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W hen Aftermarket’s October issue E10 article was completed, petrol was flowing freely at filling stations, but within days, the recent fuel crisis was in full swing. We knew fuel would be a major issue in the Autumn, but we didn’t anticipate the queueing. The fact that the crisis broadly coincided with the introduction of the new E10 petrol grade was noted in some quarters. As we went to press for the November issue, things were largely back to normal. However, the volume of questions about E10 petrol continued to rise at motor factor counters and technical helplines across the UK. Dan Morgan, Sales and Operations Director at Lucas Oil Products UK pointed us towards the broad collection of cars at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. “The displays represent a cross section of British motoring history from 1895 to the modern day and the team down there has been using our additives to combat ethanol and other fuel problems for quite some time.” Museum Manager and Chief Engineer Doug Hill commented: “We started to notice some problems with fuel pipework, diaphragms and rubber seals,” said Doug. “As Lucas Oil was already supporting us with lubricants, we spoke to their technical people about the possible causes. They focused our attention on the solvent properties of ethanol, so we began using Safeguard Ethanol Fuel Conditioner whenever our vehicles went out. We were very keen to protect the investments that we have.” Expertise At Beaulieu, the workshop engineers who service and maintain the fleet also provide expertise to private owners of veteran and vintage cars. They see a lot of different vehicles. Moreover, there is also a rolling programme of running the exhibits to keep them in good order. Consequently, fuel is being added or removed from fuel tanks on a regular basis. It means that significant changes are noticeable. Doug continued: “Fuel tanks in the late 1970s and 1980s often had sealant painted onto internal surfaces. Where vehicles were found to have slightly corroding fuel tanks on the inside, garages would recommend use of what was called a slosh sealer, which basically coated the inside of the tank. A number of exhibits have been treated in this way. “We found that even with E5 fuels, this type of sealant was being lifted off, but we discovered that in those road-going vehicles where we had been using the Lucas Oil ethanol busting product, it wasn’t an issue. We stopped using it in a couple of those vehicles as a test. In those test vehicles, the issue started to occur. It meant that the ethanol fuel conditioner was actually doing its job.” Concerns One of the concerns about ethanol is that it can take the tin content out of lead solder. “Some of the joints in older fuel systems are known to have become porous as a result,” said Doug. “Floats inside carburetors can also become porous, to the extent that some people find that the floats have actually become sinks. When this happens, it means the vehicle starts running rich. Lucas Oil’s additive appears to have controlled that issue in our fleet.” Octane potency Many motorists garage a cherished vintage or treasured vehicle over the winter. The problem here is that modern fuels do not retain their octane levels as well as earlier fuels. They lose their potency and start to go off. “You can certainly smell the difference in a fuel that’s gone off,” observed Doug. “While we don’t keep many vehicles with fuel in the tank, in those that we do, our solution is to use a Fuel Stabilizer additive, which is also supplied by Lucas Oil. It ensures that the octane level is maintained. It means we can leave it without concerns about whether it will start-up again after a lay-up.” Dan Morgan added: “Because the level of ethanol in petrol has increased, it’s likely that that garages may be asked to deal with more fuel related issues in the future – 8 AFTERMARKET NOVEMBER 2021 BIG ISSUE www.aftermarketonline.net JUMPING THE QUEUE: THE E10 DEBATE CONTINUES As the fuel crisis recedes, Aftermarket continues to look at the introduction of E10, but still ends up talking about EVs too We knew fuel would be a major issue in the Autumn, but we didn’t anticipate the queueing ”