Home made ethanol-free fuel

Dave41A

Member
I did a search of the archives and it seems like ethanol fuel is causing some problems. I have had problems with it causing rust in both the fuel tank and carburetor of my '53 Ford NAA. The ideal solution is to be able to purchase ethanol-free gas, but this is not available in all states.

However, I work with a fuels chemist, who is working on the application of ethanol fuel in a marine environment. Based on his research, I have developed/stumbled across the following method for removing ethanol from gasoline, which I provide for the reference of anyone having similar problems and who does not otherwise have access to zero-ethanol gasoline. This is based on real science, and requires no "snake oil" or other mystery additives.

Be sure to follow all common sense fuels safety procedures when working with fuels. Smoking and static-discharge are real hazards. Work in a well-ventilated space. Comply with all laws regarding the use and disposal of fuels or by-products.

Required components:
5 gallons ethanol-blended gasoline
0.5 gallons water
5 gal Plastic fuel container w/ tight lid.
2 gal plastic fuel container
Portable fuel tank (such as used for outboard motors--at least 5 gal capacity)
Clear tubing and fuel petcock
Support stand for portable tank (Table, workbench, etc.)
OPTIONAL: water-based food coloring (green or blue is best)

Directions: If desired, mix a few drops food coloring with the water. Starting with the 5 gal of ethanol blended fuel in the 5 gal container w/ the lid, add the 0.5 gal of water to the fuel (you may have to pour off 0.5 gallons to make room for the water). The water will settle to the bottom. Install lid tightly.

SHAKE the fuel-water mix vigorously for about 30 minutes. Three 10 minute sessions with breaks in between is fine. The fuel needs to be *really* well-mixed.

TRANSFER the water-fuel mix to the outboard fuel tank. Get every last drop.

WAIT overnight while the fuel separates.

SIPHON the mixture from the outboard fuel tank through the clear tube fitted with the petcock. The support stand is helpful here (to keep the tank elevated). The first gallon or so of liquid will be the colored water-ethanol mix. This should go into the smaller, 2-gallon tank and will be readily visible in the clear tubing by its color. Eventually, the water-fuel interface will be reached, and a water-fuel mixture will start flowing. Finally, straight gasoline (no water) will begin flowing. Use the petcock to shut off the flow, and transfer the hose to the 5-gallon container. Allow the siphon to complete, draining all the remaining fuel into the 5-gallon container.

The 5-gallon container now hold approximately 4.5 gallons of ethanol-free fuel, and the 2-gallon container will hold about 0.9 gallons of ethanol-water mix and a little bit of gasoline that was unavoidably siphoned with it.

Actual test results:
Start: 9% Ethanol gasoline, 1710 ppm water (0.17%)
Finish: less than 1% ethanol*, 304 ppm water (0.03%)

*Dielectric fuel sensor to measure ethanol content cannot read below 1%. Digital titration results were used for the water ppm measurements (which results in higher accuracy).

The finished fuel is essentially 100% hydrocarbon, and is lower in water content than the "fresh" gas from the station.

How it works: Water and gas normally don't mix, but ethanol will mix with both and can keep all three together in a mixture--to a limit. Ethanol is also "hygroscopic": it absorbs water from the air. As the fuel sits in the tank, it absorbs water from the air through the vented fuel cap. The fuel in the carburetor also absorbs water through the air in the intake. Both of these processes are distinct from "condensation" issues associated with partially-full tanks.

Eventually the water content of the fuel becomes so great that the mixing tendencies of the ethanol are overcome, and the fuel rapidly (overnight) "phase separates." The layer of water/ethanol forms on the bottom, and this layer is highly corrosive to vintage fuel systems.

The above procedure essentially forces the process to occur in a controlled environment so the ethanol may be drawn off. The resulting fuel actually has a water content lower than that of "fresh" gas because the ethanol has been removed, and the fuel has lost its hygroscopic properties.

Note that the 4.5 gallons of gasoline will have a lower octane rating than when purchased as ethanol has an octane of 118 and boosts the octane of the fuel. This fuel (approximately 80 octane) should be fine in most vintage engines. Xylene or toluene can be added to restore the octane if desired (about 10% of volume--0.5 gallons for the 4.5 gallons of gas). Avoid commercial octane boosters as these are (surpise) mostly ethanol.

