operating a 912ul on ethanol

[kl2657]

Here's an interesting article that boatus did on the effects of ethanol on fiberglass fuel tanks:

http://www.boatus.com/seaworthy/fueltest.asp#results

Does anyone know what kind of resin was used in the new kitfox ethanol resistant fuel tanks?

[Slyfox]

I've never had problems with my tanks, knock on wood, where's the wood, kind of like were's the beef. But anyway, John contacted me and had concerns with alki in his tank, so I went right out and check by touching the inside my tanks, all ok.

I am to understand that if the tanks have problems, that it's just the top coat inside the tank, once that comes off you will be ok. I guess. Anyway I remember when I recieved my tank it said to slosh out with 100LL, well I was cheap and used auto fuel with alki instead. Now I find out that works better than 100LL. I feel good now. But every time I fuel up I check the tanks and there not sticky. So I guess I'm ok. My plane gets auto fuel 100% of the time and has been all it's life with me, 6 years. So I say it's ok, but your tank needs to be sloshed out until all is clear with, you guessed it, auto fuel. I would also check that 5 gallans of fuel you have for amount of alki to see if it is too high.

[Paul Z]

Does anyone know what kind of resin was used in the new kitfox ethanol resistant fuel tanks?

Go Look at the previous pages of this thread. I have had to flush my system, replace hoses, clean and rebalance the Carbs!

[Rodney]

After reading about all the problems with the ethanol and fiberglass tanks,
has anyone thought about trying to get a set of aluminum tanks built that
would fit in a Kitfox 4 or a Kitfox 7. Guess that would be two different tank designs - but would it be worth looking into???

Rodney

[kl2657]

Go Look at the previous pages of this thread. I have had to flush my system, replace hoses, clean and rebalance the Carbs!

Paul,

Were your tanks the new ethanol resistant ones?

[Paul Z]

I purchased the SLSA plane from Kitfox, I didn't build it. How can you tell if the tanks are the ethanol resistant tanks. It is the type of resin, and I don't know which resin they were built from. the plane was built in 2008. I could go check the date on the tanks, to see when they were built!

[Av8r3400]

After reading about all the problems with the ethanol and fiberglass tanks,
has anyone thought about trying to get a set of aluminum tanks built that
would fit in a Kitfox 4 or a Kitfox 7. Guess that would be two different tank designs - but would it be worth looking into???

Rodney

Some of the early Avid flyers had aluminum wing tanks. They were not very successful. The design of the wings on the Avid/Kitfox planes flex so much that cracking and leaking was prevalent.

[kl2657]

I purchased the SLSA plane from Kitfox, I didn't build it. How can you tell if the tanks are the ethanol resistant tanks. It is the type of resin, and I don't know which resin they were built from. the plane was built in 2008. I could go check the date on the tanks, to see when they were built!

Sorry, forgot you have an SLSA...

I guess at the end of the day I'm left wondering which is the lesser of two evils AVGAS or Ethanol.

[Paul Z]

Ethanol, I have spent many hours reworking the effects! I will pay the price for Avgas, or I will not fly! I want to fly so I guess I'll pay for the AvGas!

[Dorsal]

Speaking of which have you got that plane flying yet?