Ethanol <vs> fiberglass tanks

fiddlersgreen6 · Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 5:49 pm Post subject: Ethanol <vs> fiberglass tanks

Hello--- Does anyone have any information on the problems of using Ethanol in older fiberglass gas tanks? Ethanol apparently eats at the resin in these older tanks, gets through your filter without a problem and causes some major problems to your engine. I notice throughout the U.S. more and more stations are adding a 10% Ethanol content and sometimes you don't really notice the small sign indicating this on the pumps until you have filled up. Apparently there was a recently published report regarding this problem. Rich

Sea Wolf · Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 7:18 pm Post subject:

Rich-

To my knowledge, the topic has never come up here. Also, there are no C-Dorys with fiberglass tanks, unless they're custom models.

Here's all that I can find, the first page or so of atricles on exactly the topic:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=ethanol+and+fiberglass+gas+tanks&btnG=Google+Search

Let us know what you find out!

Joe.

C-Green · Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:52 pm Post subject: ethanol

Rich,
This link, puts you at a web site that details the making and modifying of a kit boat that more or less became a C-Dory. I've linked the page that starts the builder's discussion on ethanol and glassed tanks; sounds dlcey. Jay
p.s. Mr. Nerd please make the link work, as I am clueless, maybe.

Link fixed by Mr. Nerd

rogerbum · Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2005 9:44 pm Post subject: Re: ethanol

MichaelOnTheClaraMae · Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 9:11 am Post subject:

Go Roger... I am in the software business and didn't catch that.

fiddlersgreen6 · Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 12:26 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the imput--- I received an e-mail this am. that apparently Boat U.S. is making a study of this problem, so it maybe worse than I had orginally thought . They are asking anyone with any information to contact them at cfort@boatus.com
The opinion is that this problem is only affecting fiberglass tanks from the mid 80's, I'm still wondering about newer tanks that haven't had enough exposure to Ethanol up to this time, or possibly even the plastic portable tanks.

Rich--

C-Green · Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 2:21 pm Post subject: ethenol

Roger,

Thanks for the link fix. I will try to watch my space(s) better in the future.

Jay

fiddlersgreen6 · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 6:02 am Post subject:

Apparently there was also a recent article in the Log Newspaper, about this problem. Not sure of the exact date. -- Rich

Sea Wolf · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 8:11 am Post subject:

fiddlersgreen6-

Do you have fiberglass tanks in another older boat? If you have plastic ones in the CD-16, they're polyethylene, not fiberglass. From all the articles, the fiberglass tanks have gto be from the early 80's or earlier to have problems. We've had ethanol (and MBTE, of course, until recently) out here on the left coast for years but apparently w/o problems in our larger boats. ?????