[HandyDandy]

IMHO It is the hygroscopic property of ethanol that has caused a whole lot of damage to the aluminum components of your equipment. Of course the fuel tank, feed/supply are very different between your chainsaw and your car/truck. Ethanol doesn't just absorb moisture (water) from the air. Pre 10% Ethanol, I would wager that many, many fuel containers throughout this great land of ours had some water trapped, below the gasoline, at the very bottom. This includes the gas tank in your car and, more importantly, the tanks at your local gas station. This water ordinarily presented no problem because it stayed at the bottom of the tank and did not get picked up by the pump nor did it mix itself into the gasoline. Until 10% Ethanol came along. That Ethanol, being hygroscopic, not only absorbs moisture out of the air, it grabbed every bit of water that normally resided in the bottoms of tanks, mixed it with the fuel, which allowed it in to the pump pick-up and delivered it throughout your fuel system. The first sign was automotive aluminum fuel pumps eating themselves left and right, leaving cars broken down all over the place! It was the water damaging the aluminum.

This was my theory back when I was in the business during the intro of 10% Ethanol and all the breakdowns began. On the bright side, I'll betcha there isn't nearly the amount water in the bottoms of tanks as there used to be. So hopefully, that random fill-up at the wrong gas station at the wrong time that was mostly water, won't happen anymore. Of course all the dispersment of all the water in all the tanks that are where the consumer gets their gas reeked havoc on machinery for that consumer/owner/operator.

It was a case of the fuel being incompatible with the components of fuel driven machines.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

>>Hygroscopic<<

First of all, In Maine, we practically live underwater. It rains a lot, we have a lot of foggy/rain in the Spring and Fall, and we have blue air (90% humidity) in the Summer.

When they first introduced ethanol up here, I did a little research, including with the Maine Snowmobile Association regarding blowing up sleds. The director informed me that there were no real problems to blame on the new alchofuel, and that sleds blew up no more than with the regular gas. He said “they blow up because they blow up. They hold them WOT over 100 MPH, for extended periods of time...BOOM shacka-lacka-lacka!

I also spoke to the Maine Oil Dealers association and a couple of gasoline transporter drivers. (Regarding your comments on gas station underground tanks) I asked: Where do they make the fuel? He said that they get regular 83 octane unleaded at the dock and add the alcohol here...in Maine.

I asked him about when you pump gas into your car, you need to vent the underground tank or you would draw a vacuum. Where are the vents? He said “You see those pipes over there?” He pointed to some vertical pipes which looked like inverted “Js”.

I asked; “Do they have some kind of driers in those tubes...to absorb the water?” He said, “Are you kidding me?”

I completely agree that the metal damage is probably from water, and contend that once any rubber parts are replaced with neoprene, there should be no more problems as long as you keep water out of your gas.

My conclusions after years of gasahol experience, under the worst conditions imaginable (other than actual ocean/marine applications)