Update on the long term soak of rubber, steel and aluminum in E-85 and Methanol.

[@BigHeadClan]

Would have been awesome if the various components were separated out into their own jars so cross-contamination and the individual behavior wouldn't be an issue but I suppose it wouldn't make for a good stand-In for how E-85 or Methanol would interact with an engine if you didn't. Thanks for taking the time to follow up on these, one of the car forums I frequent were musing the impacts of both.

[@DoesItTrack]

I thought about that in the beginning, but then I thought, well the fuel system has all of these components in it. Steel tank, aluminum rails and fittings, and rubber lines. Plus, shelf space was limited. LOL

[@BigHeadClan]

@@DoesItTrack Aye could go either way and having space for jars to sit around for an extended period fills up fast. lol The forum discussion I was apart of was for WMI so from the intake side so it wouldn't go through the fuel rails, pump etc. But there is plastic, aluminum and steel mixed in along that route either way so still a useful test for that discussion I was having.

[@stephenhands2108]

Regarding the rubber tubing, I think for some people, sometimes the quality of the rubber might be suspect in the first place. Here in the UK, there was an awful lot of substandard rubber fuel line that came from China, and this stuff would literally degrade and start cracking if just left unused sitting on a shelf, and if it was used as a fuel line would deteriorate and start leaking within a matter of months. Truly terrible stuff, but a lot of it was sold, labelled as something it clearly was not and many people unwittingly (including myself) fitted it in their cars. I now only by a reputable brand rubber fuel line, from reputable suppliers.

[@Dr_Xyzt]

Maybe the methanol is attacking the lid to the jar. -- The white stuff could be aluminum hydroxide that has been in solution for quite some time, but only now that some of the methanol has evaporated is the concentration high enough for it to actually cloud the fluid. -- As for rust, I have a concept of practicality. Surface rust is better than pitting. You can rinse the tank out, then use it with a filter installed. However, if the tank was a different alloy of steel that promoted pitting, then you'd eventually get a random pinhole that turns into a weeping leak/safety hazard.

[@DoesItTrack]

Great thoughts! Thanks for the reply. I never even thought about the lid, I'll have to look at it.

[@Dr_Xyzt]

@@DoesItTrack I had a sit-down with a corrosion engineer who talked some practical sense into me. The roof needs to be domed/slanted so the vapor that forms at the top of the tank can run back down into the fluid. When it dries out at the top of the tank, the concentration of whatever is dissolved in the fuel will increase and cause corrosion. The fuel needs to keep moving with continuity.

[@DoesItTrack]

@@Dr_Xyzt Oh wow, i never even thought about that one. Totally makes sense.

[@kiweeltyler3586]

Anymore Stealth videos anytime soon?

[@DoesItTrack]

I sure hope so! One of my buddies was just buggin' me about that as well. I need to do an update, I've made a lot of changes since the last one. I just need to do it. I will. :)

[@kiweeltyler3586]

@@DoesItTrack awesome! I’m looking forward to it!

[@jordanbuscema2719]

thanks for the follow up.