Also avoid the use of "ethanol treatment" with the fuel. Ethanol treatment is an emulsifant--it allows water and oil to mix. Keeping the fuel in hydrocarbon form allows any water that may be present in the fuel system to collect in the glass water-separation globe as it was designed to do. The emulsifant merely delays, but does not prevent, the phase-separation process, and actually helps the fuel dissolve more water then it otherwise would. It works for short-term applications but results in a larger water layer at the bottom of the fuel when (not if) it finally separates.

There are many readers who likely run their tractors every day and avoid ethanol phase-separation problems this way. However, this is not always possible. Also, once phase-separation begins, adding fresh ethanol-blended fuel can actually trigger more separation (as it introduces more ethanol to the system), so "topping off" a tank every day is not always helpful. Also be aware that, despite various legends, "premium" gas also contains ethanol, unless labelled otherwise.

All of these results were obtained using standard 87 octane commercially-available gasoline purchased in Connecticut in October and November (e.g. winter blend). Your local mix & quality of fuels may vary with location and time of year.

I hope you find this information helpful. If anything is unclear, please post any questions and I will gladly answer them.

Dave
 
Too many of us have been using the 10% blend for like 40 pluss yrs in all kinds of engines,weather ect and now you have all the answers about how bad it is.
 
Thank you for sharing. I would not run any ethanol fuel thru and old tractor, car or seasonal item, ie mower, chain saws etc. they all get nothing but 100 low lead from local airport
 
You will end up with low octane garbaged up fuel good for starting fires. The only greif with ethanol is (as you are doing) if massive water gets into it. There are some rubber hoses that were a problem, We use it in everything from Maytag washing machine engines, ti Farmalls, and chainsaws. It will no cause rust!! I stick to these ideas. Jim
 
Thank you for your reply. However, the fuel is only slightly reduced in octane (to about 80) and actually has a lower water content (measured in ppm) than that sold commercially. Vintage engines were built to run on about 70 octane fuel. Also, since it is ethanol-free, it will not absorb moisture from the air, which is E10's biggest drawback. Best regards, Dave
 
I don't know what his problem is, but he is sure going through a lot of messing around for nothing. Here we just burn it as it comes. My tractors can set over winter with no problems. My H sat for 2 years with a 1/4 tank of E10 in it. My son put the battery in and fired it up & drove it to the gas barrel & added some fresh gas. Here in mid Mn. we have ups and downs in temps and humidity, frost & fog, you name it, we get it.
 
Thank you. When the project started, I checked that list and the closest ethanol-free fuel was in Vermont (several hours drive). I see the list in my area has since expanded. None are particularly close, but at least present some high-octane alternatives to the home-made method. Best regards,
Dave
 
You're welcome! What price do you pay for AVGAS, relative to unleaded? Unleaded locally for me is about $3.15 right now (Nov 2014). Thanks, Dave
 
I have a question.

How comes I have been burning ethanol in all engines from lawn mowers to Farmall MTA's to 560 to pickups and cars since 1976 and have never had a fuel problem if ethanol is so bad?

Gary
 
Teddy:

Glad to hear you're not having any problems. My lawnmowers, etc all seem unaffected. However, my NAA is uniquely attacked by rust, internal to the fuel system. Even a complete drain-down of tank & bowl followed by a re-fill with fresh ethanol-blend gasoline rusted up the carburetor bowl & clogged the jets in about 3 weeks as water appeared--despite weekly use. I suspect that small pools of phase-separated fuel may have remained in the tank's baffles after drain-down, which then "seeded" further phase-separation when fresh ethanol-blend gas was added. I hope this never happens to your H.

Best regards, Dave
 
Excellent question. It would be an interesting study to see why some engines are affected and others are not. My experience is not that E10 is bad--its just not suitable for all engines. Like you, my lawnmowers, etc seem unaffected. However, the NAA seems to be attacked quickly by rust and water-ethanol/ gasoline phase separation. When last run in the spring, I drained both tank & bowl, and sprayed the carb with WD-40 through the fuel line inlet (to get it in the bowl). It remained rust-free all summer until this fall, when I put E10 in it to run it again. In as little as 3 weeks, phase separation began and rust started to form, clogging the main jet.

