Ethanol Percentage Check/Test

[Twinfield]

Have any of you checked/tested these so called "Non-Ethanol" premixed fuels recently. What have you found? Are the results zero percent or something higher.

 

[OM617YOTA]

I haven't bothered.

It's not just non-e pump gas in a can, it's a completely different formulation. Crack one open and smell it, it smells like carb cleaner, not gasoline. Quite confident there's no ethanol.

 

[JustPlainJeff]

It's pretty easy to test. I've posted a link with a YouTube video in it before showing how to test it. It just costs a few bucks for materials, and it's pretty easy. If you don't know how to test already, and want me to post the link again, just let me know, and I'll dig it up for you.

 

[OM617YOTA]

Put an inch of water in a soda bottle, make a line on the outside where the water is at. Fill the rest of the way with fuel. Shake shake, let settle out. If the water line is now higher than the line you made, you have ethanol in your fuel.

If you want to actually measure the percentage, a graduated cylinder and some math is needed, but it's not difficult either.

 

[Captain Bruce]

Have any of you checked/tested these so called "Non-Ethanol" premixed fuels recently. What have you found? Are the results zero percent or something higher.

Pre-mixed, by who, for what. If its canned fuel, it must meet standards that reduce emissions, by thinning out on the oil.....that for weekend warriors. Real woodsman mix great oil, with premuim fuel....

 

[JPCalifornia]

I’ve been running Echo Red Armor pre-mix fuel for a few years now and have had absolutely no problems with any ethanol related issues (there’s no ethanol in the fuel). The fuel also does a great job of keeping your engine clean as well. I do add additional Red Armor oil to the fuel (running everything at 40 to 1).

 

[Twinfield]

Thanks everyone, but I wasn't clear on my question. I have recently tested some the "non-ethanol" products that indicated anywhere from 3-9 percent ethanol in it and was curious if any of you have found similar results. Thanks

 

[OM617YOTA]

What products did you test? How did you test?

If you buy non ethanol fuel from a pump that has one hose to dispense ethanol and non ethanol fuel, yes you can get some ethanol fuel in the mix, just from what's left in the hose from the last customer. If you're only buying a gallon, most of what you buy will be whatever was in the hose already from the last customer, not what you select.

At these pumps, I'll pump the first couple gallons of ethanol free into my car or truck to clear the hose first, then fill my can with(hopefully) clear ethanol free fuel.

 

[RedneckChainsawRepair]

I just use the airplane pilot quick test anymore. Quick testing of efree and never had any to date. If ethonal is in it dissolves the coloring beads. Bottom ethanol one.

My efree pump has a separate hose just for efree gas.

 

[Twinfield]

What products did you test? How did you test?

If you buy non ethanol fuel from a pump that has one hose to dispense ethanol and non ethanol fuel, yes you can get some ethanol fuel in the mix, just from what's left in the hose from the last customer. If you're only buying a gallon, most of what you buy will be whatever was in the hose already from the last customer, not what you select.

At these pumps, I'll pump the first couple gallons of ethanol free into my car or truck to clear the hose first, then fill my can with(hopefully) clear ethanol free fuel.

I have tested Stihl MotoMix and TrueFuel 50:1 using a tube designed and marked to test for ethanol (water/fuel). There just doesn't seem to be any consistency with the results and wondered if others had similar experience.

 

[Karrl]

Hmm, I have my doubts but I’m open to see the evidence. It’s anecdotal but I have never had issues with canned fuel sitting in a saw for 8-12 months and then going back to start it. Pump gas at ten percent ethanol gives me problems in a couple of months. I’ve used Tru fuel but I usually stick with VP or Powercare which is relabeled vp and have always been happy with canned fuel. Certainly it’s possible it contains ethanol but I would think others would have had canned fuel issues if that’s the case.

Also don’t mind Captain Bruce, he’s an old codger who doesn’t really know how things are today but he sure loves to act like he does. In one thread he was claiming that Archer products are made in Australia.

 

[OM617YOTA]

I have tested Stihl MotoMix and TrueFuel 50:1 using a tube designed and marked to test for ethanol (water/fuel). There just doesn't seem to be any consistency with the results and wondered if others had similar experience.

I want to see the evidence. Considering the lawsuits that would result from fuel prominently advertised as non ethanol, containing ethanol, I'm skeptical.

I've used Tru-Fuel for a couple years, and only very recently went back to mixing my own after buying a much thirstier saw. My experience matches Karrl's.

Edit: In response to this thread, and since I'm out in the shop anyway, I went to the other bay of my shop and started my Stihl that hasn't been run in over a year, stored on Tru-Fuel. Six pulls.

 

[esean]

I have tested Stihl MotoMix and TrueFuel 50:1 using a tube designed and marked to test for ethanol (water/fuel). There just doesn't seem to be any consistency with the results and wondered if others had similar experience.

Your results might say more about the accuracy of the test equipment you're using than any potential ethanol in the premix.

 

[magreeable]

I purchased a new Stihl ms-194t Thursday. The dealer used canned fuel In it to ensure it would start. When I attempted to use the saw, it wouldn't idle. It would die every time I let off the throttle. I dumped that gas, put in my mixed gas, and the saw runs well. That stopped the dying problem. I don't know if canned gas goes bad or not, but I would think so if it sat long enough.

 

[OM617YOTA]

Canned gas does go bad, but more likely the saw just wasn't tuned for it. You have to retune for the canned mix, the same way you have to retune for any new fuel mix.

I also wouldn't use Stihl Motomix, as it uses Stihl Ultra oil, which is garbage.

 

[Smitty Smithsonite]

You can do it for free with some simple math. Easiest way is using metric measurements:

100ml or cc's (They're the same) of fuel in a marked container. Add 20ml of water, shake, let settle for several minutes (15 is preferable). If the separation line between the fuel and water is 30ml, subtract the 20ml of water you added from that, and you have 10ml ... or 10% ethanol content.

You can also use 10ml of fuel and 2ml of water, then just multiply the reading by 10 for %.

If you've got bad eyes, you can try blue food coloring - it'll mix with the water and show up nice ... but not sure how it will react with gas - might destroy the color.



I cheated and took the easy way out by throwing money at the equation. http://www.fueltestkit.com/

Shockingly neither the price, nor shipping has gone up in the 5 years since I bought mine. They got their math wrong by $1 on the page there for a single kit. Total should be $42.90, before tax.

Gave my ethanol-free gas I bought at the pump up north, out of state (The only way us poor suckers in MA can get it from a pump outside of an airport or coastal marina), and got the correct result. The dye is excellent, as you can plainly see, although I should've let this settle out several minutes longer:

 

[Mad Professor]

Just use a 100-mL graduated cylinder. And if you want to be sure you extract all the ethanol, do 3 extractions with 3 portions of water. All the ethanol might not separate into the aqueous layer with one extraction.

It can do double duty in the shop when you need to measure mix oil.