DaveN Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Anybody ever tried this? I suppose it may be useful for the winter layup! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ETHANIL-STANDARD-KIT-remove-ethanol-from-petrol-yourself-/161872028988?hash=item25b053253c:g:Q98AAOSwHnFV3XDx Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stillp Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 50 quid to treat 17 litres! Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don H. Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Ethanol-free fuel can be found in many parts of the US if one hunts. Sites like puregas.org help. Some of the more reliable places to find ethanol-free here are boat marinas. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 50 quid to treat 17 litres! Pete It's 17 litres each time you use it. It can be used an unlimited number of times for no further outlay. Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 OK so how does that work then? Stuart Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 I'm guessing. Add water to petrol. Shake it around to get the ethanol to mix with the water. Allow it to stand. For how long who knows. Siphon petrol off the top of the water/ethanol layer. If that's half way correct I think I'll stick to using Eric all year round. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Yes thats right. Basically what you are buying here is a very expensive plastic can and a funnel. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nowtelse2do Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Total does'nt have any ethanol added to all its brands of petrol and most of the other's don't add it to their super grades, that was up to last year so it may have changed since then. Shell were the only one who refused to say if they added ethanol to any grade of their petrol. Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 There is an easier way. Pour the petrol AND water into a bucket - stand back and set light to the bucket/contents. What is left is water and that can then be thrown away. Wait a mo - I've got to think about that one Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don H. Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 (edited) Filtering out water from fuel can be done with one of the special membrane funnels like Mr Funnel. http://www.mrfunnel.com/Mr._Funnel/Home.html It might indeed work to add additional water to selectively move the ethanol to the aqueous phase. I doubt that would get it all -- I'd need to look at the chemistry in more detail. Edited November 2, 2015 by Don H. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
barkerwilliams Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Ok, once we have our Ethanol and water mixture is it useful for anything? Rat poison, paint stripper, are there any worthwhile uses? Alan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Don H. Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Ok, once we have our Ethanol and water mixture is it useful for anything? Rat poison, paint stripper, are there any worthwhile uses? Alan Maybe add a drop or two of detergent and put it in your windscreen washer reservoir? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
monty Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 I have never really seen or heard a satisfactory comment regarding the effects the generally low amount of ethanol in UK fuel has on our vehicles. It appears to me that the subject is generally ignored, with nobody really giving a definitive answer as to whether it is a real problem or not. Even people restoring & working on classic cars do not seem to know what should be done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Back in the day they used to sell Cleveland Discol petrol which had ethanol as a basic ingredient. I don't remember hearing any problems from that. http://vintagegarage.co.uk/histories/history-cleveland-petrols Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Uses for an alcohol and water mixture? Gosh! That's a poser! Perhaps you could bottle it and give it away as Xmas presents? A picture of piper in tartan on the label might help it be appreciated. John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nick Jones Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Ok, once we have our Ethanol and water mixture is it useful for anything? Rat poison, paint stripper, are there any worthwhile uses? Alan Add sloes and sugar? I've been using standard 95 pump fuel in my Vitesse for many years now, mostly 5% ethanol I guess but also some 10% when driving in Europe. No problems apart from one dodgy fill up in rural France that seemed to be about 20% water and made it knock like hell. Nick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TriumphV8 Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 As far as I know Aral Ultimate and Shell V-power are free of Ethanol. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Malcolm Tatton Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 Don't know about Aral, but Shell told me that V-Power has Ethanol. When I contacted them they wouldn't say what percentage it contained but did say that they sell so much that they had to include Ethanol in order to reach the necessary average proportion across their range. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlejim Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 The ethanol was in the fuel for a reason. The octane rating will be different if you really get it out with the magic elixir. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 " once we have our Ethanol and water mixture is it useful for anything? " Decent enough weedkiller on my parking spaces . . . . . " Back in the day they used to sell Cleveland Discol petrol which had ethanol as a basic ingredient. I don't remember hearing any problems from that. " Discol was a problem if left standing in the tank for any period, just as ethanol fuel is today . . . . . which is why my uncle used to drain the tanks of his Alvis and Bentley sports racers every autumn when I was a nipper. Both cars ran on Discol for road use, and a Discol/Nitro/Methanol mix for racing with the blower pressure cranked up . . . . . evil brew that had to be flushed through at the end of a meeting, and even the fumes could kill weeds at five paces. My experience of having to remove and drain the tank out of KEH as a result of ethanol/water dropping out convinced me never to leave fuel in the tank over winter again . . . . drain as much as possible before laying-up, run the engine until it can't suck any more, then on Spring recommissioning chuck in a couple of gallons of 98 octane and a tin of 'dri-fuel' or somesuch to soak up any remaining water. Cheers Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TriumphV8 Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Don't know about Aral, but Shell told me that V-Power has Ethanol. Got my information from German TR Register Detlef Ress who is official connector to the industry and Oldtimer scene. Do not know who is right or wrong or if maybe the intention of SHELL has changed during the time. http://www.tr-register.de/index.php/kontaktdeutschland Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlejim Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Just expanded the ad in the first post in this thread to full size - looks like the liquid version of BS to me. Periodically the life of fuel comes up on boating forums, where the consequences of bad fuel may be more serious, especially if you are offshore. Interesting mixture of fact and folklore, with many putting their boat fuel into their car or lawnmower after a certain time. (For some reason damage to them is less important.) When I made an enquiry to Shell they implied that in a normal fairly well sealed fuel tank I should get nine months or so before fuel deterioration occurred. In practice I have found this to be the case. Never had a fuel problem and go for months between trips. Normally put a bit of fresh fuel in on the way to the bay. We have non-ethanol fuel available at most service stations, I don't use ethanol fuel in Prado or boat. Although I have had no problems over the years with old fuel in the boat I don't criticise the ones who go to extreme lengths to keep theirs fresh. Peace of mind is part of the equation. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 My 2.5 Pi Vitesse is skimmed to a high CR, approx. 10.8. After the winter before last, I started it up to find it was pinking. I had 10-15 litres in the 40 litre tank, and filling up with the Shell V-nitro I always use got rid of it. I think the octane number does go down over winter - I should use it more when the weather's cold! John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
monty Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 " once we have our Ethanol and water mixture is it useful for anything? " Decent enough weedkiller on my parking spaces . . . . . " Back in the day they used to sell Cleveland Discol petrol which had ethanol as a basic ingredient. I don't remember hearing any problems from that. " Discol was a problem if left standing in the tank for any period, just as ethanol fuel is today . . . . . which is why my uncle used to drain the tanks of his Alvis and Bentley sports racers every autumn when I was a nipper. Both cars ran on Discol for road use, and a Discol/Nitro/Methanol mix for racing with the blower pressure cranked up . . . . . evil brew that had to be flushed through at the end of a meeting, and even the fumes could kill weeds at five paces. My experience of having to remove and drain the tank out of KEH as a result of ethanol/water dropping out convinced me never to leave fuel in the tank over winter again . . . . drain as much as possible before laying-up, run the engine until it can't suck any more, then on Spring recommissioning chuck in a couple of gallons of 98 octane and a tin of 'dri-fuel' or somesuch to soak up any remaining water. Cheers Alec I have always been lead to believe that emptying fuel tanks for the winter was not a good idea because condensation could form in an empty tank, with water possibly then entering the fuel system. It seems to be bad to keep the tank full & bad to leave it empty! Halfway? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peejay4A Posted November 3, 2015 Report Share Posted November 3, 2015 Which is worse - condensation or water dissolved in the ethanol component of fuel? I don't know so I'll continue to drive the TR over winter whenever I can. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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