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550: effects of ethanol

Discussion in '456/550/575' started by Rodgerrr, May 30, 2023.

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  1. Rodgerrr

    Rodgerrr Rookie

    Apr 26, 2013
    43
    #1 Rodgerrr, May 30, 2023
    I just pulled one of the fuel pumps out of my 550 - need to rebuild it and pull and repair the other one. Also will replace the filters. I was blown away by how much the rubber pieces in there had disintegrated - there was not a single piece left over 0.5 inches long. The actual bosch pump was attached by wires and hoses (one of those had broken) and that was it. I hate to ask this question: has anyone found anything else in the fuel system that needs replacing due to increased ethanol?
     
  2. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    39,166
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    #2 tazandjan, May 30, 2023
    The seals in the fuel injectors tend to leak, too, until replaced by Viton. Those rubber parts under the fuel pumps likely would have disintegrated even without alcohol in the fuel.
     
  3. Aerosurfer

    Aerosurfer Formula 3
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    Nov 21, 2020
    1,883
    Indianapolis
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    Nick
    #3 Aerosurfer, May 30, 2023
    Its bad, over the life of the car if they are still original. Mine were very deteriorated, but the rest of the fuel system seemed fine. Filters caught what they were supposed to. When i drained via Schrader valve i couldn't see any debris that far up.

    I used a viton material for under the pumps and Fabio's PTFE pump supports instead of rubber
     

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    Ferrari55whoa, Mirek and Qavion like this.
  4. Aerosurfer

    Aerosurfer Formula 3
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    #4 Aerosurfer, May 30, 2023
    scowman likes this.
  5. Ferrari55whoa

    Ferrari55whoa F1 Rookie
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 21, 2005
    3,382
    Los Gatos, CA
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    Eric
    #5 Ferrari55whoa, May 30, 2023
    Those photos of what you took out gives me a tummy ache!
     
  6. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    39,166
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    #6 tazandjan, May 30, 2023
    Those are in better shape than many of them.
     
  7. Themaven

    Themaven F1 Rookie

    Nov 2, 2014
    4,361
    Eastdown
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    Darius
    #7 Themaven, Jun 4, 2023
    My 550 ingested its fuel pump rubber with no help from ethanol. When I bought it it had run on zero ethanol fuel all its life, except a couple of fills with low (five percent) ethanol which is not considered harmful.

    My theory is the fuel pump rubber was made by the same friends of the factory who make the sticky interior plastics but I can't prove that.
     
    Red575, kenwidmerpool, NE550 and 1 other person like this.

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