In the mean-time, if you're having good luck with ethanol-blended fuels, I hope it continues. Send some of it (the luck, that is) my way! Best regards, Dave
 
WOW! What a bunch of nasty comments!!!!! Whats the deal guys?? Some of you are being just down right rude!!

I for one think that it is a very good idea, and this weekend I plan on trying it out! I think that many options are better than the E10, and I personally do have issues with the E10 in some things, yes that is SOME things.

One of the worst affected is my Kawasaki Bayou 300 4-Wheeler, it HATES E10, but my goodness, it runs good on the Non-E stuff... :)

Would something like this work if I did the math and ramped it up to a 55 gallon drum, and ran say 40 gallons of gas in it (to accommodate for water)??

We are working on starting a 165 gallon fuel station, made out of three 55 gallon drums and a hand pump... Would be nice to make non-e for them...

Thanks again for the info, I copied all of it and printed it off to put into my shop book, looks like a lot of hard work went into a fantastic formula!

Bryce
 
When I first read this I knew it would open a bag of worms. If people don't have problem with E10, congrats. He is just showing people that do have a problem a solution that isn't expensive and most can do at home. If you don't have something nice to say KEEP IT SHUT. I for one haven't had problems with it in some bigger tractors but a couple small engines seem to lose gas lines quicker. I'm not blaming e-10 or anything just pointing out a fact. I appreciate this remedy and if need be will use it to help in the future. Plus I can appreciate the science/chemistry behind it, I tend to be a big science nerd.
 
Bryce:

Thanks for the positive review and enthusiasm! At that scale you propose, I would suggest a "cone bottomed tank," such as is sometimes used for bio-diesel production. An internet search will provide several suppliers. Suitably sized containers should be used for the by-product. Bear in mind that 0.5 gal water + 0.5 gal ethanol =0.9 gal water/ethanol mix, as some of the volume of one "dissolves" into the other. Water should be added at about 10% of the gasoline content, by volume to maximize separation. Testing with ratios from 1% ethanol up to 20% in the laboratory showed that E10 is about the most prone to phase separation, which fortunately also makes it the easiest to separate out. Waste (ethanol-water mix) will be equal to about 20% of the original fuel, by volume.

I anticipate one of your biggest challenges will be the mixing. My first attempts did not feature as much mixing, and reduced ethanol content to only 7% (down from 9%). However, water content went up. More mixing solved this.

In a large batch, I suppose a re-circ line with an approved fuel pump could be used to mix it thoroughly before allowing it to settle overnight and phase-separate. Stripping the water off the bottom is also easier in the cone-bottomed tank, as gasoline is not entrained in the water as happens when siphoning. I would not attempt to manually mix that much fuel due to fume exposure and splashing risks.

Your other problem is going to be waste removal. The ethanol could possibly be extracted from the water by "salting," and re-cycled as a camping fuel or motor fuel (in unaffected engines). It will contain dissolved gasoline as well as other contaminants, so is not food-grade. Regardless of what you do with it, identifying a safe and environmentally-friendly destination for your by-products will be important at any large scale operation.

Best regards, Dave
 
Fullers:

Thanks for the supporting comments, and happy to hear you're not affected like I am. I got started in this arena 20 years ago as a shipboard fuel tank inspector. They were all diesel (200,000+ gallons), but prone to HUGE water contamination problems, being in a marine environment. Gasoline was historically less affected (such as when MBTE was the oxygenator), but the transition to E10 has brought water problems to gasoline as well, in some applications. Regards, Dave
 
Gene I too have used ethanol fuel for a long time BUTTTT I have had trouble with it in many engines. The smaller the engine the more trouble. I got tired of cleaning the carburetors out on the weed eater and lawn mowers. So I have ponied up and bough the higher priced ethanol free fuel for my small engines the last 4-5 years. I have not had to clean as many carburetors.

