The mechanical characteristics of elastomers are degraded as a result of swelling in diesel and biodiesel mixtures.
Does rubber dissolve in gasoline?
Tom: Bob, you’re free to go back to sleeping at night. I doubt the stopper will cause any harm.
Ray: Either one of two things will occur. Either that stopper will sit at the bottom of the gas tank for the rest of time, never troubling anyone, or it will disintegrate over time.
Tom: Some rubbers, such as neoprene, can withstand petroleum products. Some are unable to do so. I’m not sure what your stopper’s chemical composition is. I’m sure it’ll just be an innocuous, permanent resident of your tank if it’s a stopper made for a gas can. It might break down over time if you took it from a bottle of Baboon Thigh Pinot Grigio. But I don’t think it’ll cause any problems further down the line.
Ray: Even if the stopper slowly dissolves in the gasoline, the small amount of dissolved rubber molecules in any given tankful of gas will almost certainly combust in the engine with the gasoline and go unnoticed.
Tom: And if the stopper dissolves into small rubber parts (which is more likely), and those bits sink to the bottom of the tank, the “sock” filter on the bottom of the fuel pump will keep them from entering the fuel line.
Ray: And if some really small particles do manage to slip past that sock filter, most cars have a second, multimicron-level filter further downstream to trap those even smaller pollutants and protect the gasoline injectors.
Tom: So, Bob, the automobile firms have definitely dealt with folks like you before. This time, they were prepared for you. I believe you will have a restful night’s sleep.
Do you have a question concerning automobiles? Write to King Feature Syndicate Group, 300 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019, attn: Click and Clack Talk Cars.
Is silicone compatible with diesel fuel?
It’s available at most auto parts stores. It’s very useful; I’ve used it to assemble everything that I didn’t want to do twice. What silicone should I use with a diesel fuel tank? Permatex No 2 is a gasoline and diesel resistant sealant.
What chemical will break down rubber?
Chemical substances with a pH less than 7.0 are known as acids. The number of hydrogen ions accessible to attack and degrade materials in a solution is measured by the PH. Mineral acids include elemental metals and organic acids contain carbon. Acetic acid is a powerful organic acid that can damage Viton and Buna-N rubber seals. Buna-N rubber is attacked and degraded by hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, and sulfuric acid. EPDM rubber seals are damaged by the preservative benzoic acid.
What is a solvent for rubber?
Low molecular weight liquid petroleum hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene and toluene, and lower aliphatic ketones such as methylethylketone are the most commonly used solvents for rubber-base adhesives.
