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When ethanol blends were introduced, I started adding an additive to my gasoline engines. Does anyone routinely run a fuel additive?
I infrequently use my small gasoline engines (many will sit for 2-4 weeks between use, hooked to battery tenders, etc.), so I have added gasoline additives for many years and to date, not experience a fuel related issue. My use of additives is consistent with this description here POLARIS LUBRICANTS, and curious how others are handling fuels.No. Why would you want to.
It's the same here,The powers that be dont want us to have it.:mad-new:To get non-ethanol fuel in my region is a challenge :icon_frown:
Pulling water off the bottom is something I have thought of many times, similar to diesel tractors, something simple like https://www.google.com/search?q=water+separator+on+diesel+tractor&biw=1097&bih=559&tbm=isch&imgil=KZWcdO19Hj1HoM%253A%253BtMqH7ek5ZFe_SM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.aliexpress.com%25252Fpromotion%25252Fpromotion_racor-diesel-fuel-water-separator-promotion.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=KZWcdO19Hj1HoM%253A%252CtMqH7ek5ZFe_SM%252C_&usg=__XyOXcZczqK6emi_vNTquzHrOl_U%3D&ved=0CDkQyjc&ei=S7HKVPTDE4WiyATg54HYCg#imgdii=_&imgrc=PAPamROQip1-lM%253A%3BLTXdWwwcedqEqM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fi01.i.aliimg.com%252Fwsphoto%252Fv1%252F1267684373_1%252FValtra-tractors-Racor-parker-900FG-turbocharger-Turbine-diesel-engine-fuel-water-separator-filter-MAN-scania-truck.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.aliexpress.com%252Fstore%252Fgroup%252FDiesel-engine-fuel-water-separator-filter%252F234760_253294370.html%3B229%3B328Hummm... Been thinking about this for awhile (yeah, I know, I need to get a life!), and I think we need to apply some "Bill Nye the Science Guy" stuff to this topic. OK, so I may be WAAAAAY out in left field - so anyone with a modicum of knowledge on the subject is encouraged to chime in, especially if I'm wrong.
Let's start with the premise that ALL gasoline contains water. The problem arises when that water separates from the gasoline and settles to the bottom of the tank (phase separation) where it gets sucked up by the fuel pump and introduced into your carburetor or fuel injectors. Water don't burn so good...
First - what if your ethanol-free gas isn't really ethanol-free as Larry states? There is a very easy way to tell.and many others, do a Google search for "test for ethanol."
Do fuel stabilizers (Sta-Bil, Star Tron, Sea Foam, etc) really prevent phase separation? Some "experts" contend that they don't, that they actually just increase the volatility of your gas/water mixture - especially Sea Foam (the one I use) because it may contain alcohol, which is essentially the same as ethanol. Should be easy enough to test, do the same test as above after adding one of the products. If someone doesn't beat me to it, I'll run those tests when I get suitable containers.
Another thought crossed my mind - what if (after phase separation) you siphoned the water portion of your fuel out by jacking up the alternate rear corner of your machine (left or right rear depending on what side your fuel tank is on) so that all the water is in outboard, front corner of your fuel tank - gas floats on top of water so a weighted siphon tube should work. I have read that after phase separation, the octane of the fuel is lower - question is, how much lower and would it make a significant difference? Would an octane booster restore the octane (and how much to use?)? Would the chemical makeup of the gas after loosing that much natural water be changed enough to matter? I'm not going let fuel sit in my tank long enough (hopefully) to test that out that scenario.
One other thought crossed my mind (back to me getting a life...). Our gas tanks are vented and that venting allows more moisture to enter our tanks. What if we were to clamp off or plug the vent tube during long periods of inactivity? Would probably be OK if the machine were fairly temperature controlled - ie, an unvented gas can left in the sun expands significantly! Or better yet, instead of the lawnmower filters we use, is there such thing a filter with desiccant (water absorbing material like in a medicine bottle) in it?
That hurt - time for a nap...
Hummm... Been thinking about this for awhile (yeah, I know, I need to get a life!), and I think we need to apply some "Bill Nye the Science Guy" stuff to this topic. OK, so I may be WAAAAAY out in left field - so anyone with a modicum of knowledge on the subject is encouraged to chime in, especially if I'm wrong.
Let's start with the premise that ALL gasoline contains water. The problem arises when that water separates from the gasoline and settles to the bottom of the tank (phase separation) where it gets sucked up by the fuel pump and introduced into your carburetor or fuel injectors. Water don't burn so good...
First - what if your ethanol-free gas isn't really ethanol-free as Larry states? There is a very easy way to tell.and many others, do a Google search for "test for ethanol."
Do fuel stabilizers (Sta-Bil, Star Tron, Sea Foam, etc) really prevent phase separation? Some "experts" contend that they don't, that they actually just increase the volatility of your gas/water mixture - especially Sea Foam (the one I use) because it may contain alcohol, which is essentially the same as ethanol. Should be easy enough to test, do the same test as above after adding one of the products. If someone doesn't beat me to it, I'll run those tests when I get suitable containers.
Another thought crossed my mind - what if (after phase separation) you siphoned the water portion of your fuel out by jacking up the alternate rear corner of your machine (left or right rear depending on what side your fuel tank is on) so that all the water is in outboard, front corner of your fuel tank - gas floats on top of water so a weighted siphon tube should work. I have read that after phase separation, the octane of the fuel is lower - question is, how much lower and would it make a significant difference? Would an octane booster restore the octane (and how much to use?)? Would the chemical makeup of the gas after loosing that much natural water be changed enough to matter? I'm not going let fuel sit in my tank long enough (hopefully) to test that out that scenario.
One other thought crossed my mind (back to me getting a life...). Our gas tanks are vented and that venting allows more moisture to enter our tanks. What if we were to clamp off or plug the vent tube during long periods of inactivity? Would probably be OK if the machine were fairly temperature controlled - ie, an unvented gas can left in the sun expands significantly! Or better yet, instead of the lawnmower filters we use, is there such thing a filter with desiccant (water absorbing material like in a medicine bottle) in it?
That hurt - time for a nap...
One other thought crossed my mind (back to me getting a life...). Our gas tanks are vented and that venting allows more moisture to enter our tanks. What if we were to clamp off or plug the vent tube during long periods of inactivity? Would probably be OK if the machine were fairly temperature controlled - ie, an unvented gas can left in the sun expands significantly! Or better yet, instead of the lawnmower filters we use, is there such thing a filter with desiccant (water absorbing material like in a medicine bottle) in it?