How to make your own ethanol-free gasoline

[Hocky]

How about using old fashion "Dry Gas" used in the Northern U.S. in winter months to keep the gas from freezing b/c of the water in the gas?

[Hocky]

How about using old fashion "Dry Gas" used in the Northern U.S. in winter months to keep the gas from freezing b/c of the water in the gas?

[xracer27]

In a auto shop you put a sample of fuel in a graduated cylinder and add water in this way to check how much alcohol is in the fuel. Cars that are not flex fuel do not like large doses of E85.
Flex fuel cars get confused at times as to what they are running on, you have to do a reset of the computer.

[whitacre1]

i'm not sure how practical this is, i live in the mountains 5 miles from a small town where electricity is not taken for granted especially in the winter time so in the spring i drain the gas and start it until it quits so no gas in the carbso in mid winter power goes off i put in fresh gas starts right up has worked for years and no elec start so i don't like pulling on that rope any more than a couple of times

[toadman]

I'm real new to this site and have been enjoying all the good info. It started out as a Great info thread until the bickering started about what the car makers were doing, which I find to be totally off-topic of the discussion thread AND the title of the website. Now it's just a good info thread.

[redghost]

Dumb question-is it ok to use 87 oct in the Wing then? It's 10 cents a gallon more but it won't have the E10 crap in it!

I'm a little confused to it being okay to just use 87 oct, you still have to remove the ethanol and then add a booster back. I think Wingman was just saying to start off with high test (premium gas) as the octain of the separation will drop making a 92 oct. to a maybe 89 oct. the 87 oct might go to 84 oct which is not okay. You would then need to add a booster to get it back up to at least 87 oct... Where are you saving money? Then you get damage either way. Spend the extra 30 cents a gallon and find non-ethonol to begin with or get the High test to do the separation. Great article wingman. Thanks a lot.....

[redghost]

Great article Wingman as all of your articles are, so far that I have read... Thanks... My question is, did he also tell you how to dispose of the water/ethanol after separation? If you pour it out on the ground then is it contamination and will it get into well water later? Thanks Redghost

[WingAdmin]

Great article Wingman as all of your articles are, so far that I have read... Thanks... My question is, did he also tell you how to dispose of the water/ethanol after separation? If you pour it out on the ground then is it contamination and will it get into well water later? Thanks Redghost

I certainly wouldn't advise pouring it on the ground, down the sewer or wastewater catchbasin. I suppose you could set it out to evaporate?

[redghost]

Great article Wingman as all of your articles are, so far that I have read... Thanks... My question is, did he also tell you how to dispose of the water/ethanol after separation? If you pour it out on the ground then is it contamination and will it get into well water later? Thanks Redghost

I certainly wouldn't advise pouring it on the ground, down the sewer or wastewater catchbasin. I suppose you could set it out to evaporate?

Oil waist drum with used oil recycle come to mind when you mention wastewater catch basin. If I pour it into my sewer pipes it would be the same as pouring it on the ground. Septic system is what I have, and since it is lighter than the water, it will go straight out in the drain field. Thanks for the ideas...

[dirtdobber]

In my parts none ethanol fuel is becoming very popular. So many are now carrying it.
I do like the idea on having it on hand. This is a good idea.
However, I had no idea you could do it.

[9394SEs]

I finally have some free time to monkey fart with so I'm trying to remove ethanol at home. The only question I have is does the ethanol/water mix actually discolor to the brownish hue or was this done using a modified method? Tia , Rick.

[PastoT]

I've only done this a few times when we had no local source of real gas. I recall the discoloration was the result. Either way the ethanol/water bonded was distinctly different in color from the gas atop it (after the separation was complete). I also use a slightly higher octane choice when doing this, like 89 vs 87; I was given the impression that the octane might drop as a result of this product manipulation. I do this in the fall for my tractor, lawn mower and other gas equipment that will be stored for the season. I also add Stabil to each tank. My bike doesn't remain parked long enough to warrant ethanol free or stabil supplemented gas, but ethanol free does noticeably increase my mpg.

[9394SEs]

Thanks. I rushed it one time and didn't get those results. We're having an incredibly mild winter here so I have a little free time to putter. We have ethanol free readily available here but I still want to try this.....what could possibly go wrong?? Ahahaha! Using distilled water about how long does it take the seperation to become visible?

[PastoT]

I shook mine up before I hung the tank in a mesh laundry bag with the nozzle and hose down and checked it a couple days later. I wasn't in a hurry so it could have been hours but it was separated clearly like two days later. It is important to not disturb the tank physically and perhaps it should be in an area where the temperature doesn't vary much; convection may hamper the process. I've only done three 5 gallon tanks but it seemed to work fine. Ethanol free here when you find it was nearly $4 per gallon lsat time I got it, but regual E-10 was $3/gal also. I really should go check again, its certainly time. Its nera the farm and no where near the ranch so 75 miles makes it rather inconvenient for me but if its closer I'm sure I would save the time and just buy it. Sounds like you're lucky enough to have it commercially available and that outs us in the minority.

