I have an idea.
Why don’t we start making fuel lines for gas powered equipment out of materials that are NOT AFFECTED BY GASOLINE!!!!
Really. The chainsaw crapped on me last weekend, and i discovered it was because the BLOODY FUEL LINE had deteriorated INSIDE THE TANK.
Now, I know that the TANK ITSELF has not failed, so it is CLEARLY POSSIBLE to make something immune to gasoline, why in the HELL do we make the fuel lines out of crappy materials? And if we must persist in doing this, why do we make the fuel lines NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE to access?
So I bought a new piece of tubing AND THEN HAD TO BUY ANOTHER PIECE OF TUBING THE CORRECT SIZE, and installed it in the place prematurely vacated by the previous piece of tubing. Which is sort of like taking off your girlfriend’s bra through the porthole on a ship while she is standing on the shore. And you can only use a sofa cushion and a canoe.
Anyway it’s all back together so I hope to see how it runs tomorrow.
Stupid bastards.
14 comments Og | Uncategorized
Ran into that with a weed whacker.
Searched all over the internet for a replacement.
Obsolete.
Just about gave up and bought a new whacker then found a package with a foot of both oddball sizes I needed at Home Depot for a few dollars.
There’s a technical term of art for this, which I invented in reference to software — scorn quotes — “features”, which I call B.A.D., or “Broken As Designed.”
The term is: Stupid Engineer Tricks.
You’re welcome.
M
Not sure it’s the equipment; are you using gas with ethanol? My small engine repair guy tells me the ethanol in the gas is corrosive as hell on fuel lines. It’s not enough to treat gas with Stabil and store for the winter; now you have to drain it entirely. FWIW
Tony: There has only been ethanol in gasoline since the early 70’s. And I don’t know of any places here where the gas has no ehtanol in it, every pumps says “Contains ethanol”. In any event, the plastic fuel tank has not self destructed, I know they can make fuel lines that will not disintegrate.
John: yeah, the thing was, I went to the Sears store to get the “Correct” parts, and they STILL didn’t have the right shit. Not even the damned spark plug. I ended up at Home Despot as well.
Because! If the fuel line lasted more than a year, how would they sell you more fuel line? Think of all the people whose jobs depend on making and selling fuel line! DUH!
…and yeah: they used to be able to make fuel line that didn’t deteriorate. Back in the ’70s. So it’s probably because some eco-nazi decided that GOOD fuel line contained some harmful chemical that causes lab rats in cancer.
(SIC)
Lol. Nice!
The good fuel lines are being saved to used as stints once we’ve socialized our medicine.
What? You’re not happy in your role helping stimulate the economy, citizen?
Back in the ’70s. So it’s probably because some eco-nazi decided that GOOD fuel line contained some harmful chemical that causes lab rats in cancer.
Sub ‘California lawyer’ for ‘eco-nazi’ and you might be right.
At least, ‘California’ is the reason you can’t buy a gas can with a simple spout anymore. Too expensive to make ‘a california can’ and a regular one so all you can get are the complicated ones.
Side note: a while ago I was the ‘go-to’ guy for a company website. Our lawyer made sure our legal boilerplate was compiled to spec for California. For much the same reason as the gas-can spout makers.
So it’s sure possible that the ‘fuel line’ industry just makes a ‘California compliant’ line and nothing else.
How else can they get you to buy a new chainsaw? Lots of them are for one time use only, based on the materials used and the design of the components of the machine.
Maybe not design, but in practice.
I do a bit of 2 cycle repair on the side. Yes there has been ethanol in fuel for years. But at a mandated 10 percent or higher? How about those oxidizers for clean burning? Winter blend, summer blend and cheap walmart gas with no additives. If your 2 cycle is more than 10 years old it is going to be affected.
The biggest issues I encounter are running the cheap 86 octane and letting the fuel sit in the equipment for a year or better.
Ethanol raises the ignition point and fuel just isn’t stable for more than 6 months anymore.
I have “fixed” more than a few things with fresh 94 octane fuel with a full synthetic blend and a stabilizer.
I am not a chemist but I can report what I find.
Roger
Roger: That’s the plan for tomorrow PM.
Kapton fuel lines are the way to go.
like $5.00 per foot, but they last.
Usually acid yellow/green colored.
Have fun getting it through the little hole in the tank.
Tell me about it