ethanol

[Av8r_Sed]

If there is Ethanol, it would appear that there is more water than when you started.

I use the often suggested olive jar (tall and narrow) with one line marked on it about 20% up from the bottom. I carry it with me to the gas station prefilled with water to the line. simple enough to fill close to the top, cap and shake. Later i seperate out the water with a Mr Funnel and use the gas for my lawnmower.

-- Paul S

[DBVZ]

[quote=Av8r_Sed;20973]If there is Ethanol, it would appear that there is more water than when you started.

So is it more, or less? I thought the effect was that the water was picked up by the ethanol, which is mixed with the gas. So some water is reduced in the test sample. Kind of like the old trick of using a quart of straight alcohol to "de-water" bad gas in a car. The water is still in the tank, but picked up by the alcohol it goes through the car engine ok.

Do I have this all wrong, or what?

It is still a pain. You go to an "ethanol free" station, buy a pint of gas to run the test, when the test is done you can (or not) continue to fill your cans. Either way you have a pint of watered gas to dispose of or run through some engine.

[Av8r3400]

The water in the tester will absorb the ethanol from the gas and fall out of suspension, therefore making the level of "water" in the bottom increase.

There are some people out there who are actually "washing" the ethanol out of contaminated gas using this principal. Maybe this would work for a lawnmower, but personally, I'd never use it in an airplane.

[DBVZ]

Ok. Got it. Makes sense now. Thanks.

[P Morel]

So is it more, or less? I thought the effect was that the water was picked up by the ethanol, which is mixed with the gas.

Here's an excellent link that explains how to test the fuel for ethanol and what to look for.

The "tester" image shows the water at the 0 (zero) mark
The "test result" image shows an increase of the water line and about 5% ethanol.

I use this system every time I purchase fuel for the aircraft ... It's getting harder to find ethanol free fuel in my area. Just went back yesterday to buy fuel and found they switched over to 10% ethanol.

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/ref...hanolTest.html

[Dave F]

Ethanol - everyone has their own opinion.

mine is based on using it for over 1500 hours of flight time in my 582 Kitfox alone.

I have since last summer switched to premium only for getting more power. Cost is the same as with premium the extra cost makes up for the power gain that you get .... really not a gain but you just do not get the power loss thats you get from ethanol gas.

Video here shows http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ikyc0xOAjbw

Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnQLfJrFc_c

really goes to show how most of the owlrd is so immune to reality.

To each their own but I am still waiting to see all these damaged fuel tanks lines etc...... I have 9 rotax power planes at my strip and all use auto gas .... most regualr and a few PRemium........ no troubles

None of these use those stupid , dangerous paper fuel filters either.

Who you gonna listen to ?

I often fly over 40 miles of open water -- usually with in gliding distance of shore on wheels or floats. fingers crossed.

others sit with legs crossed in the captains seat at their PC .


go figure


Happy New Years all

[DesertFox4]

To each their own but I am still waiting to see all these damaged fuel tanks lines etc......

Dave , you weren't here when my only fill up of alcohol laced auto fuel started to dissolve the fiberglass resins in my fuel tanks after sitting only two days, then killed my engine not 15 feet from the hangar after start up. If you were you could have helped me clean out my resign fogged carbs. for 3 hours each. I could have used your help draining the brown gas from my tanks and then sloshing them with pure unadulterated Av-gas to reset the resigns again. Thank God it worked so you and I didn't have to cut my tanks out of my wings and replace them.
I'm betting you would have come to the same conclusion as I, that it might not be a good idea to run locally available alcohol auto fuel through my particular fuel tanks.

Who you gonna listen to ?

We listen to anyone who wants to share their experiences here as long as they do it in a polite manner not a condescending, arrogant manner. We may not agree with them, we may find we have different experience and even politely argue our position. Even if they don't have 50 YouTube videos.

others sit with legs crossed in the captains seat at their PC .

no comment I could make about this statement wouldn't get me in trouble with the moderators.

[Dave F]

Dave , you weren't here when my only fill up of alcohol laced auto fuel started to dissolve the fiberglass resins in my fuel tanks after sitting only two days, then killed my engine not 15 feet from the hangar after start up. If you were you could have helped me clean out my resign fogged carbs. for 3 hours each. I could have used your help draining the brown gas from my tanks and then sloshing them with pure unadulterated Av-gas to reset the resigns again. Thank God it worked so you and I didn't have to cut my tanks out of my wings and replace them.
I'm betting you would have come to the same conclusion as I, that it might not be a good idea to run locally available alcohol auto fuel through my particular fuel tanks.


We listen to anyone who wants to share their experiences here as long as they do it in a polite manner not a condescending, arrogant manner. We may not agree with them, we may find we have different experience and even politely argue our position. Even if they don't have 50 YouTube videos.


no comment I could make about this statement wouldn't get me in trouble with the moderators.

Steve -- well let see your picture of your damged tanks ?

5000 Kitfox most with a good percentage using glass tanks and you would think that you would see hundreds of tanks falling apart.

Now - mine are around 1991 92 vintage ...... maybe mine are more resistant and maybe not....... time will tell.
How many gallons have your tanks seen ? Moine have see over 7500 US gallons....... thats a Fact - Steve how many have yours seen ?
Did you slosh your s ? Mine are not sloshed.

We gotta compare apples ot apples here/

Any I have I think well over 200 Videos on you tube under Kitfoxflyer username. I am a adsense partner since it came out about 10 years ago and get paid and have a blast posting factual hands on experience from my captains chair.

I don't hide behind a "username" - I post as it is.......

Cheers.

[DesertFox4]

Dave, be nice to me and others. When you get some more hours on your Kitfox then I'll respond to you. You have a ways to go.

[Woodennickle]

My friend has an Avid with a 582 that ethanol ate the tanks and fuel lines out of. You talk about a mess. It took him all kinds of hours to clean carb and he is still working at replacing tanks. I guess if you need more proof, you could always move to Missouri.