Can I test how much ethanol is in my gasoline?

[SecondMonkey]

Around here all the gas stations have a sticker that says "may contain 10% ethanol", but they say that year round. The law says we don't have to use ethanol in the summer months.

My problem: I have no idea how much ethanol I get from any station at any time. Or maybe none at all, who knows. Is there a way I can test a sample of gasoline to find the ethanol content?

This is mostly for my antiqe outboard that is very picky about fuel, but it would be good to know for my truck too. Is this something I can do at home? Maybe with a little lab equipment?

 

[Shannow]

Take a litre of fuel, and add measured quantitiesof water, until the ethanol bombs out.

Subtract the volume of water added from the ethanol/water mix at the bottom, and there's your ethanol content.

 

[Pablo]

Or very close to it. Some will stay in solution. But if it's greater than 10%..............

 

[shanneba]

http://www.aviationfuel.org/faqs/alcohol_testing.asp

Fill a clean container with gasoline drawn from the fuel system of the affected vehicle then fill another container with
water. Only a small amount of fuel is needed to perform the test (5 ounces of each fluid).
Slowly draw 3cc of water into the syringe. To remove air, draw at least 5cc of water, invert the syringe and
squirt the water out until the top rim of the rubber plunger is at the 3cc mark.
Slowly draw gasoline into the syringe up to the 12cc mark.
Place your finger over the tip of the syringe, vigorously shake the syringe for a minute. Relieve built-up pressure by
removing your finger.
Place the syringe on a flat surface with the nozzle pointing up, allow the syringe to stand for one minute.
If alcohol is present in the fuel, it will separate from the gasoline and dissolve in the water. This water/alcohol mixture will
be in the lower part of the syringe. Record the reading at the boundary of the two liquids, refer to the table below to
determine the percentage of alcohol in the fuel.
Empty the syringe and rinse thoroughly with water, allow drying and apply a silicone lubricant to the rubber plunger before
storing.
Boundary Line % Alcohol Boundary Line % Alcohol
9.0cc 0% 5.0cc 45%
8.6cc 5% 4.5cc 55%
8.1cc 10% 4.1cc 60%
7.7cc 15% 3.6cc 65%
7.2cc 20% 3.2cc 70%
6.8cc 25% 2.7cc 75%
6.3cc 30% 2.3cc 80%
5.9cc 35% 1.8cc 85%
5.4cc 40% 1.4cc 90%

 

[WKTEDDYBEAR]

As of 1999(last time i hauled gas)2 major oil companies had ethanol year round. At that time here in Washington it was not required anytime of the year.Part of the reason:they could produce more gallons of sub grade gas a day with ethanol added to meet octane specs.then they could straight grade gas.What used to be known as B.P.(bought by the TOSCO CO. who also bought 76 from UNOCAL) and now owned by CONOCO PHILLIPS)their refinery in Ferndale could not meet supply demands with straight grade gas.ARCO (now merged with BRITISH PETROLEUM)was the other.last I knew CHEVRON,TEXACO(now merged with CHEVRON),SHELL,TIME OIL,and EXXON were not mixing ethanol here,and I think only when required in Portland(Wa.refineries are connected to Portland load racks by a pipeline.I believe that ARCO & CONOCO PHILLIPS 76 still have ethanol year round.
TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GOOD ONE!
PAUL

 

[severach]

You can do the math if you want or you can buy a test tube where all the math has been done and printed in simple instructions on it.

BITOG: Fuels and Fuel Additives: Gasoline and Diesel: V-Power sucks!

 

[mikered30]

Is the bailey's tiny tester just a 40 ml VOA? Anyone have the measurements so I can make my own sticker for the side of the VOA?

 

[TurboJim]

http://www.katu.com/news/12949807.html

SecondMonkey If you see a sticker that says 10% ethanol what you see is what you get.

 

[GatorJ]

http://www.fuel-testers.com/product_gas_alcohol.html


Ethanol test kit.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: TurboJim
http://www.katu.com/news/12949807.html

SecondMonkey If you see a sticker that says 10% ethanol what you see is what you get.


Depending on which state, it may only means that there there is some ethanol, 10% or less.

http://westernfarmpress.com/news/082907-ethanol-increase/