber fuel lines. I think the 10% ethnol is ruining the fuel lines . I keep getting fine pieces of black rubber in fuel pump and car. I want to keep black rubber lines, are there any that ethnol dis not effect ? Or what type of fuel additive I should use ? Thanks

you want SAE 30R14 Type 1 or SAE 30R7. The Gates hose numbers would be 4219BG or 4219G. The 30R14 has a plastic barrier layer that keeps the vapors from permeating the hose and damaging the reinforcement and rubber cover. SAE 30R2 (Gates RLA) I would not use in any gasoline but is fine in B15 diesel or less and any lubricating oil.
 
Autozone had about three types of hose in each size ,the difference being what they were resistant to. I had to choose the application.
 
I got a plastic 6 gallon gas can, it's the kind you use with outboard motors. It was sitting empty for 10 years and I tried to use it to fuel a trailer mounted air compressor. Could not get the engine to fire. After an hour or screwing around and no fuel anywhere in the engine, I took apart the gas can. There used to be a 5/16"x8" gas hose that was the fuel pickup. It had completely dissolved and what was left was a black scum in the tank.

Just the vapors off the E10 were enough to do that. Can was about '84 vintage, so not built to withstand the E10.

But even the equipment that was built to use current fuel, fuel hoses, filters, and carbs are all screwed up from it.

I'm keeping a Jerry can in my trunk and the next time I'm near an airfield, buying 5 gallons of 100LL which has NO alcohol....
 
I want to thank everyone for their help. I finally found some black beauty in gas tank and plugged gas line and filter. Going to replace all the gas line including rubber hoses with the modern rubber lines that Ethnol won't bother. Also replacing electric fuel pump. then shouldn't have any trouble. thanks again.
Steve
 
(quoted from post at 10:15:12 10/20/17) Even if it was made before 1986 any decent fuel line can handle ethanol. I have ethanol running through 40 and 50 year old fuel lines and its never been an issue. Some people think there was never gas problems before ethanol was used. They seem to forget that until the end of the 1970s gas stations where still service stations and almost everyone of them had an attendant that would work on carburetors.

I disagree entirely. Go find an older Pioneer saw from the late 70's and put some of our local ethanol mix in it. Leave it overnight. Not only will it require a large set of Channel Locks to remove the fuel cap, the tank line will dissolve within a couple days. I'm telling ya, it's the specific local blend that makes the difference. :cry:
 
There's a gas station here in Osceola, MO. that sells non-alcohol premium gas at the pump. It's a little, (few cents per), higher but a lot of folks use it for off road aps. gm
 
Hop on over to PA for non-alcohol gasoline. Check out www.pure-gas.org All the stations carrying pure gas are listed by state.
 
A note to the non-believers. My son in law works in the pipeline industry. They make their $$ by moving liquid product nation wide. They do NOT allow ethanol through their pipelines, nor any ethanol mix. They have found it to be too corrosive to the steel, so it is transported mainly by rail car (on Canadian Pacific tracks 1 mile from our place). It would be much cheaper to transport it by pipeline. Most of the trains have cars marked with "ethanol" signs, and many are a solid string of 100+ tanker cars.

I am not a fan of the big oil companies, and certainly not a fan of the ethanol industry. A few years ago I visited the largest ethanol plant in MN and almost got thrown out by asking a question about the energy efficiency of the process (the guide refused to answer). From what I had read 10 to maybe 15 years ago, it took 3X as much energy to produce the ethanol as compared to the amount of energy available in the finished product. Note that all big ethanol plants are located on major natural gas pipelines.

Not trying to start a war here, but the ethanol industry has positioned itself politically so I have to use their product and pay for something I do not want. When all energy inputs are figured in, I doubt that there is even a 1:1 ratio of input compared to output. IMHO we have been swindled!

Paul in MN
 

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