Fuel System: Yikes: Today's Gas / Yesterday's Hose!

[BobPalma]

'No particular reason, but I didn't have occasion to drive my 1972 Buick LeSabre Custom convertible this year, and hadn't had it out of the garage all summer. (This photo is from 2013, at the enormous, all-make Father's Day Car Show in Noblesville, Indiana's Forest Park. Those accusing me of being a traitor will note the Indy Chapter SDC Studebaker V8 logo on my shirt, thank you...):



But I run and drive everything at least once a year, so got it out today for the first time in 2015 to winterize it and give it some exercise.

'Started it up and it ran fine. 'Pulled it out onto the driveway (thankfully, as we are supposed to!) to let it warm up...whereupon I noticed a massive gasoline leak under the fuel pump! I figured an OEM hose had given way. Sure enough, the vapor return line for the emission control system had rotted and softened to mush during the last year:



Do we have a problem, Houston? BP

[Flashback]

Just you imagination, Bob. I will say it before someone else does. It was also my imagination when I let my 53 sit up a while. And my old Ford tractor and my old wrecker. I just love imagining I am replacing all the parts and spending all this money cause we have sorry gas. Must just be you and me. LOL LOL

[jnormanh]

So, just how old was that hose? I've some on ethanol for twenty years which are still fine.

[jclary]

A great reminder of why I fear heaters in a garage area. Especially space heaters with exposed flames like torpedo, radiant electric element, wood burners, and anything with a pilot light. All it takes when a hose fails like this is enough fumes to reach a pilot light, or an unsuspecting flip of a light switch, to ignite a flash fire, or explosion. As most of us know, the flex fuel lines, at our fuel pumps, are positioned to where if they fail, they will allow gravity flow. It might be wise to not keep much gas in vehicles stored for the winter. Some state that an empty tank acquires condensate, but a substantial fuel fire will probably cost you your collection, and garage, even if you lived next to a fire station.

[billslark]

Well, I knew it would happen, one of the problematic ethanol fuel deniers has spoken.


Bill

[BobPalma]

Well, I knew it would happen, one of the problematic ethanol fuel deniers has spoken. Bill

'Funny thing is, Bill; I haven't had any ethanol-enhanced gasoline in it for about three years, since I found a CountryMark Co-Op station that caters to farmers about 23 miles away. They have a 91-octane, ethanol-free product that is just dandy, and expensive, but worth it.

But the car had plenty of ethanol-enhanced gasoline in it for probably twenty years before that, to be sure. I bought it in 1996 and until I found that station several years ago, had to use what was available...and we know what that is/was! BP

[TWChamp]

Years ago when the crap gas first came out it did the same thing to the fuel hose at the bottom of my 1949 Chevy 1 1/2 ton truck. I lost a full tank of gas. Luckily it was parked outside. That crap gas has been responsible for a lot of car fires, including my 1985 Omni. Luckily I caught it in time to put it out with only a few burned hoses and wires.

[sweetolbob]

I won't dispute that the newer fuels can cause issues as I've observed the results from chainsaws to automobiles but if that is OEM hose it's 43 YO and I don't know about you folks but I was a lot better back in 72 than I am now. Age does have effects.

But BP's point should not go unnoticed, If you have old hoses check the darn things occasionally, fuel hoses and other rubber products were suffering the ravages of time long before the newer fuels were introduced.

Bob

[jnormanh]

Well, I knew it would happen, one of the problematic ethanol fuel deniers has spoken.


Bill

Ethanol deniers? Problematic?

Well, Bob ducked the question as to how old that leaky hose was, so I'll just assume it's 43 years old. And he's surprised that it failed? If it had been sitting dry on a shelf for 43 years, ozone attack would have damaged it by now.

I hope his brake hoses and water hoses aren't 43 years old, because they'll fail too.

[BobPalma]

I won't dispute that the newer fuels can cause issues as I've observed the results from chainsaws to automobiles but if that is OEM hose it's 43 YO and I don't know about you folks but I was a lot better back in 72 than I am now. Age does have effects.

But BP's point should not go unnoticed, If you have old hoses check the darn things occasionally, fuel hoses and other rubber products were suffering the ravages of time long before the newer fuels were introduced. Bob

Right, Bob. 'Funny thing is, I replaced the OEM main supply hose from the fuel line to the pump this morning while I was at it. You could tell it was the same age, but really didn't look that bad. Certainly nothing like that vapor return hose right next to it, which all but crumbled when I took it off. Weird. BP

[63 R2 Hawk]

Gotta watch out for the new batteries too, they will cause the battery hold downs to disappear.....

[Dick Steinkamp]

Well, I knew it would happen, one of the problematic ethanol fuel deniers has spoken.

I'd probably be in that category here also since I don't blame every automotive problem imaginable on fuel with ethanol.

We've known for 30-35 years now...ever since the widespread introduction of e10...that fuel with ethanol is not kind to pre e10 soft fuel system parts. IMHO, deniers are those that act surprised and angry when one of these parts on their old car gives up the ghost.

Bob P. didn't do this in his posts here BTW, plus it looks like e10 may not have been the actual culprit in this case...just old age. (The hose, not Bob )

If you have a vintage vehicle and are not sure of the age of the soft fuel system parts, replace them now. It's cheap and relatively easy to do. The alternative is to allow the car to get you stranded somewhere so you can rant and rave about the crap gas...or worse yet, have the car burn to the ground...of course due to that crap gas. Certainly not action you know you should have taken but didn't.

Same with brake hoses. If you don't know how old they are, or you know they are more than 7 years old, replace them. Again, cheap and easy to do (Jim Turner and others have them for our Studes). The potential alternative is a wild ride when an old hose breaks (especially on a single circuit system), or a tow home when an old hose finally swells shut and locks up a wheel.

[sals54]

And speaking to this specifically the Avanti owners. I know its a pain in the neck, but gain access to that gas tank and be sure to replace all the rubber parts in or on the gas tank.

[Warren Webb]

It seems when there is a slow news day here comes another story on a carport fire that takes out 4 or 5 cars. I wouldn't be surprised if ethanol gas is the reason. I do remember when it was first being introduced (as if there was a choice) Auto Club sent me a survey asking if I had any problems. One of the questions dealt with hoses.

[billslark]

Hi Bob, Yes I've had my share of problems related to ethanol gas, fuel lines, fuel pumps, and several carbuetor overhauls.
Unfortunatly, the local Cenex store does not carry non ethanol fuel, and it's the only gas station in town.
I did find a web site called Pure-Gas.org, (probably found it here) that shows stations around the country and state by state that handles ethanol free gas. I see on their site that there are some stations about 40 miles away, so I'm going to go buy a few hundred gallons. Most of my vehicles are still carbureted, so it should keep my issues to a minimum.

Oh, and by the way Bob, it was nice meeting you and Howe at the South Bend swap meet in May, on Friday night at Studebaker International, I really enjoyed our visit.


Bill