Ethanol effect on fuel filters

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themoudie
Posts: 649
Joined: Sat Jun 14, 2014 12:44 am
Location: Scotland

Ethanol effect on fuel filters

Postby themoudie » Wed Jun 09, 2021 10:37 pm

This is just a wee warning to anybody purchasing fuel filters for their machine.

I have been using the little square plastic fuel filters manufactured by 'MRC', as they fit neatly out of the way in the confined space on the Yamaha SRX twin shock and Monoshock that I run. I have also fitted them to the '74 450 MKIII and a Moto Morini 125H. The latter uses 'SuperUnleaded' because of it's 11.5:1 compression ratio from the use of the "Heron" cylinder head.

Both the white filter from the Duke and the blue filter (was green!) from the Morini, show deformation of the filter element, so that it is no longer effective and the resulting contamination of the fuel may also be affecting the running of the engine.

I attach a couple of images that demonstrate the problem.

Good health, Bill
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Jordan
Posts: 1380
Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 11:29 am

Re: Ethanol effect on fuel filters

Postby Jordan » Wed Jun 09, 2021 11:56 pm

Hi Bill,
I gave up on these small inline filters because I don't believe they help, and indeed can cause problems both practical and aesthetic.
Let's admit they are not pretty, spoiling the clean uncluttered look of a Ducati single.

A friend with a Pantah fitted a pair and evidently thought he could then forget about them.
Years later he spent a lot on trying to fix a bad running engine. Serious money was wasted on electrical hardware and so called Ducati specialists.
The fix was to remove the old inline filters. Interestingly, they did not look clogged but I could hardly blow through them.

If used, please renew these small filters every year or so.

themoudie
Posts: 649
Joined: Sat Jun 14, 2014 12:44 am
Location: Scotland

Re: Ethanol effect on fuel filters

Postby themoudie » Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:37 am

Aye Jordan,

These filters have been in place for approximately 3 months and I agree with your sentiments about regular renewal once a year. However, I am also finding similar problems with "fuel hose" purchased from several reputable suppliers.

I am now trying 'Oregon' chainsaw fuel hose that claims to be "compatible to up to 10% ethanol blend fuels".
Link: Oregon_fuel_line_Part# 07-260

The colour should appeal to 'Desmo' owners! ;) Personally, the aesthetic is not so important, as getting clean fuel into the carb. But I do agree that the minimalist lines drew my eye to the wee beasties in the first place back in 1968.

Good health, Bill

graeme
Posts: 938
Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2012 12:00 am
Location: Tasmania Australia

Re: Ethanol effect on fuel filters

Postby graeme » Thu Jun 10, 2021 9:16 am

The fuel line brand name is Tygon.
Supposed to be ok for ethanol.
I haven’t had to use it as E10 etc seems to have gone here.

Graeme

Duccout
Posts: 1285
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2020 1:20 pm
Location: Essex UK

Re: Ethanol effect on fuel filters

Postby Duccout » Thu Jun 10, 2021 9:24 am

This is just the tip of the ethanol iceberg! My modern Ducati has the fuel pump in the fuel tank, submerged in fuel, and the pipe has already come off twice, leaving me stranded, due to ethanol softening the supposedly resistant rubber. After the last time I searched out some ultra-special pipe, and it remains to be seen how resistant it will be, especially when E10 arrives in September.

Those in-line filters are essential for my 250 Ducati which has a load of silt in the tank which I cannot get rid of. I suppose that I should have lined the tank with Caswell, but......

Colin

Jordan
Posts: 1380
Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2010 11:29 am

Re: Ethanol effect on fuel filters

Postby Jordan » Thu Jun 10, 2021 10:32 am

Duccout wrote:Those in-line filters are essential for my 250 Ducati which has a load of silt in the tank which I cannot get rid of.


My view is that the carburettor's float chamber is effectively a huge sediment bowl.
That's in addition to the fine mesh filters at the fuel taps and carb's fuel inlet.

Duccout
Posts: 1285
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2020 1:20 pm
Location: Essex UK

Re: Ethanol effect on fuel filters

Postby Duccout » Thu Jun 10, 2021 11:36 am

I've just changed pilot jet in my Mikuni, and the float bowl certainly is working as a sediment bowl - it was full of silt, in spite of the in-line filters.

themoudie
Posts: 649
Joined: Sat Jun 14, 2014 12:44 am
Location: Scotland

Re: Ethanol effect on fuel filters

Postby themoudie » Thu Jun 10, 2021 10:05 pm

Aye Jordan and Colin,

My view is that the carburettor's float chamber is effectively a huge sediment bowl.

and
and the float bowl certainly is working as a sediment bowl - it was full of silt, in spite of the in-line filters.


The last time I managed to have anything gritty in a float bowl was in the SRX600 twin shock's float bowl. It jammed the needle open and on stopping at temporary traffic lights on the A9, heading towards Inversnecky, I was engulfed in a cloud of petrol vapour as the carb overflowed onto a hot engine and the underslung exhaust system! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: Needless to say, I hopped off sharpish, turning off the ignition at the same time and retired to a "safe distance" from the potential bomb! Luckily, the vacuum fuel tap did it's job and cut the fuel supply, the vapour cloud didn't ignite, but unlike a Ducati single the fuel bowl is not readily accesible for draining and cleaning.

Fortunately an undertakers (ambulance) van was passing and he offered me a lift to Inversnecky, having suitably re-arranged his cargo of empty coffins, the SRX was wheeled up the trolley ramp and strapped down. I was delivered to my meeting venue, as it is adjacent to the hospital. The bike came out of the ambulance, the coffins re-arranged and I went into my meeting. After the meeting, I rang the recovery firm and the SRX and I were brought home to Perthshire.

Once in the workshop and stripped, there was a single piece of paint/dirt holding the float needle off the jet seat. :twisted: Hence, my fitting of filters to all of the bikes in the fleet since the event. If you are shoveling the stuff out from the float bowl I would suggest that the fuel tank needs some TLC. Come September, 2021, it might be too late!

I too have friends with Moto Guzzis, with the fuel pump in the fuel tank and they too have had problems with the delivery hose becoming detached from the fuel pump due to it perishing, or in one case simply disolving into a gooey blob in the bottom of the tank! :evil:

Good health, Bill

Duccout
Posts: 1285
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2020 1:20 pm
Location: Essex UK

Re: Ethanol effect on fuel filters

Postby Duccout » Fri Jun 11, 2021 6:13 am

I had a Ducati Multistrada with a plastic tank, that had the fuel pump located directly over the rear exhaust pipe. One day, during the MOT test I was horrified to see petrol dripping out of the flange directly onto the exhaust pipe! Because the tester was too busy rabbiting he never noticed and the bike passed, but then I had to ride it home, and was very relieved to have made it. It turns out that ethanol had softened and distorted the flange.

I reported it to Ducati, who told me to take the tank to my local dealer for examination; I did and the tech told me that it was a common problem, caused by ethanol. Needless to say Ducati refused to replace my tank, and lost a customer.

Colin

Geordie
Posts: 141
Joined: Thu Jan 16, 2020 12:15 pm
Location: Mallorca, Spain

Re: Ethanol effect on fuel filters

Postby Geordie » Sat Jun 12, 2021 12:08 pm

Just about to fit new petcock and see that it has a plastic filter and stand pipe. The old one was all metal but unusable for other reasons.

Time will tell :!


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