Calcium vs. Methanol

[TinTipi]

Hello all - I am enjoying the site,

I'm looking at a TC30 (have a pricing thread over on the purchasing forum with details) and have run into a question I have not been able to find the answer to.

What factors should be considered when deciding between Calcium and Methanol/Water in the tires? I've been told that Calcium is corrosive, what are the drawbacks to Methanol (other than they add water to it so you can't use it as an emergency fire starter).

 

[DieselMonk]

Get a tube and fill that. My dealer here uses salt water. If you don't put that corrosive stuff in a tube, the rim will not last very long. Methanol is corrosive too.

 

[MadReferee]

Use Rim Guard, aka beet juice. Heavier per gallon than anything else out there. DO a search here for Rim Guard and read up on the stuff.

 

[IH3444]

Diesel Monk, Just how corrosive is the meth? I thought it was safe.

 

[JerryG]

That is all that we installed in tractors for years and I have yet to see any corrosion. Not saying that it can't, just saying that out of several hundred tractors I haven't seen it.

 

[rambler]

I have CC in 3 of my tractors, one is a 1955 model, and don't see any corrosion there either - it's all about maintenence. As long as no O2, there is no corrosion. Flush off spills or leaks right away.

I get more rust on my machinery if I run them on the road in winter. Not sure how many tons of salt & sprays my county uses.....

Cons:

Methanol is toxic, the EPA gets involved in big spills.....
I live in an ag area, and my tire people would have a fit if I contaminated their CC tank with some other junk from a tire.
The CC mix will be heavier than the methanol mix.

--->Paul

 

[DieselMonk]

Methanol is very corrosive. Dunno what is worse (salt water or Methanol), but I would not put corrosive stuff on bare metal. Calcium I have no clue as nobody uses that here. Around here a 15 year old salt water loaded tire with no tube, the rim is done. I had a 30 year old Massey 165 with loaded tubes and the rim was in very good shape. My TC55DA has tubes and salt water in it and the dealer delivers all new tractors he sells that way and a block heater is installed as well.

 

[IH3444]

One of the drawbacks of methanol as a fuel is its corrosivity to some metals, including aluminium. Methanol, although only a weak acid, attacks the oxide coating that normally protects the aluminium from corrosion:

 

[IH3444]

Because methanol is corrosive to some metals and damaging to rubber and some plastics, fuel storage tanks and dispensing equipment must be corrosion and damage resistant. California requires that underground storage tanks for methanol be doubled walled.

Because methanol is water soluble, it could be quickly diluted in large bodies of water to levels that are safe from organisms. Environmental recovery rates for methanol spills are often faster than for petroleum spills. As with gasoline, methanol can be fatal when ingested. Inhalation of fumes and direct contact with skin can also be harmful

 

[IH3444]

Corrosivity to Metals:
Methanol is not corrosive to most metals. Admiralty brass, high silicon iron, naval bronze, nickel-resist and silicon copper have excellent corrosion resistance (less than 2 mils (50.8 um) penetration/year), while carbon steel, types 304/347, 316 and 400 stainless steels, copper, brass, bronze, aluminum, nickel, lead, tantalum, titanium and zirconium have good resistance (less than 20 mils (505 um)/year).(46)