• You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.

Removing ethanol from gas

Basically, ethanol is hydrophilic and absorbs water freely. If you mix gasahol with water and let it set, it'll separate and lay on the bottom. The top layer is pure gas. The only downside, is that it reduces the octane level slightly. To make the layers more distinct, food coloring can be added to the water. The remaining liquid is alcohol and water with some gas. The ethanol can be burnt off or disposed of as you wish.

The process is simple. I'm just looking for better containers and removal techniques. I'm looking at a 5000ml separation funnel. Its laboratory equipment, but will allow precise separation=$$$.

There are gads of videos. Most are redneck, but a few are very clever. I'm looking for more clever ideas.
I see. So gasahol is 10% alcohol by volume. SO, you must add an equal amount of water to combine with the hydrophilic alcohol to force separation from the gas. Cool beans! Thanks for that tip! You said viddys? Which one(s) would be the best IYHO?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 357magnum
Found a half a dozen places in RI that have one about 20 miles away , the others list VP Racing Fuel . I can't imagine what that cost now ? In the mid 80's when I was racing I use to but it by the drum & it wasn't cheap then . As far as making my own ? I'm tapping out I'll leave it to you Chemist's I'd screw it up for sure !:LOL:
 
I see. So gasahol is 10% alcohol by volume. SO, you must add an equal amount of water to combine with the hydrophilic alcohol to force separation from the gas. Cool beans! Thanks for that tip! You said viddys? Which one(s) would be the best IYHO?

That will also greatly reduce the octane number and strip out the rust inhibitors on the fuel
 
Unfortunately there are no gas stations in Delaware without alcohol that I can find. It is hard on small motors that don't get used every day. When the alcohol absorbs water it turns into a clear jelly and it will clog a fuel filter up fast. There is nothing you can do to clean the filter out and its clear so you can't see it in the filter. It had me pulling my hair out the first time it got me. If you pour the gasoline into a clear container, you can see small blobs of the jelly on the bottom along with any water that the alcohol did not absorb.

On my small equipment 2 and 4 cycle I use Stabil and Startron in all the gas all the time. That way, at the end of the season it is ready. The motors that have a diaphragm in the carburetor, I will not run them out of gas. The diaphragm needs to have the gas on it to keep from drying out. In the spring, I drain the tank and rinse it with a little fresh mix and then it is ready to go. The mowers and bigger motors without diaphragms in the carburetors I will let them run until they quit before storage.

Here is the Startron:
http://www.starbrite.com/item/star-tron-gasoline-fuel-additive?category_id=585
93008.A1_2c76ae5c1f14163a64eaac77a8318ff0.png




Seafoam is another excellent product that I use in the spring and periodically throughout the year. In the gas and the oil.

Putting water in the gas to precipitate the alcohol will work. Don't worry about getting the right amount of water. Any extra water will just sit on the bottom with the jelly. I would get a square shaped bucket to make it easier to pour. You can pour it into another bucket and see when you are getting to the junk. So just pour the water in and stir it or shake it up. Come back in a few days and it should be separated.

The only thing I don't know is about the other additives that are in the gasoline to begin with. The additive MTBE that is no longer in gasoline was water soluble. I don't know if there are currently any additives in the gasoline blend that would be removed with the water. Gas stations get water in the tanks from condensation etc. all the time. The pumps don't draw from the very bottom so it is usually not a problem.

My 2 cents
Chris
 
I use only Top Tier gas in everything (truck, lawn mower, chainsaw etc.) and also I add this ....

external-content.duckduckgo.com.jpg


No problems with mower or roto tillers for the last 10 yrs now when using this stuff. It works better than Sea Foam.

No water in any of my machines after winter and they always start with no problems!
 
To be honest I saw cans of Jonsered Fuel @ local TSC . RI must be the last place for anything !:LOL: I saw the price & thought that's a lot of $ for a can of pre-mix fuel ? Now I know why ... Real Gas ! It's like we live under a rock , that was the first time I'd seen it !:whistle::ROFLMAO:
 
The Stihl extended warranty doesn’t apply to commercial use, unfortunately. The trade off is you get a much better price on a commercial account.

I run non-ethanol in all my work stuff, but all the stuff at home gets filled with Stihl’s very expensive fuel every fall.

I might run two tanks through my trimmer, blower, and edger all year. But I burn gallons in my chainsaws every day. That $20/gallon fuel would add up quick.
 

dxChat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • dxBot:
    Tucker442 has left the room.
  • @ BJ radionut:
    LIVE 10:00 AM EST :cool:
  • @ Charles Edwards:
    I'm looking for factory settings 1 through 59 for a AT 5555 n2 or AT500 M2 I only wrote down half the values feel like a idiot I need help will be appreciated