I think the actual problem is not the ethanol. I think it is the fact that the ethanol has a much higher octane so the refiners can blend it with a much lower octane gas and still get the 87 octane that is the common gas. So when the ethanol is compromised by water or evaporation the remaining fuel will not work very well.

I also think that the varying results are supplier related. Different suppliers using a different base gas to blend with. If the base gas is pretty good quality then the troubles with the blend are much fewer.
 
Just remember though that as the OP said, you end up with only an 80-85 octane gas that while OK in most 60 year old tractor engines, it would be a disaster in a modern 2 cycle that demands 91 octane. I have a small 2 cycle gen set that detonates badly on even 87 octane regular.
As I read on this site, some hard working old IH gas engines need high octane fuel or will burn valves.
 
Since ethanol will start to separate at about 3% water contamination you must be getting water in the fuel from somewhere. Since alcohol works to keep water in suspension in the gasoline I would think that removing the alcohol would only make the water problems worse rather than better.

I'm guessing that the problems with water in the ethanol in parts of the country have more to do with how the fuel is handled rather than the fuel itself. Alcohol has to be added to the gasoline just prior to retail delivery. If ethanol is shipped by pipeline it will be contaminated with water.
 
(quoted from post at 00:10:00 11/18/14) I have a question.

How comes I have been burning ethanol in all engines from lawn mowers to Farmall MTA's to 560 to pickups and cars since 1976 and have never had a fuel problem if ethanol is so bad?

Gary

That's a good question and something I have wondered myself. There are a lot of people like yourself that are credible in what they say but I know from personal experience that the 10% ethanol that is sold in the south does cause problems especially in small engines. It doesn't store well at all. In cars and trucks the mileage drop is at least 10%. The times I'm in Iowa it does seem like your blend does better in my vehicles, it my be because of our higher humidity??
 
Many years ago a friend along the water convinced me that empty fuel tanks are the cause of condensation; sit there day after day, all season long, and cool down and heat up, and breathe hot-&-cold in-&-out all season long, and the in-and-out of atmosphere moisture brings in condensation. Dponnn't know, but I try to keep all tanks full. SPECIALLY unused tanks. Works forme.
 
Let's start by dispelling one myth: there is no such thing as "pure" gasoline. Gasoline is a mixture of a dozen or more compounds and is formulated to have certain properties including octane and vapor pressure. When ethanol is added to gasoline, it contributes to those properties, which means the composition of the rest of the fuel is adjusted accordingly. When you remove the ethanol, you're affecting the properties of your fuel. Bottom line: don't expect your alcohol-free gasoline to have the same octane or Reid Vapor Pressure as the gas you started out with. And don't expect it to burn as clean as the original E10.

Let's not forget you're spending a lot of time to reduce the volume of your fuel by 10 percent, which makes your fuel much more expensive. (Assuming you value your time.) It would be cheaper and easier to buy 100LL avgas at your local airport.

I'm no fan of gasohol; I think it's environmentally and economically unsound to convert grain into fuel. But I also think it's gotten a bad rap; most gasoline sold in the US for the past twenty years has had ethanol in it, yet documented cases where ethanol caused fuel system problems are relatively rare. I have about sixteen gasoline engines at my place (counting cars, tractors, generators, mowers and other power equipment), yet I haven't experienced any problems I could definitely attribute to ethanol.
 
Seems an easier way would been to heat it to 180 degrees if you want the alcohol out, since it vaporizes at 170 and gas will not vaporize until 250. Seems silly all around to me. Or just take your carb off and make a vaporizer in place of it.
 
Guess I'm lucky a local station (run by the local farmers coop) has ethanol free gas so I can buy all I want.They have 12 pumps with ethanol free and
6 pumps with ethanol mix so its pretty obvious folks will pay a little more to get the good stuff.
 
If fuel is rusting up your tractor fuel system, you have a supplier problem or an additive that is peculiar to your area of the country. I think additive requirements that vary region to region are why so many people have varying success with E10. I live in the free state of IN without crazy emmission laws and have no trouble with E10, had it for years. I find E85 keeps better than E10, that alone tells me ethanol is not the problem because E85 has fewer "clean air" additives due to the ethanol. Think on this, if ethanol goes bad, why do distillers age whiskey?
 
