E10 paint stripper

I've not tried vodka, but I suspect it won't be as good a paint stripper. Irving (Tuning for Speed etc.) discusses dope fuels. Apparently, acetone was often added to the petrol/alcohol mixtures (ethanol as well as methanol) to prevent separation. I wonder if that's the real issue? Not that it's much help.

Hi Tony , I dont have these issues as I  use ESSO  synergy plus.  

Shell V power and BP Ultimate have the same effect. I had the left hand fuel pipe come off the SU carb i have fitted to Mitzi. Neatly stripped half the paint from the starter motor and made a mess of the powder coating on the frame, now a dull dark grey colour. 

Yes Tony, like cash and banks; use it or lose it.

I bought a couple of liters of E10 to clean out the cam followers on an ES2 engine I'm building.

That is all this E10 cr*p is good for.

As a net importer of wheat (Used in UK to make ethanol) why are we not making bread with it instead?

Incidentally, I have powder coated most of my steel oil tanks, they appear more durable to the E threat.

In the prep, put a pipe cleaner up the return and overflow. Use a magnetic drain plug also..

I use E10 in all of my bikes and did so on the Continent even before it was available here. I did a 240 mile trip on my 1937 model 18 this weekend exclusively on E10. 

Water in the fuel through condensation is more likely so leaving it in for long periods can be a problem. It may have greater paint stripping qualities but a splash or two wiped off won't hurt. Old plastic is a problem but new filters and pipes are normally ethanol proof.

We soon won't be able to get ethanol free petrol so it is better to adapt and get on with it. E5 is likely to be in the pumps for some time but 20% ethanol is being talked of and when that happens E10 will become the new E5!

I am not trying to set up an argument but just letting people know of my experience. 

Tim,

Do you know something I don't with regard to losing E0 petrol?

If riders (And classic motorists) don't support E0 then it may well disappear through market forces.

The Esso stations I frequent the cashiers tell me that sales of E0 are much stronger.than E10.

It can therefore be only politicians that take away our fuel fit for purpose. And who elects them?

Like cash, use it or lose it!

I agree Neil, there are a number of issues that the classic car and bike community need to be vigilant about. There are certainly a number of classic vehicles that should only be run on E0, I just don't think that my bikes are among them. Its not that I prefer to run on E10, its just that I am unwilling to give profiteering fuel companies an extra 10-15p per litre to do so.

My current genuine Interstate tank was bought on eBay freshly painted and fitted 10 years or so ago to replace my dented original. I also bought a new genuine Ceandess locking fuel cap.

For some reason the vent doesn’t work when the cap is fully closed and I intended to fix it. In the meantime I use it with the cap on the safety latch which leaks a small amount of fuel onto the tank when fully topped up but stops as the level drops slightly. This trails and evaporates down the right and a little on the left over the paint and decals.

Tens of thousands of miles later I still haven’t fixed it, just wipe off the petrol stain every now and then. During recent severe fuel shortages, I used E10 exclusively through the winter complete with leaks over the tank. No idea what type of paint was used but it wasn,t affected by the E10 at all. Last tank wipe and clean was on Sunday before the Ace Cafe run and all good.

Back to using Super Unleaded of whatever brand is cheapest where I fill up in the UK or Europe. Petrol App is handy here but not concerned if it,s non ethanol or E5, makes no obvious difference to running or fuel consumption.