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What Life Do You Get From Your Diaphragms?
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 8:39 am
by Ray from Indiana
I'm curious as to what other people see with regard to diaphragm life in years, not miles before you see degradation.
Then what type degradation do you see - stretched diaphragm, hole, tear?
In your reply please tell us what % ethanol is in your typical fuel too.
Re: What Life Do You Get From Your Diaphragms?
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 9:02 am
by ME 109
I do mine about every 5 years. 98 RON fuel
What's ethanol?
Re: What Life Do You Get From Your Diaphragms?
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 9:15 am
by Ray from Indiana
I appear to be getting about 3 years before diaphragms get stretched out making cable balancing for 3500 rpm next to impossible for repeatability.
I typically run what's available near me, 93 octane ,(RON+MON)/2, with 10% ethanol....that's what we have near me and I'm in the Chicago fuel market area.
Re: What Life Do You Get From Your Diaphragms?
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 9:49 am
by Jean
Three to 5 years depending on usage.
When the acceleration goes sluggish, I figure it's TIME to replace.
This is before you see a tear or other obvious damage.
Re: What Life Do You Get From Your Diaphragms?
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 10:24 am
by Ray from Indiana
Jean
Do you find your diaphragms to be stretched or distorted when you change them out? That's what I'm seeing even though acceleration wasn't sluggish I was getting vibrations from imbalance. Never have had a tear or pin hole.
I've seen the same thing on a lawn mower with Briggs & Stratton engine with a diaphragm...had to change it once per year when it started running like crap I knew it was time. I blamed it on ethanol vs. the diaphragm material.
I wonder if the Delrin diaphragms as sold by Motobins would be a better material
Sorry, its Hydrin, not Delrin
Re: What Life Do You Get From Your Diaphragms?
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 11:28 am
by jtoml
I changed mine after 30 years (preventative maintenance....), and they were in good condition! I live in a dry and non-corrosive climate, and no ethanol.
Re: What Life Do You Get From Your Diaphragms?
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 1:18 pm
by Ken in Oklahoma
jtoml wrote:I changed mine after 30 years (preventative maintenance....), and they were in good condition! I live in a dry and non-corrosive climate, and no ethanol.
And I have never had to change a diaphragm that wasn't years old.
Ken
Re: What Life Do You Get From Your Diaphragms?
Posted: Thu Aug 22, 2013 2:03 pm
by Jean
Ray, stretched could describe them. They seem a bit floppy compared to the new ones.
I've used the term "dead", before, to describe them. The new ones seem to be stiffer...
Re: What Life Do You Get From Your Diaphragms?
Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 12:21 am
by Zombie Master
She got pregnant. I don't trust them.
Re: What Life Do You Get From Your Diaphragms?
Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 2:49 am
by ME 109
Zombie Master wrote:She got pregnant. I don't trust them.
ZM, in your case 'human' would have been a more appropriate answer to the op's question.
