Engine bay fires and Ethanol

[lord65]

Please check all your fuel hoses if you're getting your car out of winter storage.
I thought I had a water leak having just replaced all my cooling hoses, dripping all over the exhaust as I warmed up the engine.
Then I put my hand in the puddle and had a sniff........petrol!
The short rubber hose that runs around the engine bay bulkhead is completely perished, probably due to age but probably helped along by ethanol.

A close run thing!
IMG_20170419_133359.jpg

[Guest]

I fitted brand new hose a couple of years ago and have covered approx 500 miles in this time. I too have noticed the pipe perishing. What is the answer to a more hard wearing pipe?

[KOY 23]

Good advice. Use R9 grade hose which is ethanol resistant.

[Guest]

Will do, thanks for the advice

[KOY 23]

Get a good brand such as Codan. I have heard that some R9 on eBay is rebranded R6, criminal.

[HersnotHis]

As have said before the handbook of the Stag says that 4 star (98 Octane ) petrol should be used.

Premium/ Super unleaded is between 97 and 99 octane and afaik does not contain any ethanol content and due to Brexit is unlikely to do so in future.

Tesco Momentum 99 is only a few pence more per litre than standard unleaded. Otherwise Shell V power is also 99 whereas other brands are 97/98 octane. ( Morrisons and other supermarket outlets also supply a "High Octane" fuel but of undeclared Octane value. Whatever I suspect these also have a zero ethanol content.)

HTH

H

[KOY 23]

Personally I would take steps to prevent damage due to ethanol by replacing all rubber hoses including the short links with R9 hose. http://www.volksbolts.com/faq/fuelhose.htm

There was a statement a couple of years ago that the better fuels don't contain it but times and policies change.

[HersnotHis]

Personally I would take steps to prevent damage due to ethanol by replacing all rubber hoses including the short links with R9 hose. http://www.volksbolts.com/faq/fuelhose.htm

There was a statement a couple of years ago that the better fuels don't contain it but times and policies change.

I replaced all my underbonnet hoses with the ethanol resistant spec shortly after acquiring my Stag due to experience on other classics. However I have since learnt that the higher octane petrol I was using does not have an ethanol content. AFAIK nothing has changed and since these sort of regs have usually eminated from Brussels I doubt that in view of Brexit it will

H

[alpenmac]

Very interesting topic, as the fire that I experienced 3 weeks ago could well have been caused by such a hose failure (See "Fire!" thread). No update on insurance progress I am afraid.
Alex