Ethanol - adding fuel to the fire

[Michael W.]

Re: Ethanol - adding fuel to the fire

There's a ton of good reasons as to why boats need pure gas- none of which apply to our old cars.

[Michael H.]

Re: Ethanol - adding fuel to the fire

There's a ton of good reasons as to why boats need pure gas- none of which apply to our old cars.

I'm happy to hear that some folks like E10. That means more ethanol free fuel for the rest of us.

[Michael J.]

Re: Ethanol - adding fuel to the fire

I'm happy to hear that some folks like E10. That means more ethanol free fuel for the rest of us.

+1...., absolutely. And, if we are successful with all our lobbying to remove the RFS (progress is being made and it should happen) and bring sanity and science back to EPA (a tall order that one), then the ethanol fans will be the ones complaining about pure gas....

[Stuart F.]

Re: Ethanol - adding fuel to the fire

Michael;

My life has been much better since you steered me to my local St. Cloud distributor. My 63 L-76 thanks you too. Amazing how much better it runs, and the wife don't even mention any smell in the garage ant more.

Stu Fox

[Domenic T.]

Re: Ethanol - adding fuel to the fire

John, I was actually referring to the major oil co's Duke was talking about in his post. "no major oil co would consciously violate this regulation due to the substantial fines that could be levied by EPA

"DOM

Dom -The oil companies/refineries don't add ethanol to the gasoline (ethanol can't be pipelined); the shared "commodity" gasoline has the 10% ethanol added at the wholesale distribution point where it's pumped into the retail delivery tank truck.

[Michael H.]

Re: Ethanol - adding fuel to the fire

Michael;

My life has been much better since you steered me to my local St. Cloud distributor. My 63 L-76 thanks you too. Amazing how much better it runs, and the wife don't even mention any smell in the garage ant more.

Stu Fox

Hi Stu...

Good to hear that the 63 is happy again.

I don't even use E10 in my lawn mowers.

[Paul J.]

Re: Ethanol - adding fuel to the fire

Dom -

The oil companies/refineries don't add ethanol to the gasoline (ethanol can't be pipelined); the shared "commodity" gasoline has the 10% ethanol added at the wholesale distribution point where it's pumped into the retail delivery tank truck.

Exactly right! The ethanol is not evenly blended in. That is why there is a possibility that ethanol contents will vary, and the reason for the disclaimer on the pumps..."Warning. This fuel MAY contain up to 10% ethanol"....

[Geary T.]

Re: Ethanol - adding fuel to the fire

After posting my reply I searched for a method to test gas for a alcohol content. I found out there is a inexpensive way to do it using a graduated beaker and water. Evidently this method is used in aviation fuel field testing. Makes sense no one wants bad gas 5000 ft in the air. Not many places to pull off the road up there.

[Michael W.]

Re: Ethanol - adding fuel to the fire

Don't think I've ever met anyone who likes it. Given a choice, I'd never buy it but it would be for making a political point, not for technical reasons.

I'm happy to hear that some folks like E10. That means more ethanol free fuel for the rest of us.

[Stuart F.]

Re: Ethanol - adding fuel to the fire

Nothing like being stuck out in the Atlantic 20 miles from shore either with your twin Yamahas barfing.Stu Fox

[Domenic T.]

Re: Ethanol - adding fuel to the fire

John,
I can't get my reply to your post to go thru. I was referring to the oil co fines that Duke had in his post, the ones that he said would have substantial fines.

DOM

[Domenic T.]

Re: Ethanol - adding fuel to the fire

Paul,
You got me thinking about the weight on ethanol vs gas?
We had jet fuel spill over into the av-gas tank thru the vent lines both storage tanks shared. The jet fuel is 6.7 lbs per gallon and the av-gas is 6.0 per gallon. The jet fuel did not stay mixed and settled to the bottom of the storage tank. The av-gas truck filled up and sat over nite. The next morning the truck fueled a twin engine av-gas plane.
The plane took off and white smoke came out of the ex stacks and both engines quit. The odds of both quitting at the same time are way to big so it was fuel related.
The plane was completely burned and the NTSB could not get a fuel sample. Others said they could smell jet fuel in their gas. The FBO (operator) bought new engines for the planes that were fueled with contaminated fuel.
My question is that can the ethanol settle and be pumped in larger amounts than expected? Many cans that have similar solvents in them say to shake well before using!

DOM

[Roy V.]

Re: Ethanol - adding fuel to the fire

The List of ethanol free gas stations in the US and Canada

http://www.pure-gas.org/

Regards
Roy

[Duke W.]

Re: Ethanol - adding fuel to the fire

My question is that can the ethanol settle and be pumped in larger amounts than expected? Many cans that have similar solvents in them say to shake well before using!

DOM

Ethanol blends with gasoline in nearly any proportion. Think of E85.

Very little water will blend with straight gasoline - maybe no more than one percent. Above that and it drops out. However, ethanol acts as a cosolvent and allows more water to blend before the ethanol-water mixture drops out.

Think of the old Drygas product. It was basically a blend of alcohols that would allow separated water to blend in with the fuel and be consumed by the engine, thereby preventing fuel line freeze.

It happened to my SWC once during a sub-freezing cold snap in Seattle back in the sixties. The engine cranked, but would not start until the temperature warmed up above freezing. There was obviously a slug of water at the bottom of the tank that froze. I put a couple of cans of Drygas into the tank and it never happened again.

Duke

[Domenic T.]

Re: Ethanol - adding fuel to the fire

Duke,
I remember those ice cures when the temps dropped to nearly -30 F. They called them heat back then and the auto part expert (for what it's worth) said that it was a almost pure alcohol that absorbed any water in the gasoline. I have tried methanol (de-ice fluid) that was supposed to contain 3% water, in my gas tank. It was used as a last resort to melt ice on aircraft windshields if the windshield heat failed.
So that might mean that alcohol is also good for melting the ice in the gas tank? I've tried Jack Daniels over ice and it sure melts it

DOM