Fuel safe foam >> source

[Stickyfinger]

Hi chaps.

There was a ring of foam strip/rubber around the base of my fuel pump in Betsy the AX.....E10 ate it !

So where can I find some/alternative .... I presume it is for preventing the torque from "swinging" the pump when it starts/runs.

[mickthemaverick]

This maybe an option Alasdair if they have your size:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116807388113

[Stickyfinger]

Ahhhh good call Mick.......... I did not think about O Rings....Fuel safe ?

[mickthemaverick]

It says they are designed for petrol with ethanol so I'd say that is fuel safe!

[MattBLancs]

Parker know a thing or two about O-rings:

https://www.espint.com/products/o-rings ... lity-table

Row for Ethanol (page 20 of the PDF)

The columns are:

Nitrile NBR = 3
Hydrogenated Nitrile HNBR = 3
Ethylene Propylene EPDM = 1
Fluorocarbon FKM = 3
Hifluor FKM = 1
Perfluoroelastomer FFKM = 1
Aflas (TFE/Propylene) FEPM = X
Neoprene/Chloroprene CR = 1
Styrene-Butadiene SBR = 1
Polyacrylate ACM = 4
Polyurethane AU, EU = 4
Butyl IIR = 1
Butadiene BR = 1
Isoprene IR = 1
Natural Rubber NR = 1
Hypalon CSM = 1
Fluorosilicone FVMQ = 1
Silicone MQ, VMQ, PVMQ = 2

And the numbers mean:

COMPOUND COMPATIBILITY RATING
1 - Satisfactory
2 - Fair (usually OK for static seal)
3 - Doubtful (sometimes OK for static seal)
4 - Unsatisfactory
x - Insufficient Data

[MattBLancs]

This maybe an option Alasdair if they have your size:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116807388113

Only problem, having digested the reams of info above,

That seller doesn't quote what material is being supplied!

[mickthemaverick]

This maybe an option Alasdair if they have your size:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116807388113

Only problem, having digested the reams of info above,

That seller doesn't quote what material is being supplied!

No that's true Matt, but you don't always want to overthink these things, he does say:

"These O rings are suitable for use with all fuels containing ethanol. "

[Stickyfinger]

Just tested with one, O Rings will not work, not thick enough....needs to be a soft rubber strip as ion the photo.

[mickthemaverick]

is this any use?:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/176974923200

[MattBLancs]

Just tested with one, O Rings will not work, not thick enough....needs to be a soft rubber strip as ion the photo.

Is it more like this sort of stuff:

https://www.toolstation.com/stormguard- ... rip/p95977

- material properties / squidginess ?

(Just an example, think it's neoprene foam = only rated: 1 "satisfactory" in the data above. EDIT sorry, I overlooked that "satisfactory" is the best rating! )

Toolstation says:

made from long life foam rubber

Can't remember where I read / why I think it's neoprene

[Stickyfinger]

Yes Matt, it looks more like that......TBH it is hard to tell as , as you can see in the photo, it is rather "digested".

I can find Fuel Tank foam but as I only need about 6 inches max.....gerr, I need to think, wondering if some small fuel hose/leak back tube/LHM hose might work.

LHM hose is fuel safe is it not ?

[moizeau]

Have a look at something like this
https://www.amazon.co.uk/VitonTM-Rubber ... Z8XKX?th=1

[MattBLancs]

Yes Matt, it looks more like that......TBH it is hard to tell as , as you can see in the photo, it is rather "digested".

Yes fair enough, it's a bit of a "guess what it was like before it was mush" game !!

[Stickyfinger]

All done.....

I used some fuel safe 8mm air line/pressure hose, split and inserted onto the lower of the spacers (like door rubber trim on a seam), inserted that under a little pressure, fitted the pump into the spacer and pressed on the lower cover......attached the wires with long nose pliers and Bingo, Bob's your Doughnuts , done !

[CitroJim]

Good work Alasdair and interesting stuff