Ethanol Free Gas

[WheelHorse520H 706]

Greetings everyone,

I have used the website puregas.com to find ethanol free gas. The closest gas station for me is about an hour round trip, which as you can imagine is not reasonable every time I need to fill up a can. I stumbled across a video that explains how you can use de-ionized water to remove the ethanol but that has a risk of getting water in the gas. So what have you folks that can’t get it from the pump been doing? I saw TSC has an additive that stabilizes and prevents damage from ethanol, thoughts?

[ebinmaine 63,113]

5 minutes ago, WheelHorse520H said:

TSC has an additive that stabilizes and prevents damage from ethanol, thoughts?

I've seen no chemical proof that any non ethanol stabilizer additives work. 

Maybe there's a new one. 

Maybe they're still snake oils. 

 

Water and gas (oil) don't mix. 

I'd rather try to separate the two after removing the ethanol then continue using the E10 gas. 

 

We're very lucky here in Maine to have the ability to get non E gas at multiple stations. 

 

On the plus side the carb kits and fuel hoses are now more resistant to alcohol but that doesn't change the fact that alcohol appears to damage the carb bowl and possibly cylinder head. 

 

 

14 minutes ago, WheelHorse520H said:

The closest gas station for me is about an hour round trip, which as you can imagine is not reasonable every time I need to fill up a can

 

Buy more cans. Plan a trip that direction. Combine tasks. I purchase 17 to 20 gallons per trip. Maybe every 3 to 5 months depending on usage.  

[daveoman1966 3,610]

Sheetz is my gas source...about 20 minutes away.  Probablyt near an hour round-trip.  My solution: I have three 5-gal gas cans so as to avoid so many trips.  REAL gas will last for all summer...or years.  I don't recommend any so-called stabilizers. Here's what the product Stabil did to my carb a few years ago...until I got wise.   

[echris 1,425]

Since E10, every machine I have that isn't used regularly, now gets the tank valve shut off and run dry. No exceptions. Especially thing like my generator which lives outside in a very damp environment. The carb bowl would turn to white chunks in a matter of weeks.

If you keep the tank full and the carb empty, it helps tremendously.

[lynnmor 6,775]

19 minutes ago, WheelHorse520H said:

Greetings everyone,

I have used the website puregas.com to find ethanol free gas. The closest gas station for me is about an hour round trip, which as you can imagine is not reasonable every time I need to fill up a can. I stumbled across a video that explains how you can use de-ionized water to remove the ethanol but that has a risk of getting water in the gas. So what have you folks that can’t get it from the pump been doing? I saw TSC has an additive that stabilizes and prevents damage from ethanol, thoughts?

 

First, the website is: https://www.pure-gas.org/

 

Second, it is all snake oil.

 

Try searching some marinas near you, many people use ethanol free gas in their outboards.

[echris 1,425]

2 minutes ago, daveoman1966 said:

Sheetz is my gas source...about 20 minutes away.  Probablyt near an hour round-trip.  My solution: I have three 5-gal gas cans so as to avoid so many trips.  REAL gas will last for all summer...or years.  I don't recommend any so-called stabilizers. Here's what the product Stabil did to my carb a few years ago...until I got wise.   

The original Stabil did work well to keep gas fresher longer, especially 2 cycle.

But it doesn't work with E10. There's a newer version of Stabil so you have to make sure you get the right one, but I have no idea if it works with E10 like the original did with actual gas.

[ebinmaine 63,113]

23 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

Try searching some marinas near you, many people use ethanol free gas in their outboards

Some airports will sell to the public. Plane fuel isn't cheap but it's worth the extra cost to justify the longevity and extended service interval. 

[echris 1,425]

13 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Some airports will sell to the public. Plane fuel isn't cheap but it's worth the extra cost to justify the longevity and extended service interval. 

My brother had a boat at a marina on the Hudson River during the introduction of ethanol gas. Nearly every boat in the marina needed a complete fuel system overhaul the next season.

Those were bad times.
EDIT: Hey loook fellas, I just did a big dumb. I meant to quote @lynnmor 
 

38 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

Try searching some marinas near you, many people use ethanol free gas in their outboards.

Edited October 27, 2021 by echris

[SylvanLakeWH 24,129]

If you can’t get pure gas, run them dry before you put them in the stall… as @echris said above, it works…

 

[Achto 26,548]

31 minutes ago, daveoman1966 said:

 

 

That looks a lot like ethanol residue. I use Sea Foam religiously with E-free gas, 1oz per gallon in every gas can I fill and have never had a fuel related issue. I do run carburetors dry for long term storage, mainly over the winter. Multiple tractors sat through the winter and fired up without help in the spring last year. 

[echris 1,425]

Funny thing is, old school wisdom says to keep your diaphragm carbs juicy for best longevity.

E10 would beg to differ. 

[ebinmaine 63,113]

2 minutes ago, echris said:

Funny thing is, old school wisdom says to keep your diaphragm carbs juicy for best longevity.

E10 would beg to differ. 

 The Briggs engines with diaphragms on push mowers is what originally clued me in to the wonders of @#$_&+ ethanol. 

The little flappers would last 10 years or more without E. 

I was getting as little as 1 season after the change. 

