Just reading Novembers issue of The Star, from the BSA owners club here in the UK. turns out that Ethanol is both acidic and hydroscopic, eating into many materials and attracting moisture, which will effect many of the materials in our engines and galvanic corrosion between dissimilar metals.

All bad news for us, apparently its only added to the fuel tankers at the last minute due to its corrosive properties. The article was based on one chaps experience of the ethanol eating away at rubber fuel hoses, carburetta parts and fuel corks which went on to leak into the barrel and valves causing lining and piston corrosion with an engine rebuild required.

The leaking occured during winter storagee for several months and kicking over the engine every so often, so what happend was it wore out the carb and corks, as he kicked the engine over randomly, that put fuel in and then that caused the problems.

Just thought its worth a mention as winter is here and one or two of us, including me, dont ride the old gals enough.

email (option): kit247@hotmail.com

I don't know what planet the people come from that write these articles..I'm beginning to believe they are seeing what they want to see based on the last article they read and ignoring other possibilities (some people don't like to admit a problem might have been their fault)....
In the UK we currently only have ethanol at 5% by volume in a gallon of petrol...
In other parts of the EEC they have 10% and in the USA 15%....

USA contributors to this site such as Joe Rosson don't report any particular problems with their old bikes so far (other than the problem with tank lining materials)...Likewise with contributors from Europe...nothing has yet been reported that can definitively be put down to the presence of ethanol..

I have left bikes standing, not left bikes standing and recently stripped one of my bikes that has been standing unused for around 4 months...No particular problems there that I can see that would cause me to worry on that score....

Personally, at only a 5% concentration I believe every rusty tank, perished fuel line, non starting bike and any other problem that might arise are being conveniently blamed by some people on the presence of ethanol in fuel...Yet strangely, all the problems listed above existed before ethanol...Mmm?..any other possible causes I wonder?..

If they really think they have a problem then either ride it more, prepare the bike more thoroughly for a 'lay up' by draining the fuel system or invest in some of the corrosion inhibitors and other products that have come to the market to calm down people with 'ethanol paranoia'...

I guess they need something else to worry about now that the 'lead free petrol, oh God there go my valve seats' hysteria has subsided... ....Ian

Well done Ian. Its about time someone put this old chestnut to bed.

My opinion is that petrol has never been better than it is now. Modern production methods and quality control give us a consistent product to set standards.
When I shipped my Commando to the USA 3 years ago it did 3,000 miles on their 15% ethonal without any running problems. Due to hurricane Sandy it took me 5 months to get the bike home, standing on the docks at New York then it's sea crossing, after which I left it unused for another 6 months with that 15% petrol still in it. It then started within a few kicks and has ran perfectly since. There is no deterioration anywhere in its fuel system that I can visually notice, although the outer aluminium/chrome surfaces of the bike had corrosion on them from the sea air
My other old bikes have ran ok on whatever we get in the uk, or the European continent with no problem that I can attribute to dodgy fuel. Some have stood for months before starting up ok, needing only the pilot jet/airways cleaning.
Back in the 80s we had sulphur added to petrol- remember exhausts smelling eggy or of rotting vegetables?- and during that time my bikes and cars were going through exhaust system regularly from internal rusting caused by condensation/sulphur becoming sulphuric acid. I haven't had to replace an exhaust system for over 15 years now. Thank God they have stopped adding that stuff.

Ethonal is something we are going to have to live with as subsidies that farmers get for growing it, and the industry that has sprung up for refining it mean it is here to say.

What I find objectionable is that in a world where people are dying of starvation, land is used to grow car fuel, and the price of food goes up.

Rant over

I feel ashamed now fellas....hanging my head low in shame...on the bright side, finally got my Fischer carb back from Bratby, the SP-1 is getting a new front tyre aswell as a dyno run on Saturday, Sunday I may well be on the M25 Poppy Ring Run and drop by the Ace, so I'll be burning some of 'that stuff that shall not be talked about again' up

email (option): kit247@hotmail.com

I think it's a good thing these subjects are raised...
It's just as important to be aware of bad information, misinformation and scaremongering as it is the more useful sort of information...Otherwise we might all start panicking... ....Ian

I've also heard that it is added to the tankers. Are they filled by weight or volume ? Temperature differences could give rise to some fairly variable additive ratios. I actually suspect that it's the rest of the additive package which is causing most of the problems...recycled paintshop thinners from the smell of it.

Amals with ticklers always used to be crusty and brown on the outside but they stay pretty clean now. That old fuel did seem more stable though.

I haven't noticed a problem with cork but the NBR reinforced cork sheet that seemed a better material than poor quality thin cork definitely swells and distorts in contact with the ethanol fuel which means it is less suitable for tap and cap seals than good old cork. The alternative is viton reinforced sheet but it's expensive and doesn't seem to turn up at jumbles.

The most common problem which IS very real, alas is that the ethanol mix dissolves fibreglass tanks with alacrity. Not that this bothers us, except that it does also dissolve the old style tank sealants as I know from personal experience - but again, The tank was sealed by the PO and I have always thought this is bodge way of fixing a tank. The other issues are not scare stories but down to basic chemistry. Whether that affects your fuel system is likely down to useage and what fuel you use. I go for four star unleaded which is supposed to have the lowest ethanol loading. Anyhow, what annoys me the most is that this whole ethanol thing is being peddled as a green fuel which is a crock.

email (option): Fergusanckorn@icloud.com

Hi Fergus..
'Green' solutions are frequently not as green as first thought unfortunately...This is certainly another of those...
There's also no doubt that ethanol has the capability to cause serious problems once it hits a given concentration...
My contention, however, is that at 5% by volume the majority of the 'problems' are actually down to other factors entirely....Ian