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Fuel pumps and Ethanol, fact or myth?

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Old January 21st, 2016 | 11:22 AM
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Fuel pumps and Ethanol, fact or myth?

I am doing research on diaphragm materials in fuel systems. More specifically the fluid injection for the Jetfire turbo engine. In the process I have found that fuel pump diaphragms are made of Buna-N (or Nitrile) and that IS compatible with ethanol.

Does anyone have any information other than this?
Old January 21st, 2016 | 03:14 PM
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I am talking about the old NOS pumps that I hear regularly are not compatible with ethanol.
Old January 22nd, 2016 | 06:54 AM
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ethanol and nitrile is compatible stuff..i am pretty sure...but i cant be positive

the old stuff like fuel pumps..accelerator pumps in carbs and such, ethanol works on, including old gaskets too.

if you do a google you can find out the new materials list..i knew it a year ago..i was researching it for a tripower project...and was trying to find out if the stories where true or not..i didnt want to build something and 6 months later i had to go back in..luckily the tripower stuff is so popular they make modern materialed gaskets and pumps for it

i dont have a clue if theres stuff avail for your application..but i doubt it...being so rare..
Old January 22nd, 2016 | 06:59 AM
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From what I am seeing the old stuff and the new stuff are all made of the nitrile material. It makes me wonder how the story got started about the old fuel pumps not working with ethanol? That is if there is not another factor that I am unaware of.
Old January 22nd, 2016 | 07:33 AM
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if they are both..maybe its the process or the composition process ..

or..and i think i am right here..the urban legend starts like this....stuff sits for years...it gets dried out..new owner buys runs to the gas station gets new gas and stuff leaks everywhere.and accel pump disolves...and it has to be the new gas formulas...not the idea the parts are dry rotted.

i know i have some old NOS carb kits.and the pumps are leather...i know those cant take it..i saved a lot of the info on my lap top when i researched it. i will get it out of my truck...get it charged and will send you or post the links or documents..i will work on it tonight
Old January 22nd, 2016 | 11:32 AM
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Absolute FACT

Absolute FACT that the New Old Stock Fuel Pumps can not deal with this Ethanol Gas......
Fuel Pumps are now more expensive than they ever were and Fuel Pump and Carburetor Kits are selling at their highest rate in decades due to the
fact that Ethanol gas R U I N S the conventional rubber inside N.O.S.
Fuel Pumps and Carburetors.....




This is true in cars, small engines, and absolutely everything affected by
ethanol added gasoline.
Old January 22nd, 2016 | 12:39 PM
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Originally Posted by mobileparts
Fuel Pumps are now more expensive than they ever were


$17 for a Carter M6108 at Summit, $17 for an Airtex 41566 at Rock Auto.
While that may be a bit more than they cost back in the 80s-90s, it probably has more to do with inflation over time than anything else.
Old January 22nd, 2016 | 12:53 PM
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Originally Posted by mobileparts
Absolute FACT that the New Old Stock Fuel Pumps can not deal with this Ethanol Gas......
Fuel Pumps are now more expensive than they ever were and Fuel Pump and Carburetor Kits are selling at their highest rate in decades due to the
fact that Ethanol gas R U I N S the conventional rubber inside N.O.S.
Fuel Pumps and Carburetors.....




This is true in cars, small engines, and absolutely everything affected by
ethanol added gasoline.
The NOS pump diaphragms are made of Buna-N. I have only found one compatibility chart but it showed that these are compatible. I don't necessarily trust the chart yet but it is all I have to go on at this time. I have an NOS pump in my W-30 with no problems yet but that don't mean I won't.
Old January 22nd, 2016 | 02:31 PM
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Originally Posted by jensenracing77
The NOS pump diaphragms are made of Buna-N. I have only found one compatibility chart but it showed that these are compatible.
Page 1:
http://www.quickcutgasket.com/pdf/Ch...ance-Chart.pdf


Page 2:
http://www.robinsonrubber.com/pdfs/NitrileRubber.pdf


Pages 13-14:
http://www.balseal.com/sites/default...0707133101.pdf

Interesting that this site shows Buna-N to be excellent with methanol and fair with ethanol, which is different than the ones I posted above:
http://www.coleparmer.com/Chemical-Resistance
Old January 22nd, 2016 | 03:25 PM
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Very interesting! Thanks for the links.
Old January 22nd, 2016 | 05:57 PM
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Not all of the old fuel pumps were made with Buna-N (nitrile) diaphragms and gaskets.
A lot of them were made of cloth treated with a gummy rubber like material.
I think that these are the ones that have trouble being compatible with ethanol.
Old January 22nd, 2016 | 06:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Charlie Jones
Not all of the old fuel pumps were made with Buna-N (nitrile) diaphragms and gaskets.
A lot of them were made of cloth treated with a gummy rubber like material.
I think that these are the ones that have trouble being compatible with ethanol.
The ones with buna-N are also a coated fabric. You are likely right. The ones I seen some specs on were the ones crimped together and the print had a 68 date on it and a revision in 70 but the revision was not the diaphragm.
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