Viton, Nitrtile or WHAT for diesel fuel sealing?

[towbar]

The last metal fuel tank I made

see @ 1:10:

was aluminum with a polycarb inspection window sealed with either Viton or Nitrile (I forget which). This page quotes both of those products as 'EXCELLENT' for the job.

Chemical Resistant Orings O-rings

www.marcorubber.com

..but as far as I'm concerned the one I used was useless. After about 1 season it started dissolving and became a gummy mess around the view-port.

Any bright ideas in the wide field of 'experienced' mechanics lurking here?

 

[funwithfuel]

Why would you use anything but an o-ring designed for fuel and oil? Buna N or NBR.

 

[funwithfuel]

BTW both materials you mentioned are excellent in both fuel and oil, I think someone passed off natural rubber as nitrile.

 

[towbar]

It's to seal the view-port measuring about 7"x3" (tank long since scrapped). I bought the sheets on Amazon, I have no way to test if they are real nitrile or viton. That was a LOT of work and I wanna be sure before trying again.

 

[thepumpguysc]

Inj pump manufacturers changed the composition of the orings/rubber in their gasket kits to NITRILE a long time ago..

 

[heymccall]

From the Cat Safe Source book.

 

[Coaldust]

Bio diesel formulas can be harmful to some nitrile formulas. Most fuel haulers and fuel truck manufacturers are installing viton gaskets, today. Plus, it holds up to unleaded.

But,… Viton starts leaking, like clockwork, at -30F. So, I use nitrile for everything.

I run into situations where epdm gets accidentally installed. It gets mushy, just like you mentioned.

 

[skyking1]

most of us can handle that -30 thing. You're all alone up there in the frizzen Norte.

 

[Coaldust]

One reoccurring theme I witness is with purchasing departments and parts houses sourcing sprinkler system Victaulic style clamps & gaskets for fuel use. I think the reason is the overwhelming majority of clamps are purchased for water service.

A local upfitter completely plumbed a four compartment , 4500 gallon tank swap with sprinkler (EPDM) clamps. Then, I had the opportunity to travel to Sitka and replace every gasket.

 

[Coaldust]

most of us can handle that -30 thing. You're all alone up there in the frizzen Norte.

It’s a lonely,,strange land. Like what Robert Service once wrote; There are strange things done in the midnight sun,…..

Speaking of men who toil for gold. The ice on Norton Sound broke up on the 28th.

Listen, I’m packing it up and bringing it out West. Yeah, cowboy style. The Dank Tank Tour, Clownworld Twenty-Fo is headed to Nome. Gonna stack some bank in the tank.

And I’m bringing nitrile gaskets with me..

 

[Coaldust]

 

[Coaldust]

Here is a sprinkler clamp on a fuel hauler I spotted in the wild, just the other day. The EPDM rubber was oozing out and it was greasy, before cleaning it up for disassembly.

 

[terex herder]

Welds don't look any better than their choice of gaskets.

 

[Joe H]

Does look kinda boogery.

 

[Coaldust]

Welds don't look any better than their choice of gaskets.

Straight out of the factory in Athens, TN

 

[Coaldust]

I have “a guy” that does my aluminum tube welding, when I have to do repairs. Absolute artist. Grew up in Kazistan of all places. Immigrated legally with his family about 30 years ago. Paris Island, Worked in NY, the whole bit. Found himself in Alaska. Twelve kiddos. Super hard worker. R-stamp dude, too.

But, he’s moving south, soon. I need to acquire a tig and take some time next winter to learn how to do 6061 and 6063 schedule 20 in 2” 3” & 4”.

 

[towbar]

I fell off this thread (I guess I did not log in on the first email notice and then never got another one). What I used WAS according to all available sources nitrile. The gasket I made didn't dissolve but it did get 'juicy' and I lost all confidence in it, might try cork instead next time. Here (eastern Quebec) we do get -30 but very rarely, most of winter's cold days are -15c to -20c

 

[towbar]

Welds don't look any better than their choice of gaskets.

Good welders don't know how to grind and bad welders (like me) are very good with grinders

 

[Nige]

Good welders don't need to grind

Fixed that for you……

 

[towbar]

Fixed that for you……

Same difference, no? You get to be good, like me, with a grinder as a results of endless practice. Someone once said "it is in the othewise futile pursuit of perfection that we achieve excellence". A good welder never needs to pursue perfection with a grinder. My local blacksmith is such, he and his son do welds that put my grinding to shame.