Does ethanol in gas separate over time?
- Thread starter Bamaro
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It depends on how long, and how well the fuel system is sealed.
Ethanol attracts and readily combines with moisture in the air so humidity is also a factor.
The point that I am trying to make here is that a Gasoline/Ethanol mixture with no water is fairly stable compared to the same mixture with a little moisture thrown in.
Gasohol with water content will have a tendancy to separate.
I assume that having a carburetor means that it is an older vehicle which would likely mean that the fuel system is not sealed as well as a newer vehicle.
It's hard to put a time on the length for storage.
I would guess a month or less would be appropriate in your case.
Somewhere I remember reading that adding a little acetone will retard separation caused by water contamination of Gasohol.
Good luck Sir.
Rickey.
Ethanol attracts and readily combines with moisture in the air so humidity is also a factor.
The point that I am trying to make here is that a Gasoline/Ethanol mixture with no water is fairly stable compared to the same mixture with a little moisture thrown in.
Gasohol with water content will have a tendancy to separate.
I assume that having a carburetor means that it is an older vehicle which would likely mean that the fuel system is not sealed as well as a newer vehicle.
It's hard to put a time on the length for storage.
I would guess a month or less would be appropriate in your case.
Somewhere I remember reading that adding a little acetone will retard separation caused by water contamination of Gasohol.
Good luck Sir.
Rickey.
Quote:
Use fuel stabilizer on the last fall fill up. I have been using it in my snow blower and havent needed to tear the carb down since.
Yeah, its for a 70 Camaro with a vented gas cap that could sit a month or more during winter months when the streets have salt on them.
Best thing to do is just avoid the cr ap to begin with. As a daily driver fuel it's not a problem, besides the 3% reduction in mpg it could actually cat as a fuel system cleaner. Left to sit though it absorbs water moisture, which still isn't a problem until it can't hold anymore. That's where the trouble starts. 1 month is an accepted guideline in the marine industry, after that either MORE achohol (iso would be prefered) in an attmept to get the water out of separation, or a fuel add that deals with the corrosion of the water, or both.
I have never seen or heard of this type of separation [water is another issue].
You are most likely to have problems with the fuel going sour and changing chemically, then actual separation of the alcohol and gas.
We have had numerous garage queens over the years. After a couple of months, we can start getting bad fuel problems.
You are most likely to have problems with the fuel going sour and changing chemically, then actual separation of the alcohol and gas.
We have had numerous garage queens over the years. After a couple of months, we can start getting bad fuel problems.
This is what I am trying to find about. I've read the claims about acetone miraculously boosting MPG which I never had happen when I tried running it last year, zero difference, but seems like I did read a valid purpose might be to keep the ethanol and gas in mixture. I have an '88 S10 with 98k miles that gets driven maybe 300 miles a year, about a tank of gas a year I have used StaBil in it since it went into retirement in 2002. But now the tank is near "E" and I will have to buy 10% ethanol-gas because that's all there is now in DFW area for at least 75 mile radius, IF pure gasoline can even be bought nowadays. Might have to experiment with some ethanol laced gas, a little water, and a few drops of acetone to see what happens.
Rickey was spot on.
moisture causes either ethoanl or methanol to bomb out of solution with gasoline.
acetone, MEK, or eucalyptus oil make fairly decent co-solvents which reduce the risk. However they won't take infinite amounts of moisture.
moisture causes either ethoanl or methanol to bomb out of solution with gasoline.
acetone, MEK, or eucalyptus oil make fairly decent co-solvents which reduce the risk. However they won't take infinite amounts of moisture.
I think it would take longer than that but I don't know.
I do know that you will have less trouble with moisture if you make it a point to keep the tank full when the car is stored. The more the surface area of unexposed metal in the tank, the more condensation forms and migrates into the fuel.
I do know that you will have less trouble with moisture if you make it a point to keep the tank full when the car is stored. The more the surface area of unexposed metal in the tank, the more condensation forms and migrates into the fuel.
I have seen some test in a boat magazine about alcohol/fuel seperation in storage. they showed that the fuel starts to seperate @ about 3 months. After 6 months there is a distinct seperation. I think they used floating balls to measure the specific gravity of the fuel to see seperation. The balls were calibrated to a specific gravity and as the gas got older, the different balls changed level in the container so you could see the seperation. I can't remember if a fuel stabilizer helped stop the seperation.
The can not pipe the mixed Gasahol due to separation issues so they have to truck the alcohol from the midwest and mix it locally. Cali sued over alcohol because they proved it did not work Heck Shell complained they did not need it meet the current standards but it was mandated.
Whatever. Yup it will settle out. Ever notice you get a tank once in a while that just goes like half the distance? Yup alcohol separation and you got lots. Out BG guys have pulled local sample as High as 30 and 40% in the e10 pump. YUCK!!! Some fuel with densities of the scale light and heavy for gasoline. They pulled a VPower sample that was over in the Kerosene (I think off the top of my head) and Diesel part of the charts.
Whatever. Yup it will settle out. Ever notice you get a tank once in a while that just goes like half the distance? Yup alcohol separation and you got lots. Out BG guys have pulled local sample as High as 30 and 40% in the e10 pump. YUCK!!! Some fuel with densities of the scale light and heavy for gasoline. They pulled a VPower sample that was over in the Kerosene (I think off the top of my head) and Diesel part of the charts.
FWIW, I found these values:
Specifc gravity:
Gasoline 0.72-0.78
Ethanol 0.796
Ethanol appears to be just slightly heaver.
http://petroleum.berkeley.edu/patzek/ce24/Fall2003/Materials/GasolineEthanol.pdf
Specifc gravity:
Gasoline 0.72-0.78
Ethanol 0.796
Ethanol appears to be just slightly heaver.
http://petroleum.berkeley.edu/patzek/ce24/Fall2003/Materials/GasolineEthanol.pdf
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