Ethanol question.

[Power Hungry]

This is a trick we used to used YEARS ago when I was still riding dirt bikes quite a bit. I'm sure I read it in Dirt Biking or 4-Wheeler magazine.

This trick is designed particularly for 2-stroke engines because of the molecular bonding of gasoline and oil versus gasoline and alcohol. Because dirt bikes (like most gravity feed small engines) have the petcock at the BOTTOM of the tank, they are extremely susceptible to moisture problems in the fuel. The problem is compounded when Ethanol is present in the fuel. Since alcohol bonds more easily with water than it does with gasoline, any moisture in the fuel will attach to to the alcohol and settle at the bottom of the tank. What you end up with is a water/alcohol blend as soon as you start up. Certainly not the first word in lubrication, especially on a 2-stroke engine where all the lubrication comes from the fuel.

To remove the alcohol from the fuel, we would fill up a 5 gallon gas can and add our standard oil premix... usually about 60:1, or higher for synthetics. After shaking vigorously to distribute the oil, we would then add 8 ounces of water to the mixture. After another vigorous shaking, we would then let the mixture sit for a day or two. Most, if not all, of the alcohol in the fuel would bond with the water and settle at the bottom of the gas can leaving the fuel/oil mixture on the top. We would then simply pour off the good fuel into another gas can. The remaining water/alcohol mix would be left in a large pan or bucket to evaporate.

Obviously, this works in small quantities and is best suited for premix fuel since the oil helps push out both the alcohol molecules and the water molecules. The muck settles on the bottom and the gasoline will float.

Anyway, it's a suggestion for those concerned about the longevity of their small, gas powered engines.