What’s in your gasoline?

[toprecycler]

Beginning of summer, I mixed up a gallon of gas for the chainsaw I loaned a friend. I just got it back couple weeks ago.

I put some of the gas into my other saw today to do some cutting, and I could not get it to start. So I drained the gas, and put done in from another can, and it started. So I drained the rest of the first can into a clear jug and let it sit. First picture is 5 minutes after pouring. Second pic is about 5 hours. It separated more.

Now, this can was kept inside a garage while it was at friends house, and was inside wood shed when I got it home, so I don’t believe it had been rained on at any point, so the water would have only been condensation.

So the ethanol attracts water, right?




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[Lew Hartswick]

Yep ! Alcohols all are like that. They just love to suck water out of the atmosphere. Now out here where the relative humidity runs in the teens to single digits we don't have to worry much about it but back east or anywhere along the coast it a problem. :-)
...lew...

[slip knot]

Along the gulf coast, ethanol is a death sentence for small engines. The moisture eats up the pot metal carbs so they are ruined. I've taken to using a portable boat tank on all my stationary equipment with a quick connect. That way I have no fuel setting for months at a time. My tractors get ethanol free fuel, a bit more expensive but I dont have near the fuel problems. My chainsaws get the premixed cans from the saw shop, again more expensive but the saw starts all the time.

I'm also learning that bio diesel sucks when it sets too. And they dont sell non-bio fuel around here

[digger doug]

I only buy ethanol free for my gas cans, use it in the small power equip, and in a pinch as emergency vehicle gas.

Yes, it's much more money.

Until the ethanol free became common, I have read the ultralight air-O-plane
crowd was deliberately adding water (allot of it) letting it settle out, and skimming the "pure gas" off the top.

But then you have an alcohol, water, gasoline soup leftover....

And somehow, this is "green" ....

[toprecycler]

Originally Posted by digger doug

Until the ethanol free became common, I have read the ultralight air-O-plane

crowd was deliberately adding water (allot of it) letting it settle out, and skimming the "pure gas" off the top.



But then you have an alcohol, water, gasoline soup leftover....



And somehow, this is "green" ....

I actually usually do this when I mix up a small can of gas. Put a bit if water in a clear jar, mark the level on the side, and then fill it up with regular gas. Shake, and then let set. Watch the water/ alcohol double in size from plain water line. Note, this mixture does not burn very well when thrown onto a fire.

So I am not sure exactly how much alcohol is being separated, and exactly how much water was in original gas, but I know that I am getting rid of some undesirable water/ alcohol. At least I have not been sorting out the max 10% the gas stations say they can put in.



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[milomilo]

Hey Brian!!! Make your own ethanol free gas. You do not have to use premium gas. Regular will be fine for a chainsaw. He uses premium for his airplane.

[toprecycler]

Picture after 20 hours, in better light too.




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[kbs2244]

this guy explains the why you would want to do this
the gas industry has changed the formulation
modern high octane gas actually has more ethanol than 85

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foUd4UbDAzM

[midmosandblasting]

I thought Missouri rule was 10% minimum not maximum . There is still free gas but the tax rate per gallon is higher .

[milomilo]

Originally Posted by midmosandblasting

I thought Missouri rule was 10% minimum not maximum . There is still free gas but the tax rate per gallon is higher .

That is to punish you for not using ethanol.