Can I drain off the ethanol?

Rick Martin

Gold Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2004
Messages
2,162
Location
BRADENTON, FLORIDA & FL10
Aircraft
Everglades Kite Gyro, Tandem Dominator
Total Flight Time
900 hours
Logic tells me that if this was possible, someone whould already be doing it.
But................................with E-15 now coming grrrrrrr................., I'd like someone wiser than me to answer this question.

Using the same method of testing fuel for ethanol content as used in the little tubular testors, can't I do a larger quantity (say 5 gallons) and then just drain off the separated product?

Go easy on my guys.
 
NO! Ethanol is an octane booster, So if you add water to attract the ethanol, you'll end up with Draining off the water/ethanol and be left with a sub octane fuel that is worthless for an engine, all it will be good for is starting fires.
 
It's a shame that we've got to put up with the crap! Even the environmental groups are now saying that the stuff burns dirtier than regular gas, but the gov't won't back down.
 
Yup, everyone getting a subsidy is a vote... they will not back down.
Avgas does work, but it is expensive and causes lead deposits on the bearings
and can foul the plugs...
The best bet would be get Marine unleaded if you can find it.
Notify your local representative and complain about Ethanol in fuel for marine and aircraft as well as other off road vehicles. Chances are they are ignorant of the fact.
Make sure you tell them you are a voter.
 
NO! Ethanol is an octane booster, So if you add water to attract the ethanol, you'll end up with Draining off the water/ethanol and be left with a sub octane fuel that is worthless for an engine, all it will be good for is starting fires.

And a cheap one at that but they do sell Octane boosters at the auto parts stores, non ethanol based ones that you could use....

Now the bad news they have approved up to 15% Ethanol for use in gasoline, so you will be throwing away more of what you paid for just to get what you need.... Check with the boat docks many sell pure gasoline but it cost more per gallon, at least you get what you are paying for.....
 
What about mixing AV gas with the ethanol gas, it would lower both the lead content and the ethanol content. Then there's also racing gas, expensive but it is ethanol and lead free.
 
petrol

petrol

Well..we are buying petrol here at 85 oct levels..we have to buy the Octaine booster..we are paying 7 pounds fifty a gallon..works out around 12 dollars a gallon..

Good Old UK....are we the lucky ones!..Ohh yeh...20%.....VAT...:violin:
Even robin hood wore a mask!






G



LAA.BMA.PRA...........:plane:..and i am still on the ground
 
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Most miserable people on earth.

Most miserable people on earth.

It was reported that England has the most unhappy people on the planet. Why am I not surprised.

J
 
Reserves for flight

Reserves for flight

The big deal here is BTU's. I love ethanol, its really a great fuel for engines that are prepared to run it, you guys who love to hate stuff don't realize that its high octane numbers it can make some incredible power.....but it does have one drawback that could end your flight prematurely in that it does not have the same energy content. This means if you think you have a 3 gallon reserve on a 2 hour flight, you might be in for a rude surprise. For someone like me that flies the outerbanks where pumps are scant...., that's a big problem.....

Marine gas is the only guarantee and even that is not the best. AV gas needs additives to keep the lead out.

J
 
Well..we are buying petrol here at 85 oct levels..we have to buy the Octaine booster..we are paying 7 pounds fifty a gallon..works out around 12 dollars a gallon..

Good Old UK....are we the lucky ones!..Ohh yeh...20%.....VAT...:violin:
Even robin hood wore a mask!


G



LAA.BMA.PRA...........:plane:..and i am still on the ground

Bad news you pay significantly more for fuel, good news your license fees, and many others that we have to pay out of pocket are included in that price and I believe yours is an imperial gallon aka 5 quarts per.....

The big deal here is BTU's. I love ethanol, its really a great fuel for engines that are prepared to run it, you guys who love to hate stuff don't realize that its high octane numbers it can make some incredible power.....but it does have one drawback that could end your flight prematurely in that it does not have the same energy content. This means if you think you have a 3 gallon reserve on a 2 hour flight, you might be in for a rude surprise. For someone like me that flies the outerbanks where pumps are scant...., that's a big problem.....

Marine gas is the only guarantee and even that is not the best. AV gas needs additives to keep the lead out.

J

You forgot the part that the Ethanol eats up the fuel systems on older equipment and dissolves many plastics.....
 
subject

subject

OH...so now we are starting on combushtion!...:D

G
LAA.PRA.BRA...:plane:
 
Thanks guys.

You've probably seen the petition Huckabee is promoting to get the health care thing repealed. I think it's time to start a petition like this to get some action on the ethanol issue.
 
hello!

if you will add water to fuel, you will get gasoline layer and vodka layer :)
every layer can be used :)

octane rating of fuel will decrease almost insensibly, it will be as in usually gasoline.
i think you do not need to add octane booster.

by the way, you can make air/fuel mixture little reacher and problem with "grrrrrrr" on E15 will be soved.
 
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Then all you have to worry about is detonation in the cyls from low octane gas,
2 strokes cannot tolerate any detonation for more than a few seconds.
 
E15 "preparing" from usual gasoline and ethanol, and have octane rating higher, than usual gasoline (ethanol is octane-booster, 15% of ethanol will add 2-3 points to octane rating).

if you will dissolve ethanol from E15 - you will get usual gasoline with it's octane rating.

so if engine can work on "usual" gasoline, no octane booster additives needed.
 
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