Ethanol additives- continued

[Jeffrey S.]

I thought this article might be of interest in the ongoing controversy of whether gasoline additives help prevent damage to old car fuel systems.

http://www.historicvehicle.org/Latest-News/October-2011/2011/10/31/Prevention-Gasohol-Fuel-Additives

Jeff

[Edward J.]

Re: Ethanol additives- continued

Nice find Jeff, I would would like to know what Duke says about the article. As we Know theres aways a comment on the way things get tested. sounds like the additives cut down on the mositure and corrosion.

[Michael W.]

Re: Ethanol additives- continued

I'd be curious to hear from anyone who's actually had a corrosion problem with their Corvette that was attributable to E10. Again, many parts of Canada and the US have had this stuff for 20 or 30 years without issue..........

[Duke W.]

Re: Ethanol additives- continued

Nice find Jeff, I would would like to know what Duke says about the article. As we Know theres aways a comment on the way things get tested. sounds like the additives cut down on the mositure and corrosion.

I don't have any issues with the test procedures or results. These additives apparently increase the level of H2O concentration before phase separation occurs.

The question is: Is my car approaching the H20 concentration before phase separation occurs on typical commercial E10, and do I need the additive to increase it?

The only way to know is for each individual to have his gasoline tested mulitple times to see if there is any trend based on fuel source and age, driving and storage environments, and seasonal weather conditions.

Then it would take many controlled tests in various environments to discerne any general trends or arrive at any general conclusions.

Based on anecdotal evidence I have, the ethanol problem is overblown, like every thing else, it seems.

Most vintage Corvette owners store their cars indoors that protects them from condensing humidity, which over time can result in water buildup in the fuel system.

If a car is kept outside, you're probably eventually going to have a problem, but if your car's fuel system is in good condition, you keep the car indoors, drive it in mostly dry weather, and consume at least one tank of fuel per year, I think the likelyhood of problems is low enough that such additives are unnecessary.

Earlier Corvettes with siimple vented (to the atmosphere) fuel systems will be somewhat more suseptible to water contamintion that later models with "sealed" fuel systems, which would apply to any model with an evaporative emission control system.

Duke

[Bruce B.]

Re: Ethanol additives- continued

Is the phase separation altered by adding "dry gas" which I believe is to help the water disolve in the gas?
If so does the methanol also help water become miscible in gas which is what the ethanol or IPA does in the "dry gas"?

[Duke W.]

Re: Ethanol additives- continued

Dry Gas and similar products that have been around for decades were designed for the days of straight gasoline. Staight gasoline will hold very little water in solution before it separates and drops out.

Back in the sixties during a cold snap in Seattle, my SWC would not start. Once temperatures got above freezing it started, so there was probably some water in the bottom of the tank that froze and blocked fuel flow.

The greater the ethanol content of the gasoline-ethanol mixture, the more water it will hold in solution.

Being as how current commercial gasolines have up to 10 percent ethanol, products like Dry Gas are probably less necessary. For cars that are driven regularly, water will remain in solution and go through the fuel system. Most problems are with cars that are infrequently driven, of have been sitting, especiallly outside.

Methanol in any significant quantity is very corrosive to most fuel system components . Back when Indy cars used methanol, the fuel systems were drained and flushed at the end of every day they were run.

Duke

[Stuart F.]

Re: Ethanol additives- continued

FWIW; A week and a half ago I got my first half tank of non-ethanol gas. Today, I decided to change back to my 3721SB while I do some more bench work on my recently acquired 3461S. I opened up the 3461S and found that, after this period of time, it still had about 1/4" of gas in the float bowels. This was a pleasant surprise to me as lately I can expect to find dry bowels in a week or less. Of course, the weather has cooled some into the mid 70's, but it's been a number of years since I've seen this. I will have to change my MO for carb work to deal with the presence of gas.

Stu Fox