What E5 or E10 fuel additives are you guys using when storing your BECs over winter to stop corrosion as I believe ethanol retains moisture from the atmosphere

Isn't the best option just to keep a Jerry can of super unleaded, empty out the e5/10 and fill / run on a little Super before mothballing for winter? My understanding of the additives is they appear to work mostly through placebo effect.

Personally I've historically done so few miles I could just run it on super and it wouldn't make a massive difference in terms of expenditure.

I agree, fill it with ethonol free fuel. at the moment to only supplier the states its super/supreme unleaded fuel is ethonol free is esso, and even then not in all parts of the country.
and strangely it still has to badge it on the pumps as 5% ethonol! because there isn't a 0% grade.

Excellent idea with one small problem, i live in devon

Here is blurb from esso site
"though our pumps have E5 labels on them, our Synergy Supreme+ 99 is actually ethanol free (except, due to technical supply reasons, in Devon, Cornwall, North Wales, North England and Scotland)"

quote:

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Originally posted by andyfiggy2002
Excellent idea with one small problem, i live in devon

Here is blurb from esso site
"though our pumps have E5 labels on them, our Synergy Supreme+ 99 is actually ethanol free (except, due to technical supply reasons, in Devon, Cornwall, North Wales, North England and Scotland)"

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Stihl motomix is available. Guaranteed ethanol free and the oil isn't going to hurt over winter. Fairly cheap also.

Motomix at £20/gall sounds expensive to me or I could just use the cheaper option of adding a fuel stabiliser, any recommendations?

I have been using Lucas conditioner for a few years, one bottle treats 25 gallons eBay Item

ok thanks, excuse my ignorance but why cant it be used with E5

Link to an analysis by Oxford Brookes Uni student...

Looking at this from a logic perspective...

There's rubber deterioration effects from high ethanol concentrations - seemingly not significant from 10%. In order to reduce that, you could run your system dry over winter (we do that on boat engines when they go into storage).


There's a concern over water being absorbed into the fuel (it's hygroscopic) - that can only occur if there's moisture in the air in the tank. Keep the tank full to minimise this, or drain the system as above, however....
]There's a concern over condensation in the tank - this concern exists with all fuels and all systems - the condensations doesn't come from the fuel, it comes from the air - keep the tank full to minimise air volume. My tin top is 25 years old and has been left with ~20% filled tank for about 10 years of its life, unused. The (Steel) tank is still pristine internally.

The tests in the above link suggest there's sod all effect on materials exposed to E10, that don't exist with E5.


These cars have very little in the way of pipework and parts - replace them with modern alternatives and never worry again (would be my choice, if I thought this was a real risk)?

[Edited on 5/10/21 by coyoteboy]

[Edited on 5/10/21 by coyoteboy]

So basically either keep your tank topped up or run the system dry

[Edited on 6/10/21 by andyfiggy2002]

I suppose if you really want to panic. Find the breather for the tank and put a plastic bag over it whilst in storage. Personally I wouldn't bother

Fuelfit was recommended to my by the classic bike brigade, and I use it in the lawn mover, fires up first time every spring never any issues.
Water in ethanol results in an acid which is corrosive to zinc and I believe copper including galv and brass. E10 will degrade non ethanol resistant rubber seals and O rings especially if they are already tired. Some carburetor parts such as diaphragms may also not be ethanol resistant.

Ethanol is a neutral molecule, ethanol water mix is ph7...

study on the effects on rubber and seals

[Edited on 8/10/21 by coyoteboy]

If you are still worried put on a silica gel breather filter. We used them on 33kV transformers to great effect and they eliminated water absorption into the oil from the atmosphere completely. Bloody big things though perhaps you can rig something smaller up from SG and bodged filter cartridges?

Could be a nice sideline for someone selling to the concerned technophobe

Cheers!