Let me tell you my view of your problem.

By leaving your tank completely dry it is forming rust while empty caused by condensation.

If you would leave some ethanol in the tank it would absorb the water and hold it in suspension. While in suspension and surrounded by gasoline it would not form rust.

Then when starting the tractor the little bit of water in suspension would go through the carb and be burnt with the ethanol blend and would never form any rust.

I have tractors sitting with 2 year old 10% ethanol in them and start them from time to time and never have issues with rust or clogging of the carb.

A Farmall 300 that I bought 15 years ago had issues with rust when I got it plugging the screen on the sediment bowl. I cleaned it maybe 5 times and just kept running E 10 in the 300 and now it may set for 6 months and start right up and run fine. And the rust is gone.

Once you guys run enough e 10 to clean the old crud out of your tanks your issues with E 10 will subside.

Gary
 
I am sure it is not the actual ethanol causing rust, it is more the amount of water in the ethanol that is causing the rust, would adding dry gas help eliminate the water and therefore reduce the rust problems???? I hate the fact that we are basically forced to use fuel that we do not want, but there has to be an easier way than essentially "seperating" back out the garbage we did not want in our fuel in the first place.
 
Good point Alan, I have never had problems with my small engines that sit most of the year, but I always put them away full, without the preservatives. I tried the preservatives once, had to rebuild the carbs on everything i had put it in, and the ones I did not started just fine in the spring after sitting. Full tanks may just be the reason, no space for additional condensation.
 
What do you think "dry gas" is? That's right, alcohol, albeit a different kind, but alcohol none the less with similar properties. If ethanol free gas is better at not getting water in it, why has "dry gas" been around so long?
 
I will add my own observation here....
I have found that SOME small engines have no problems with E10 while others become so gunked up as to become SCRAP. Further investigation shows that the ones with the carbs on the top of the fuel tank are somewhat immune to any such problems. Reason being that the carbs are made from plastic or white metal casting, and have a minimum of susceptible parts (needle and seat, float, fuel bowl, O-rings, etc.) Therefore are tolerant of varied fuel mixes. Those with the more complex carbs are more affected by the ethanol. I have several carbs that got "ethanol-ed" and are simply no longer serviceable.

It is a FACT that ethanol attacks rubber components in a fuel system. Whether or not you are a Midwestern corn farmer. In this case, follow the money.

I also question those that say that they have been using E10 since the 1970s. The first time I saw alcohol blended fuel was around 1972. It was said to be 10% alcohol, but was blended with methanol, not ethanol. It never gained any popularity in my area, and after a year or two just faded away. The E10 started appearing in this area about 2008. Also note that ethanol has been used in many urban areas as an oxygenator, but in less concentration than the 10% found in E10. So, how does one use a fuel that has not been marketed for 30 or 40 years??? Just my two cents' worth.
 
I guess I'm one of the lucky ones but I've had never had any problems with my lawn mower,weed eater,chain saw,antique tractors,etc...I've always used the 90/10 blend..I dont even leave the tanks full or use any additives....I used to have more problems back in the old days..
 
(quoted from post at 19:57:32 11/17/14) Too many of us have been using the 10% blend for like 40 pluss yrs in all kinds of engines,weather ect and now you have all the answers about how bad it is.

Gene, they just don't give up, do they?
 
>gas will not vaporize until 250

Spill a little gas on the floor and see it vaporize at room temperature.

If you want to try boiling gas to get out the ethanol, please do it when nobody else is around to get incinerated with you when it blows.
 
I have a local station that sells "boat gas" No alcohol. No more than my small engines, chain saws, weed eaters, etc. use, I buy the no alcohol stuff and get along fine.

My pickup truck gets whatever I run across.

Gene
 
Gasoline is made of many different compounds, some will vaporize at room temperatures.

That really is the problem - gasoline is a dirty fuel, with many different properties. It gunks up the tanks and fuel systems.

Ethanol is more stable, it cleans out the crap in old gas fuel systems.

