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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Fuel Needle Corrosion

I recently removed the dashpot on my HIF6 and the needle at the bottom approx 25mm was covered in a quite thick green verdigris build up that I had to polish off.
I assume this is the Ethanol as the needle sits in fuel when not running.
I run Super unleaded and have occasionally even added some Stabil fuel stabiliser when not being used a lot -so not much more I can do.

Anybody had this issue ?

My garden machinery is having issues with the fuel tubing hardening or rotting and most suppliers only rate the polyurethane tube for E5! I have just found a supplier of nitrile which hopefully will be OK.
Super unleaded now seems to be recommended (well E5 only) for garden machinery ! where is this going !
richard b

Not come across that problem (yet?), must have a peer down the throats.

For garden machinery I finally bought a battery chainsaw earlier in the year so am now fully electrified, no more small engine bother for me.

AdrianR

I run a large petrol shredder (6 1/2 hp). Hedge trimmer, h/d pole hedge trimmer and h/d strimmer/ brush cutter the later two are Japanese and much better than the general rubbish types !

I’ve just pensioned off my smaller hedge trimmer and replaced it with a twin 20v battery version - it’s good but not as powerful as the petrol one - it is light which is a rapidly growing advantage !
richard b

I’ve had a problem with my motorbike carbs, having a green gunge in the bottom of the float chambers. Also jets getting blocked.

I wasn’t sure if it was the ethanol or Stabil.

I now try to start it at least once a week in order to stop the carbs going dry and to keep fuel flowing.

I only ever ran it on Esso super unleaded, but then they put ethanol in that.
Dave O'Neill 2

The Stabil literature says it protects fuel systems from corrosion.
So if true it’s down to the fuel. I probably haven’t got enough in the car tank.
The fuel hoses either go rock hard or just snap off at the connector where they are pushed over being a bit mushy.
I’ve been using regular petrol which is likely E10 in the garden and only Super in the midget.
richard b

I have never observed this in all the years I have run E10.
I have seen it happen in cars which have been sitting, by only a small minority of them. I know a small number of fuel stations have issues with groundwater contamination of the fuel. It's a possible reason but I have no correlation or evidence.
Paul Walbran

I used to work in the car industry, the issue with ethanol is the time it sits.

So you do 10,000 miles a year but all in one month you have ethanol issues as the fuel sits for 11 months, but if you do the 10,000 over the year the ethanol has less time to just sit and do it's thing.
Malc Gilliver

I've done it both ways, depends on what events there are and what their aftermaths are. A dropped valve is rather damping on enthusiasm, making life on the waves more appealing for a while 🤣
Paul Walbran

Sta-Bil does protect against corrosion up to a point by inhibiting phase separation of the various components of fuels.
When certain components separate out (mainly ethanol now) they become available to combine with atmospheric moisture. This leads to the formation of organic acids.
Some metallic parts are more vulnerable than others. Even metal floats can fail when the acids attack the soldered joint between the halves so they no longer...
Er..
Float.
Phase separation is a particular problem for twostrokes with premixed fuel when the oil drops out of solution.
You might remember that I had a big problem with this when I was still at work looking after Lifeboat engines, specifically the D Class inshore boat with premixed fuel for the 50hp Mariner engine.
Sta-Bil went a long way toward fixing the issue. I was sceptical at first; I thought it looked like a bit of a gimmick or "snake oil" but I was wrong. It worked.
My recommendation FWIW with small engines (mowers, strimmers, chainsaws etc.) is simply drain the carb or let it idle with the fuel off until it stops if the machine has a fuel cock.
Then it's still warm when you put it away and the little fuel that might remain evaporates very quickly.
ETA: I agree with Malc that the time spent sitting is big part of the problem. If the engine is run often enough and for long enough it simply won't happen.
But that's not limited to ethanol loaded petrol. Any petrol will decay over time, leading to the familiar brown gunk in the carbs.
Greybeard

Greybeard,

I was looking for fuel lines recently and found this little fountain of information.

http://www.volksbolts.com/faq/fuelhose.htmhttp://www.volksbolts.com/faq/fuelhose.htm


The SAE J30 R9 spec includes a requirement for "sour gasoline"

Malc
Malc Gilliver

J30 R9 is the spec I bought Malc. I replaced all the fuel hoses on all three petrol engines at work plus the diesel MG set, and had some left over for my pressure washer and mowers.
Brand was Gates Hose.
It's been absolutely fine.
😊
Greybeard

That’s what I use on the MG however I’ve not seen it small enough for garden hedge cutters - I’ve a Tanaka, Echo and Mc Culloch they all use small tubing 2.5 ID 5MM OD. Can you tell me where I can get it please ?

I’ve just got some nitrile to try - AFS NT 002.5 Din 7339 Type C1 NBR.
Hope it’s resistant !

Only option if not is to drain each tank every winter including the Stabil but super unleaded for gardens is ridiculous waste of cash !

R.
richard b

Ment to say the 5MM OD is necessary as it has to seal where it enters the plastic tank or fitted grommets.
richard b

I drain the the tanks of any seasonal stuff anyway. But I save the fuel in sealed cans.
It's easier now that I have no twostrokes to care about.

Eta: sorry I don't know where to suggest looking for 2.5mm hose. I've never needed it.
Greybeard

BTW Malc, the link you posted doesn't work. Not for me anyway.


"The requested URL was not found on this server ".
Greybeard

That link above is 2 links end to end, try http://www.volksbolts.com/faq/fuelhose.htm
David Billington

Thanks David, so it is! That clears it up!
Interesting.
Greybeard

I didn't spot the fact that the link was good I posted it twice !
Malc Gilliver

This thread was discussed between 21/07/2026 and 24/07/2026

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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