[johnthomas99]

I've had a couple of 5 gallon jugs sitting in my shed for 3 years with 87 octane ethanol gas in them.

If I extract the ethanol by adding water and doing the separation thing, will the gas be good as new or should I just toss it?

thanks
John

[wingman12]

if you did not treat the fuel with a stabilizer before you put the gas in storage, I would say you can probably use a little at a time in your car to get rid of it. More than likely the gas has turned to varnish by now, you should be able to tell by smelling the old fuel.

[WingAdmin]

I've merged this discussion with the original How To, so that people who might be looking for information on the process will find your experiences to help them along.

[estavtn]

I am an aircraft mechanic and work with 100LL aviation gasoline. It has no ethanol and not nearly the additives car gas has. It is 100 octane and still has some lead in it (the LL means low lead). It lasts for years in tanks. I put it in my small engines for over-wintering. Locals use it in pulling tractors, three-wheelers racing and snow mobile racing. Some airports won't sell it unless it is going directly into an airplane. But maybe a pilot friend would sell some out of his plane. Just my experience.

[WingAdmin]

I am an aircraft mechanic and work with 100LL aviation gasoline. It has no ethanol and not nearly the additives car gas has. It is 100 octane and still has some lead in it (the LL means low lead). It lasts for years in tanks. I put it in my small engines for over-wintering. Locals use it in pulling tractors, three-wheelers racing and snow mobile racing. Some airports won't sell it unless it is going directly into an airplane. But maybe a pilot friend would sell some out of his plane. Just my experience.

100LL will work in GL1000, GL1100, GL1200 and GL1500's...however, the lead content will tend to foul the plugs with deposits, just like it does in piston aircraft when they are run for extended periods of time with relatively low temperature (i.e. idling on the ground during taxi, or during extended descents).

Do NOT use 100LL in a GL1800. The lead content will quickly foul and destroy the oxygen sensors. It will also foul and clog the catalytic converters in the exhausts.

[estavtn]

Great comments about concerns of lead content. Thanks for clarifying for all the concerns, especially catalytic converter effects.

[rjohnson]

Question: Can 100 LL aviation gasoline be used? It does not contain ethanol, but does cost upwards of $5.00 per gallon....if you can get it.

[WingAdmin]

Question: Can 100 LL aviation gasoline be used? It does not contain ethanol, but does cost upwards of $5.00 per gallon....if you can get it.

Yes, but expect to replace your lead-fouled spark plugs on a very regular basis.

[jrhillyst]

Thanks so much for this thread; I came across it by chance. I store up fuel when it gets cheap for the winter when I'm on generator power. I'm off grid, extremely remote, and have very little sunlight for the solar from mid Nov through the end of Jan.

Tapping a 55g drum (approx 9 mos old) of unleaded regular (10% blend) and screwing in the pump, I noted that it really firmed up as the fuel began going through the water block filter as I filled up two 5g jugs. But when I topped off the genset, the unit died before I got the choke off. Ahh, must've sucked up a little water. A little was an understatement. Darn, the fuel was put up with Heet and Stabile and capped tightly - what's up? It doesn't smell rotten?

When I began following the above inspection procedures, I couldn't believe how much $h1t had been pumped into the jugs. So I've set those aside, purged the pump, inst. a new filter and set the suction tube at midpoint. I'll take as much good fuel off the top as possible and then see how much I can salvage. The last bit isn't that important as far as loss, it's just that it's a danger to have around and other than starting slash piles, there's no value.

It's rather crazy that after all these years this is the 1st time I've experienced phase separation. So my thanks for a way to salvage some use and for the learning experience.

Best,
JRH

[Solo So Long]

Well, years later this came up in the GWD email, so here I am.

A few thoughts:

1) Ethanol is ADDED to regular gasoline at the distribution point -- they put the appropriate amount into the tanker for the amount of gasoline, then let it mix as they drive to the gas station. If you have a big-tank petroleum farm in your area, they MAY be able to sell you straight gasoline, or tell you where to get it. Tell them it's for a boat.

2) The wet-alcohol slurry that you drain out can easily be distilled back into water and ethanol -- small amounts at a time can then be put into your car gas tank.

3) Alcohol has an octane rating of 115. 93-octane gas is usually 89-octane with the alcohol in it.

4) DO NOT run aviation fuel in your GW. 100LL has THREE TIMES as much lead as 80/87 avgas (it is only "low lead" when compared to 115 or higher avgas), and "flat" engines don't play well with lead -- it fouls plugs, rings, valves and cylinder walls. Simply put, the small jugs in GW engines don't have anywhere to put all of that lead, and will give you trouble. Even a lot of pilots will use no-alcohol autogas in aircraft engines which will accept it.

5) The add-water process should be done THREE TIMES, or until you ONLY get gasoline on top of water, with no slurry. Give a good shake each time.

[Witty_Low]

Great write up! Thank you!