Gas-line antifreeze....is it necessary at all now?

[addyguy]

Most fuel you buy these days has SOME amount of ethanol in it, usually between 5-10%.

Gas-line antifreeze is a small bottle of mainly methanol or ethanol alcohol to stop ice formation in gas lines.

Any reason at all to still add AF to fuel in the winter?

 

[OtisBlkR1]

i do when it gets below zero, otherwise i dont think so.. they add enuff for normal conditions in my opinion

 

[Doog]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
Most fuel you buy these days has SOME amount of ethanol in it, usually between 5-10%.

Gas-line antifreeze is a small bottle of mainly methanol or ethanol alcohol to stop ice formation in gas lines.

Any reason at all to still add AF to fuel in the winter?


Not now.

 

[RiceCake]

I used to -specifically- buy E10 from the only station chain here to carry it, because it made my car run far better without occasional stumbling years ago. It was that, or gas line antifreeze when it was -35C outside.

Now? Never have that problem. E10 everywhere.

Skip it if you have gasohol.

 

[bvance554]

Good gas line antifreeze is 100% isopropyl alcohol. Not ethanol. Its so cheap that I'll continue to add a bottle every winter. Just to get the water out.

 

[tig1]

Not with ethanol in the fuel.

 

[rfeir]

With 10% ethanol gasoline it is not a good practice to add any more alcohol of any kind. If you have water in the fuel, the 10% ethanol will keep it in suspension. Adding more alcohol can cause "phase separation" in which the water actually comes out of suspension resulting in a big and expensive problem. Be careful out there.

 

[beast3300]

I use ISOHeet red bottle which is isopropyl alcohol about every 2-3 months. The CATCO trainer said it will keep converters clean besides the normal effects of drygas has. This doesn't mean it is necessary with today's fuels or technology.

 

[Bgallagher]

Ethanol is excellent at removing moisture from gaslines etc. Not necessary anymore. If the vehicle is going to be stored and you are worried about moisture you can run some sta-bil but gasline antifreeze is pretty much obsolete

 

[SuperDave456]

Originally Posted By: rfeir
With 10% ethanol gasoline it is not a good practice to add any more alcohol of any kind. If you have water in the fuel, the 10% ethanol will keep it in suspension. Adding more alcohol can cause "phase separation" in which the water actually comes out of suspension resulting in a big and expensive problem. Be careful out there.


+1

 

[Donald]

You are getting on average 1 1/2 gallons of alcohol in every 15 gallon tank. Lets just say if that percentage does not clean up any water in your tank, you have big problems.

The quick check store seem to sell it. Old habits I guess.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: rfeir
With 10% ethanol gasoline it is not a good practice to add any more alcohol of any kind. If you have water in the fuel, the 10% ethanol will keep it in suspension. Adding more alcohol can cause "phase separation" in which the water actually comes out of suspension resulting in a big and expensive problem. Be careful out there.


Phase separation but not by adding more alcohol but by there being too much water for the alcohol to handle. Too much alcohol will make the engine run [censored], etc.

Interestingly on a Husqvarna video about E10 gas they say to shake up the gas can to deal with possible phase separation.

 

[morris]

so my methanol i use in my R/C cars is a no no? we have only one station with non-ethanol. i tried it but no help. i get my methanol straight for about $2.75 a gal, from a speed shop.

 

[mechtech2]

Originally Posted By: rfeir
With 10% ethanol gasoline it is not a good practice to add any more alcohol of any kind. If you have water in the fuel, the 10% ethanol will keep it in suspension. Adding more alcohol can cause "phase separation" in which the water actually comes out of suspension resulting in a big and expensive problem. Be careful out there.


Tell the oil companies this immediately!
They make 15% and 85% gasohol!

 

[RiceCake]

Originally Posted By: morris
so my methanol i use in my R/C cars is a no no? we have only one station with non-ethanol. i tried it but no help. i get my methanol straight for about $2.75 a gal, from a speed shop.


Methanol is an alcohol so in low amounts I'm sure it would work fine for the same purpose as gasline antifreeze (for which you definitely don't need isopropanol specifically for).

Too much though may cause fuel system corrosion. Also no idea what that might cause in terms of catalytic converter problems or potentially engine knock from its burn characteristics.