That old gunk being cleaned up is the 'problem' many of you have with ethanol.

Here in Minnesota we've had ethanol gas for decades, our fuel systems are cleaned up, and we don't have so much trouble.

Those of you that have run gas all the time, and now ethanol gas it a new thing, your supplier is getting his tanks cleaned out, your storage tank is getting cleaned out, and your vehicle tank is getting cleaned out.

All that old funky gasoline crud is getting sent to your carb in a short time, you are not changing your filters, and there is your problem.....

Get your equipment cleaned out, get the old crap out, and things will then work pretty well.

To the original poster Dave, I enjoyed your message, it is interesting from a Science view. Me, I'm looking for ways to get E15 available, so likely won't be using your methods. ;)

Paul
 
I believe that Minnesota was the first state to mandate that all gasoline have 10% ethanol. That took affect in January 1997. The 10% blend was available for quite a while before that date. After that date non alcohol blended fuel was available Only for limited exemptions such as small engines, aircraft use, marine use, or antique automobiles.

If you already have rust in a fuel system the ethanol will clean it out. As has been mentioned before, ethanol gets blamed for causing a lot of problems when it is only cleaning things up. That includes cleaning up the equipment used to deliver the fuel to the retail customer. I think every area of the country has experienced those problems when ethanol fuels are first mandated there. Once everything gets cleaned up most of the problems go away.
 
I believe the problems that some people have with E-10 in their small engines and marine engines are regional in nature. In spite of using Star-tron conditioner in my small engines, I have had to replace several carburetors over the past few years. Typically the metal in small engine carburetors is a light alloy, containing zinc. My ruined carburetors have had a white sticky paste coating the surfaces inside (zinc oxide?), and when the paste is cleaned off, the metal is severly pockmarked. In effect, the fuel acts as a weak acid, and zinc is a weak metal on the nobility scale. It sacrifices ions to the solution, just like the zinc anode rod in a water heater. In my area of eastern VA, summer time humidity stays above 90% much of the time, and I believe that this can cause problems which may not be experienced in other climates. Our local Marina recently installed a 5000 gallon non-ethanol gas tank. Although they also have E-10 pumps, I notice all of the boat owners pulling up to the non-ethanol pump and paying about .50/gal more. E10 works fine in all of my on-road vehicles, and terrible in carbureted engines in my region. I am using non-ethanol gas in all of my small engines for the last year or so, and no more problem.
 

Did your Fuels Chemist check the Reid vapor pressure before and after? I would be concerned that would fall out of spec and could be a problematic for winter operation.
 

I know some people have zero issues with ethanol gas. I've had lots of problems, full tanks, empty tanks, doesn't seem to make a difference. I think it's the additives in the fuel reacting with mix oils or plastics. Just my opinion and experience. I'd prefer no alcohol if I can get it.
 
Thanks Dave for taking the time to intelligently address the situation and sharing the results with us.

Mark
 
That seems like a lot of trouble! And what do you do with the left over water/alcohol mix?

In my area most gasoline is 10% ethanol. But one station sells no ethanol premium gas. It is a bit more expensive than the regular mix, but not that much.

I know the owner of that station. He gets the no ethanol premium gas out of Montana, and it costs him more than the regular stuff that is available in Spokane. But he gets the no alcohol product because of consumer demand--people buy it. I use it in my chain saws and other 2 cycle equipment, as it is supposed to work better for them.

Unless there is some kind of a state law that says ALL gasoline has to have a percentage of alcohol in it, I bet there is someone that sells gasoline without any alcohol in it.

For most things, I have not had any problems using the common gasoline with alcohol in it. When the mixes first came out years ago, I found that I needed to change fuel filters more often, but then that problem seemed to go away. I think that most things built in the last 30 years have been engineered to handle contact with alcohol.

But maybe it might be worth it to avoid alcohol/gasoline in old tractors, especially ones that are very seldom run. I just think that removing the alcohol from a mix, while maybe possible, is extremely cumbersome. And I would BET that the resulting gas would have more water in it than would be preferable. We always used to add ALCOHOL to gas in the winter to avoid gas line freezing! Good luck!
 

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