N95598: Fuel Tank Surprising Discovery

[barnstmr]

Re: N95598: Fuel Tank Surprising Discovery

UPDATE....

Yesterday while looking again at the sediment that we cleaned out of the dirty tank, I got a magnet out and discovered that a large percentage of the contaminant is RUST!!! I will be monitoring this over the coming weeks/months.

[magman]

Re: N95598: Fuel Tank Surprising Discovery

At one time I encountered a Maule that ran on 5 outta 6.

It seems filings from the aux tank caps transferred to the main tanks & eventually to the Injector Lines.

That the screens would stop it.

Not that time though.

[dewhitaker]

Re: N95598: Fuel Tank Surprising Discovery

Glad to hear that you did a little more research Terry! A very real possibility is that over the years the tank has been exposed to moisture condensation or sweating due to changes in the air temperature and humidity. I was taught many years ago that the best thing to do when an aircraft is not going to be flown for a while is to park it with full tanks. I personally have been using a 4 to 1 mixture of unleaded auto (no ethanol) and 100 LL for years. This gives the correct lead content for these little engines. When we are not going to be flying over the winter months I completly fill the tank with 100LL and leave it sit that way until Spring.

[Mark Julicher]

Re: N95598: Fuel Tank Surprising Discovery

Are we talking about hydrazine vs benzene? The F-16 emergency power system is a hydrazine motor. And yes, hydrazine is dangerous stuff too.

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: N95598: Fuel Tank Surprising Discovery

Hydrazine is N2H4. We use it for attitude control on the shuttle (OK, we DID use it on Shuttle). It is colourless, VERY flammable, smells like ammonia (just before it kills you) and is VERY unstable. Other than as rocket fuel it is mostly used as a foaming agent in polymer foam manufatcture. I SERIOUSLY doubt anything at Auto Zone has any in it.

Benzene is C6H6 and is extracted from crude oil. It was one of the first commercial petrochemicals. Benzene is colorless and highly flammable with a sweet smell. You get to remember this smell since it kills you slowly with Cancer. It used to be a Gasoline additive and an industrial solvent. It is still used in industry for drugs, plastics, synthetic rubber, and dyes. Some of the name confusion comes from many European countries calling what the US calls "Gasoline", "Benzine". The European fuel called Benzine is NOT pure Benzine, it is Gasoline. I don't think anyone still uses Benzine as a fuel although I think early cars actually used it for fuel.

Hank
Not a chemist, but I spent WAY TOO MUCH time with them early in my career.

By the way, if you come across a supply of either one, STAY AWAY FROM THEM. When an F-16 lands after lighting off it's APU (fueled by Hydrazine) the whole plane has to be decontaminated. They fly F-16s from Langley and space craft and planes that have opened their Hydrazine tanks are NOT safe to approach! We stay about 1/2 mile away!

[Pearson]

Re: N95598: Fuel Tank Surprising Discovery

I didn't mean to stir up controversy. I am pretty sure the guy told me it was Benzene, but he may have been mistaken. I do know for sure that the carb cleaner I have at home has benzene as one of the ingredients and works great. I will not be home for many more weeks (doing flight training in Detroit), but when I get home I will be glad to report on what brand it is.

[magman]

Re: N95598: Fuel Tank Surprising Discovery

Controversy?- NO Informative - YES!

[Ray36048]

Re: N95598: Fuel Tank Surprising Discovery

I just looked at a can of Avanced Auto's Carb and Choke cleaner. Lots of bad stuff listed, including ETHYLBENZENE (100-41-4).

[Hank Jarrett]

Re: N95598: Fuel Tank Surprising Discovery

OK, just to make sure you guys get WAY more information than you probably need, Ethylbenzene in not Benzene. Both come from crude oil, but Benzene is C6H6 and Ethylbenzene is C6H5CH2CH3. It's made by combining benzene and ethylene in an acid catalyst (C6H6 + C2H4 → C6H5CH2CH3). We used to use it in the plating shop to electro deposit aluminum before we got the IVD system (vacuum deposit aluminum).
It is a lot less dangerous than Benzene. Biggest thing is eye irritation, ingestion, inhalation and a fairly low skin contact irritation. You still need to be careful about long term exposure. NOT good stuff to be around, but at least you won't have mutant children.

Hank

[Pearson]

Re: N95598: Fuel Tank Surprising Discovery

The main thing is that Terry found the mess in his tank before anything bad happened. Thanks for sharing that Terry. I am going to check mine out very carefully when I get home.

[Ron Coleman]

Re: N95598: Fuel Tank Surprising Discovery

I was typing a reply to the above post and my typing suddenly went away so, never mind! It was prolly a lie anyway!! So the hell with it!
RonC.....I think?

[Ron Coleman]

Re: N95598: Fuel Tank Surprising Discovery

If you find it back and I will delete it.
Thanks
RonC

[waltermrich]

Re: N95598: Fuel Tank Surprising Discovery

Is there any experience with anyone with the use of Stabil fuel additive to mogas , does it prevent varnish in the fuel when fuel sits for upto 4 months ? Using 100 low lead to fill the tanks sounds like the best solution for long storage .

[Forrest Barber]

Re: N95598: Fuel Tank Surprising Discovery

Any comments on Marathon Oil " marine gas" they blend a 90OCT ; no alcohol, for Marine operations ; OR it may be called "90OCT Recreational fuel " ; meets requirements of most auto fuel STC's.
Rumor has it that it has been available around here since before the Fly-In at Alliance . We retail it at 4.48/ gal.

[paulnuss]

Re: N95598: Fuel Tank Surprising Discovery

Forrest, I sure wish it were available here in my corner of Pennsylvania. So far, the marinas are selling the same ethanol-laced Mogas the Pennsylvania Government has mandated we must use in our autos, as near as I can determine. The outboard engines have been having their troubles with it too. And there aren't any marinas nearby anyway... It might come as a shock for some to know, the recently completed big ethanol plant in Clearfield, PA, funding assisted with lots of state and federal grant monies, includes as stockholders several of the state and federal elected politicians, among others...