Subject: [TR] ethanol in gasoline

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:38:00 -0400 (EDT)

To the list
The discussion of ethanol and its impact on fuel systems makes me think of a
problem with my 1976 TR6 that I will have to deal with shortly.  I keep it at
another location and when I was there a week or so ago, I smelled a strong
gasoline odor.  I have had a problem with the gaskets in the carb float
chambers deteriorating and leaking gas so I guessed that was probably the
case.  Unfortunately I passed by the car a little later and saw a puddle of
what looked like heavy oil near the left rear tire.  I touched it and it had a
strong gasoline smell.  I was otherwise occupied and when I got back the next
day, the puddle remained but there is no longer a gasoline odor.
Unfortunately, I had to leave before I could investigate the situation.  My
fear is that the fuel lines have deteriorated allowing gas to drip onto the
ground, carrying something with it on the trip, probably dissolved
undercoating.  I don't know of anything else that would be in the rear of the
car that could leak other than the differential, but I don't know of any
reason that a leaking fuel line would cause it to leak as well.  There was
distinctly a strong gasoline odor to this substance.  I won't get back for a
couple of weeks, but does anyone have any ideas as to what I should consider
as possibilities.  Just an aside, the car is parked on a concrete floor in a
garage with no ignition source and is directly under a fire sprinkler so I
believe that the danger of fire is minimal, which is why I was comfortable
waiting to deal with this later.
David Gill
1976 TR6

** [email-masked] **

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From: Frank Fisher <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:23:33 -0700 (PDT)

seems my post on this topic never made it, so ill resend.
 
I wonder what kind
of rubber we are getting from china. we wont/cant pay for domestic parts when
built in small quantities and new old stock rubber is well on its way in its
life cycle.
 
here in Temecula California I live in desert conditions. peek
summer temperatures can get to 115 ambient and substantially greater from heat
soaked areas like the pavement and buildings.
 
there is one outlet in town
that still sells fully leaded 112 octane gas. it runs about 14.00 a gallon.
for off road use as "race fuel" only. no ethanol. because I don't do that many
miles I was running the TR3 on it until the local laws caught up with me. one
must now produce a race license to be able to buy the fuel. no race license
here so no more leaded gas for me.
I was able to run leaded fuel for over a
year. I do not see any noticeable performance or degrading rubber difference
on running California unleaded to the leaded gas I was using before.

I
cant recall the last time my modern day car would not start. but I do recall
the days back in the UK when coming out of the house and hoping the car would
start to get me to work on time. I recall lots of issues that caused my car
not to start. including the fact I did little maintenance because I was poor.
I also recall the diaphragms on the ZS carbs where a constant source of
failure. they would fail about every 12 months as I recall now.
 
I help
maintain 2 friends Triumphs here in Temecula. 2-TR3's and a TR6. had them on
the road about 4 years now.
we have had a few issues that in hindsight could
well have been the same problems we had 40 years ago. so I find it hard to say
modern fuel is hurting my rubber parts.

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From: "[email-masked]" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:55:25 -0500 s=q20121106; t=1371074127; bh=WZDo1fb0MeTu1PaXwjYZ2fLaDKtk1KPcgPpAdrCffgw=; h=Received:Received:To:From:Subject:Date:MIME-Version:Content-Type; b=gDNmL6MagpWRKBvpvfDiajaUnTmkJM2D9MTqsJ7fSnwyCGZ1NmG4wb/H5SxWyTd4x 0yCdzM4opEvgPyC0FnmubbXyW0W2lHAU9cKCgAUBMURIUzLwlEnFWHOmI8A+uygCkv 4RirctOJzHvIppxqBqeDWmhtCye/jKhADUYtgNkJRiyPk6UcUaEXk7P/9swAAiJug5 +D+H2yKWjbX1zo0HDq521t7xYOPr//veq0wcPD9DvDIwnmfoCEvkTwX4HLJjRddAwS 2614MgyEyka0qI722c+M/7Q9y3D+qHFlkdNNAlOcEbx8b8e0VhuCIG4M7W+CYVfB4E hhHakX0s89ajQ==

Apparently, the contents of gasohol has been known to destroy plastic floats.  There is a benzene component I am told that does it.  I know there is a new closed cell foam float for some cars, indestructible by the new stuff, that's available.
I've got brass floats in all my cars, so I've no first hand knowledge.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

----- Reply message -----
From: [email-masked]
To: <[email-masked]>
Subject: [TR] ethanol in gasoline
Date: Wed, Jun 12, 2013 2:38 pm

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