E10 petrol (10% ethanol) coming to the UK

[RogerSB]

Here's another way of checking for ethanol, very similar principle to how Ellis separates ethanol to obtain his pure petrol. This seems a good and easy way of checking if, or how much, ethanol is in the actual petrol you're buying.

(Edit): We'll all be buying graduated measuring tubes now  .

[ellis]

RogerSB

Thanks for your post, that simplifies the method that i use.

Cheers
ELLIS

[RoyC]

We'll all be buying graduated measuring tubes now.

Just ordered a 500ml one 

[RogerSB]

Just ordered a 500ml one 

Going to buy a 250 ml from a homebrew shop in Plymouth tomorrow. It'll be interesting to see the results.

[RoyC]

Just ordered a 500ml one 

Going to buy a 250 ml from a homebrew shop in Plymouth tomorrow. It'll be interesting to see the results.

I'll get a syphon tube from the homebrew supplier and syphon the water mix from the bottom of the container of petrol. 

[muskrat]

G'day fellas.
Does anyone know what they use for a cross linker to mix ethanol with petrol?
I have a gallon of 100% ethanol (from the brother-out-law's moonshine still) and I'm having trouble keeping it mixed for any length of time. I've tried acetone, metho and thinners.
Coke works well though 
Cheers

[morris]

G'day fellas.
Does anyone know what they use for a cross linker to mix ethanol with petrol?
I have a gallon of 100% ethanol (from the brother-out-law's moonshine still) and I'm having trouble keeping it mixed for any length of time. I've tried acetone, metho and thinners.
Coke works well though 
Cheers

You’ll need an emulsifier. Could try an egg yolk?   Works in mayonnaise 

[muskrat]

 

[coater87]

Coke works well though 
Cheers

 I always preferred mine with a soda here called "Squirt".

 Lee

[RogerSB]

Went for ride on my G/Flash this morning to buy a measuring cylinder and a pipette from a Homebrew shop, total cost was £9.75.

Here's my test results carried out this afternoon.  I used 230 ml petrol and 20 ml of water for each petrol type.
After both tests were complete I sucked the water from the bottom of the cylinder up into the pipette, disposed of it and then returned the 95 Unleaded to my lawnmower petrol can and the BP Ultimate to my bike's petrol tank. So there is no waste of fuel doing these tests.  Here's a tip for anyone contemplating doing this test: For the first vigorous shake, to mix the petrol and water, I thought I could use the palm of my hand pressed against the end of the cylinder - wrong  petrol up my arm and over the garden path. Then I sealed the end up with a big lump of Blu-Tack. That worked ok and I could give the cylinder a good shake.

At the end of 2017, being concerned about ethanol in my A10, I made a point of checking BP's website and it said BP Ultimate didn't contain ethanol, so I've only been using BP Ultimate since, having not seen anything to the contrary. However, now I see that statement is no longer there. Since this thread was started and looking into it in more depth it seems premium petrol may well be ethanol free (at the moment) but it may depend on where you live. The exceptions, apparently, are Devon & Cornwall (that's me  ) and some other areas according to this statement from Esso:-
'Esso super unleaded petrol (Synergy Supreme+ Unleaded 97) is ethanol free (except in Devon, Cornwall, the Teesside area and Scotland). We would therefore advise anyone who has concerns about the presence of ethanol in petrol to use Synergy Supreme+ – providing they do not fill up in Devon or Cornwall, the Teesside area or Scotland'.
It also appears that the ethanol is added to the tanker when filling up at its distribution depot and not at the petrol refinery, so amounts added could be a bit hit and miss.

Maybe the only way to know exactly what you are using is to test the petrol you use, but from what I can gather that can change anytime without you knowing because there is no obligation for petrol stations to tell you.

[Greybeard]

Flippin excellent science!

[RoyC]

Here's my test results carried out this afternoon.  I used 230 ml petrol and 20 ml of water for each petrol type.

To remove the ethanol from one gallon of petrol, how much water to add to absorb all of the ethanol ?

[RDfella]

All very well in the lab or kitchen, but how about useable quantities - eg 5 gallons? Seems it needs a more vigorous shake than one might achieve with a 5 gallon can. Not just a case of drawing off the top, as I do when I pump from my diesel storage and let it stand for water to settle out.

[RoyC]

As long as I can get enough zero ethanol to store over winter with the tank brimmed, I'll be happy. 

[ellis]

Hi Roy

I usually put about 3 to 4 fluid ounces of water per gallon but any amount around that will be sufficient to absorb the Ethanol. If you measure the water you put in then measure it after the absorption it usually adds about 2 thirds to the water you put in. Just to satisfy yourself that you have the water/Ethanol mixture put a light to it and watch it burn.   

ELLIS