How to determine the alcohol content of gasoline
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| − | The U. S. Department of Energy has an | + | ==Locating E85== |
| + | The U. S. Department of Energy has an [http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/locator/stations/ alternative fuels website] to aid in locating E85 fuel in your area. | ||
| − | At a minimum, E85 should meet ASTM Specification D 5798. By definition, this means that '''fuel labeled "E85" will have an ethanol content between | + | ==E85 specifications== |
| + | At a minimum, E85 should meet ASTM Specification D 5798. By definition, this means that '''fuel labeled "E85" will have an ethanol content between 51% and 85%'''. | ||
| + | [https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/ethanol.shtml Basic info on E85 fuel] | ||
| + | [http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/wiki/E85 More on E85 fuel] | ||
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| + | ==Determining alcohol content== | ||
To determine how much alcohol has been added by the oil company, you can do the following simple test. Be sure to use adequate ventilation, avoid sparks, heat and any other sources of ignition for liquid gasoline/alcohol AND their vapors! | To determine how much alcohol has been added by the oil company, you can do the following simple test. Be sure to use adequate ventilation, avoid sparks, heat and any other sources of ignition for liquid gasoline/alcohol AND their vapors! | ||
| − | + | ===Water extraction=== | |
| − | A graduated glass cylinder, usually | + | A graduated glass cylinder, usually 1000 milliliters (ml), is used for this test. Put 250ml of the gasoline to be tested into the graduated flask. |
| − | Add | + | Add 50ml of water to the flask containing the 250ml of sample gasoline. |
Seal the top w/a stopper and thoroughly agitate the sample. Let this rest for a couple minutes. | Seal the top w/a stopper and thoroughly agitate the sample. Let this rest for a couple minutes. | ||
| − | If there's no alcohol in the sample, there will still be only | + | If there's no alcohol in the sample, there will still be only 50ml of water that has separated into a layer at the bottom of the container. |
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| + | If there IS alcohol present in the sample, the amount of water/alcohol at the bottom of the container will have increased by the amount of alcohol that's present in the 250ml sample. | ||
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| + | Subtracting the original 50ml of water that was added at the start of the test from what is now there is the percentage of alky that has been added to the gasoline. | ||
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| + | {{Note1}} Be aware that if there is also water in the test sample, the water will be included in the amount seen at the bottom of the graduated vessel. One would assume that any amount seen in the test sample that ''exceeds'' the listed amount of alcohol (either 85% for E85 or 10% for E10) would be water. But unfortunately, the regulations for alcohol content of our gasoline is such that there can be anywhere from 51% to 85% for E85, and cannot be above 10% alcohol for E10, but it CAN be lower. If it IS lower, there can be water in the fuel that will appear to be just alcohol, unless the quantity in the layer is above 10%. Even then, the amount of water could be easily assumed to be less than what is actually contained in the fuel. | ||
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| + | Larger amounts of water will cause two layers to separate out at the bottom of the vessel when testing alcohol-containing fuel if the amount of water is sufficient to saturate the alcohol. The bottommost layer will be water, then water/alcohol, then gasoline. | ||
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| + | ==What you can do== | ||
| + | *There are test kits available to tell how much alcohol is present in a fuel sample, and to detect the presence of water. One such kit is marketed by [http://www.fuel-testers.com/index.html Fuel-Testers]. | ||
| + | *Buy fuel from high volume dealers | ||
| + | *Avoid buying during or immediately after a storage tank refill | ||
| + | *A water separator/filter can help in extreme situations | ||
| + | *Don't store gas for any longer than absolutely necessary. No more than a month if possible and no more than three months under any circumstances | ||
| + | *Don't rely on fuel system additives to bring stale old fuel back to life | ||
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[[Category:Engine]] | [[Category:Engine]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Carburetors]] | ||
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