[Spridgets] fuel senders and ethanol

[John Innis]

While I agree with your solution, I don't think the water/ice issue is to
blame.  When water gets into your tank, it mixes with the ethanol in the
gas and comes out of suspension (sinks to the bottom).  When the water and
alcohol mix, the freezing point of the water is lowered dramatically.
That's why gas line anti-freeze is mostly alcohol (ethanol or isopropal).
In order for ice to form, you would have to have a LOT of water in your
tank, and any ice you got would be at the bottom of the tank, while the
float (if undamaged) should be at the top of the tank.  I think you just
got a less than perfect float form the get go, and it took a while to start
leaking.  All that being said, I don't like ethanol either and go out of my
way to avoid it.

On Thu, May 4, 2017 at 7:04 AM, w swift via Spridgets <
spridgets at autox.team.net> wrote:

> I purchased a fuel sender unit from Moss a few years ago and installed it
> in my Bugeye after restoration in very late 2015.  Had it on the road for
> about a month before garaging it for the winter (unheated garage). Drove it
> most of 2016 summer/fall months. Away for winter agin in unheated garage.
> Pulled it out of garage a couple weeks ago and took it for some shakedown
> runs. Found problem, solved it and I think I know what caused it ...
>
> During shakedowns, I found my fuel gage to be erratic hovering about empty
> but occasionally oscillating up and down a bit.  I read the excellent
> descriptions of Smith fuel gage operation by
>
>  Barney Gaylordhere  :http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/electric/fg_01.htm
>
> And began a diagnosis.  Gage (original Bugeye) removed, tested, checked
> out fine. Resistances measured and compared reasonably well with is article.
>
> Checked resistance from G/B lead to sender and ground got very low figures
> - i.e. tank near empty. Dipstick measurement said 3/4 full.
>
> Removed tank and pulled sender.  Plastic float nearly full of ethanol.
> Should be empty.  If it's full it doesn't float, it sinks to the bottom of
> the tank and rests near "empty" unless you slosh the tank by rocking the
> rear end, then it will move a bit - which is what I saw on the gage.
>
> Winter in NH means variable temps between about 70F occasionally and -20 F
> occasionally, maybe 60 days below 32 F.  That's the temperature that water
> (in ethanol or most other places) freezes.
>
> I believe the freeze/thaw cycles during the winter caused the plastic
> float to crack and leak, slowly.  I removed the plastic float from the
> lever arm (seen here:
>
> http://www.mossmotors.com/graphics/products/PDF/980-004.pdf)
>
> I located a minuscule crack in the circumferential groove where the lever
> arm snaps onto the float.  I think that during extended periods of below
> freezing temps, ice accumulates on the wire ring that snaps onto the
> plastic float (air inside) and basically cracks the plastic.
>
> It's also possible  that the float had a split in it from the beginning,
> but I'm betting it was the water in the ethanol that caused the seeping
> leak.
>
> So - I replaced the plastic float with a brass float, and I don't use
> ethanol anymore.
> --
> w swift ... on the road again.
>
>
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>
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