Ethanol tester

[Dan Michaels]

In case anyone needs an ethanol tester for the trip to Airventure you can pick one up at Walmart for $2.00 it's called a rain gauge. Perfect size glass tube and marked.

Dan

[mulwyk]

Re: Ethanol tester

Yes!
Thanks for the tip Dan. I was using a mason jar with tape on the side. I'm gonna get me a Walmart rain gage! Perfect.

[VictorBravo]

Re: Ethanol tester

My dear friends... y'all know the way to get the ethanol OUT of the car gas, don't you? This would make the whole ethanol/alcohol worry a thing of the past. Instead of worrying about whether it's in there, just assume it is, then take it all out so you know it's not in there.

This was told to me by a chemist and a very high-brain-function type who works at an automotive test facility.

Pour 10 % or 20% water into the gasoline, and shake the hell out of it to mix it all up good.

The water attracts and attaches the alcohol to itself. (This is how the EAA and Petersen test method works in the first place... duh!)

Then let it settle out into two separate layers for a while until you get a good dividing line. The two layers are: Water/Alcohol mix... and pure car gasoline.

Drain the water/alcohol mixture out from the bottom part of the container. What's left in the container should be gasoline without alcohol (or water) in it.

THEN check it for water again, using your little sampling cup. Let the remaining water settle out, and test it again if you need to.

When you are certain you have pure gasoline, then pour it into your fuel tank. Do the water test once again to be 100% sure, and go off and fly with confidence.

Your car gas STC is now valid again because you're running no-ethanol gas. You even PROVED it by testing. This means your insurance is also valid again, BTW.

The point is that if you are going to run around experimenting with graduated cylinders and beakers and periodic tables of the elements, the very least you should get in return is - a 25% savings in your cost of fuel and a 100% confidence that you don't have water OR alcohol in your car gas, and you should not have to go on safari to eight different gas stations looking for gas that you can use.

For a T-craft that uses a 12 or 18 or 24 gallon max capacity, you can do this trick with one relatively inexpensive poly plastic tank in your car and another one in the hangar. Fill up the tank in the car on your way to the airport, with water and gas. Make sure you mix it up by driving erratically, bumpy roads, rapid decelerations, and tight turns on the way to the airport. When you get to the airport, park the car and let the mixtures settle out away from each other... while you're flying your airplane on the LAST batch of the stuff you cooked up. When you come back from flying, drain the water out of the vehicle mounted tank, and transfer the gasoline to the hangar storage tank. Next time you go to the airport, drain any remaining water out of the hangar tank, and transfer it to the airplane.

[VictorBravo]

Re: Ethanol tester

Oops sorry for hitting the button twice...

[Dan Michaels]

Re: Ethanol tester

Bill I was thinking more of pilots that were away from home and not familiar with the stations on the route. Too hard to take all that stuff along on a trip. You can also run it through a silica gel to get the last little bit of water back out.

Dan

[Gary Snell]

Re: Ethanol tester

One thing with ethanol is that it is simply not regular unleaded laced with alcohol. Since it gets in octane number from the alcohol, removing it will leave you with a substandard fuel grade not suitable for most engines, although it may be ok for a 6:1 comp ratio continental. Just be careful, the gasoline component is different than it used to be according to my sources.

[flyguy]

Re: Ethanol tester

If: You go completely through the fuel system. Use the main tank only. Use alcohol resistant fuel lines, have a steel needle in the carb., replace the carb gaskets with fresh gaskets without ANY sealer, and clean and reseal the fitting at the bottom of the tank with alcohol resistant pipe seal, the solvent problems with 5.7% CA gas should be gone.
Operationally: don't let the gas sit in the tank for 2 months in a high humidity location.

So what did I miss?

It's one way to get the lead out, and as I have said before here, the condition of my cylinder and piston from lead contamination was about 10X more scary than any 6% alcohol problems I can imagine if one does all of the above.

Thanks Dan, I will for sure get one from my local Wal Mart Aircraft Supply.
DC

[Dano"T"]

Re: Ethanol tester

some premium gas is ethenol free...some is not....but if you do the ethenol removal from premium does it get you the equivelent of 87 (or close) octane by the time your done?....just askin

[Frank DeBartolo]

Re: Ethanol tester

My FBO sells auto fuel that is 75% auto gas and 25% 100LL. Seems to work just fine. He uses it in his C-172 and Aeronca Champ. I have been using it in my BC12-D for several years summer fall winter and spring and no problems at this point. The 100LL keeps the octane up and also provides some lead to the fuel.

Frank D
N43684

[N74DV]

Re: Ethanol tester

according to this site removing ethanol/water from E10 gasoline reduces the octane rating by 2-3 points. By starting with 91 you effectively will get 88 or 89.

https://www.fueltestkit.com/remove_water_gas.html

[Robert Lees]

Re: Ethanol tester

Bill, that's also the way to get sugar out of petrol (if you have unpleasant scheming friends like I do).

[flyguy]

Re: Ethanol tester

Got my Wal-Mart fuel tester. Had everyone in the store looking for it. Think it was discounted, 75 cents only. It's nice. Think I'll get a spare.

Speaking of taking the water out, I believe I saw in a book about using a chamois skin to filter water from fuel. Someone like Lindbergh flying in a 3rd world country years ago as I remember. Is that true. Maybe pour the gross off and then filter it through the skin? Anyone know about that method?
DC

[Robert Lees]

Re: Ethanol tester

A chamois will filter out everything, but it can be slow.

The modern version is "Mr Funnel"

[Jim Lauden]

Re: Ethanol tester

I have used a funnel i bought at a boat dealer with a brass screen built into the neck and then wired a new chamois into the funnel. Nothing but gas goes into the tank, but is slow and you have to pour slow, cause it fills up, then you wait to pour some more. Then when your done, you look into the bottom of the funnel and see the dirt and debri if any. Also maybe ice if water was present and your temp is below freezing. The brass screen underneath catches any knap that may still be loose in the chamois, which i had washed when new in water alone. I heard that bush pilots do this when unsure of the gas available. Saw pictures of guys sitting on the high wing and pouring. You read the part about slow, you can't be in a hurry.

[Robert Lees]

Re: Ethanol tester

Has anyone got a photo and/or Walmart stock number for the rain gauge? I can't find it on their on-line listings.

Rob