[echris 1,425]

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

 The Briggs engines with diaphragms on push mowers is what originally clued me in to the wonders of @#$_&+ ethanol. 

The little flappers would last 10 years or more without E. 

I was getting as little as 1 season after the change. 

E10 says, "I prefer your carbs chunky."

[Skwerl58 634]

I am blessed with at least three non ethanol sites within 15 minutes. I usually buy the high octane 93 but will get the 87 at times. My Dad buys regular 87 and adds Startron treatment and he has very few fuel type issues. 

[ebinmaine 63,113]

3 minutes ago, Skwerl58 said:

regular 87 and adds Startron treatment and he has very few fuel type issues

Although Startron has a good reputation as a fuel injection system cleaner....

To the best of my knowledge it does nothing to negate the effects of ethanol. 

I'd be happy to see chemical proof that I'm wrong. 

 

IMHO if one spent the Startron money on E free gas one would be better off. 

 

 

We have a dozen or so small engines. 

Some get used only once or twice a year. 

If it's an engine I've rebuilt the carb on we have NO fuel type issues. 

We use em. We run em out of fuel. 

When next they're needed they start right up with no extra coaxing. 

 

We use NO additives.  

 

 

[Howie 882]

My small engine parts house was selling the Startron and I remember reading what

was on the bottle. It was at least advertised to help with the ethanol problems. But

I have never tried the stuff so really have no experience with it.

[lynnmor 6,775]

I wonder how many watched the Taryl video that  I linked to some weeks ago.  He did a very long term test of additives, conclusion….. all snake oil.

[WheelhorseBob 1,548]

I used Startron in my boat for years and feel it works for extended non use with ethanol laced fuel. That said I run non E in every thing I own that is seasonal now. Tractors, boat, ATV, classic car etc. Nearest station is 25 mins. away. Time well spent!

 

 

 

 

[adsm08 1,431]

The only way I know to separate the alcohol from the gas is water. It doesn't even have to be de-ionized, but that may work better.

 

The basic chemistry is simple. Gas and water don't mix at all, except under extreme conditions. Alcohol and gas can be convinced to mix, but won't stay together forever. The alcohol wants to bond to water. So if you add some water to the mix, shake it up well, and let it settle out the alcohol will come out of the gas and bond to the water.

 

I use this principal at work, when I have to diagnose rich or lean running conditions. We have to determine how much alcohol is in the fuel, if the amount is appropriate for the vehicle, and if it's a flex fuel vehicle, if it is at least close to what the computer thinks it is running. We put a set amount of gas in a test tube, a set amount of water, draw a line at the separation, shake it up good, and come back in five minutes then calculate the alcohol percentage based on how far the water moved up.

[dcrage 621]

Just don’t think that you are removing ALL of the ethanol when using water extraction. You are at the mercy of the solubility of ethanol in gas versus in water (and it is soluble in gas!).

[wh500special 2,053]

What are you guys who are washing their gasoline doing with this extracted mix of alcohol and water?

 

You can bet you’re also removing at least some of the various additives that the gas manufacturer puts in there to achieve various functions. 
 

Steve

[roadapples 6,981]

I've asked this before and never got an answer, why is everything snake oil except sea foam.....

[squonk 38,916]

When I worked at Napa we sold it all. But I saw Sea Foam work on all kinds of engines, removing carbon, freeing lifters on my own stuff. So that's what I recommended.

[Skipper 1,788]

 

two stroke oil. Just saying.

 

I know some don't believe it, but it does prevent the green snot etc. At least the type I use does over here in EU land. Don't see why it shouldn't work on US gas. 

 

Think about it! Have you ever had gunk and fuel related carb issues in any two stroke engine? I haven't.

 

I use Castrol fully synthetic 2 stroke oil in all my own machines, and on all the ones that get into my store in the fall, to be sold in spring/summer. After I started using it, I have not had a single fuel related problem. Is that just a coincident? No, I do not believe so. My chainsaw can sit for years before use, and also no problem at all. Before I tried this, I had all sorts of issues on the 4 strokers. One thing is for sure. This ain't snake oil, and worst case, you just lube your engines internals a little better.

 

Over here we can not get ethanol free gas, except some ridiculously priced stuff in jugs, so there really is no alternative to finding a solution, and this seems to do the trick. 

 

I know it's unconventional, but I think it's worth a try

 

 

Edited October 27, 2021 by Skipper

[ebinmaine 63,113]

5 hours ago, roadapples said:

I've asked this before and never got an answer, why is everything snake oil except sea foam.....

 

I'm not speaking on the account of any others here.

 

When I personally refer to something as being snake oil for the usage of negating the effects of ethanol in the gasoline it's because I have not seen one that actually does anything.

 

Startron, Seafoam, and several other products are very good at what they do.

That is cleaning.

That is not eliminating the ethanol or it's negative effects on old school rubber, plastic, and aluminum.

 

In our fleet I am a big believer in removing and cleaning the item or items that is causing the problem and not trying to sugarcoat something

 

I do have a spray can of Seafoam engine cleaner here that I have used for diagnostics and that is all it gets used for.

 

If an engine is faltering and I spray that in there and it gets a little better that is one of the ways that I tell myself that I need to disassemble that machine.