# Removing ethanol from gas - does anyone do this?



## Bunnysarefat (May 4, 2017)

As we know, due to misguided policies about debunked ideas about air quality, the government mandates ethanol be blended into gasoline, usually at around 10%.

Now even though this has bricked countless small engines, totally ruined countless boats, lowers gas energy density, is more expensive, and emits more total net emissions than just pure gas, the politicians who lord over us don't care and the situations remains.

There are places where you can buy 100% gas, with a good resource on finding these stations at https://www.pure-gas.org/.

However, being in a large metro area, I believe they cannot sell 100% gas in the metro as a matter of law.

I know fuel stabalizers exist, but I have my doubts on their effectiveness and I get tired of buying them. I've recently heard about this method of separating the gas from the ethanol. Does anyone use this method or a variation of it?

https://youtu.be/onCG7mIprfE


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## Alan (Apr 23, 2017)

That's cool. And very educational. I may try that.


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## stotea (Jul 31, 2017)

Bunnysarefat said:


> However, being in a large metro area, I believe they cannot sell 100% gas in the metro as a matter of law.


This must not be true, because several gas stations sell ethanol-free gasoline in the Twin Cities metro. Or is that different than 100% gasoline?


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## Alan (Apr 23, 2017)

@stotea It might be a Texas thing.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

The whole idea of adding water to gasoline scares me.


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## Bunnysarefat (May 4, 2017)

stotea said:


> Bunnysarefat said:
> 
> 
> > However, being in a large metro area, I believe they cannot sell 100% gas in the metro as a matter of law.
> ...


I have no idea what the actual law says but I'm 99% certain that's the reason there are no stations within 60 miles of DFW that sell it. They selll pure gas at Home Depot, get this, $8 a quart. I know two people that have paid that because their trimmers keep getting bricked. That's $32 a gallon!!! Yes, ethanol free is what I mean by 100% gas.


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

We have a station that has the option for 100% gas. It uses the same hose as the XX% ethonal does so I just put a few gallons in my truck to clean the hose out before filling my cans for the small equipment.


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

I've never seen that done before. We're fortunate enough to have an ethanol free offering about 15 miles away. Of course, I have yet to remember to go there....usually while I'm pumping regular stuff it hits me.


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## Stegs (Aug 29, 2017)

i find it way easier and less time consuming to buy regular 90 octane ethanol free gas from the start!

https://www.pure-gas.org/ <------- Good place to start


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## Bunnysarefat (May 4, 2017)

Closest station is 42 miles away. Really makes it a hassle. I see other big cities have many. It makes no sense.


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

Stegs said:


> i find it way easier and less time consuming to buy regular 90 octane ethanol free gas from the start!
> 
> https://www.pure-gas.org/ <------- Good place to start


The first thing I thought of is exactly how I would probably catch myself on fire!


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## desirous (Dec 15, 2017)

Stegs said:


> i find it way easier and less time consuming to buy regular 90 octane ethanol free gas from the start!
> 
> https://www.pure-gas.org/ <------- Good place to start


You are lucky that it is available to you. All listings around me are for racing fuel at about $100 for 5 gallons. I buy the quarts from Home Depot instead  .


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

Since I live near the coast, there's a lot of boat owners, with huge Mercury outboard engines on their bass boats, sail boats, etc. Most marinas sell ethanol-free gas because of the demand by mariners. The last thing you want is a bricked outboard when you're miles offshore.

There's quite a few stations around here that advertise ethanol-free gas as well. I'm fortunate to have one just a few miles from the house.


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## kds (Apr 28, 2017)

Here in the land of corn, we even have plenty of options for regular unleaded (ethanol-free) fuel. Maybe I should bottle it up and sell it to you guys for $10 a gallon.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I know around here they are building a lot of new Circle K gas stations and they too are offering ethanol free gas for about $ .20 more a gallon but it's only 87 octane. I bought it once but couldn't really tell a difference and have been sticking to 93 octane with Stabil which I have been using for years now without any issues.


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## Llano Estacado (Jul 18, 2017)

I typically fill up the gas can with whatever I'm putting in my truck which is usually going to be 87 octane unleaded E10. Like MQ I will put some stabil in with it. My personal experience is that it causes no problems.... if during the off season you will get your power equipment out once every month or two and run it for 10 minutes or so. Everything I've got will start in 1 or 2 pulls by following this method.

If I had a ethanol free station close, I'd use it. But I don't know of one that is convenient for me.


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## Stegs (Aug 29, 2017)

if you dont have ethanol free gas near you, buy the little treatment bottle from napa or local parts store.

They are usually about 1-2 dollars a bottle, some treat up to 5 gallons

Id buy a case of those things, then when you get gas in your can just add a bottle and your all set.

for a couple bucks you could save yourself alot of trouble down the road!

ethanol issues dont happen quick, they happen over a long period of time.

winter storage, year of usage will build up on carbs and rubber fuel lines

Now if you can add something to your gas to combat this (Like stabil or other treatments) you can avoid alot of headaches!


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## Rackhouse Mayor (Sep 4, 2017)

I've never once had a small engine issue. I religiously used stabil until just last year when I got an ethanol free option right down the road. Stabil works. I never even winterized my equipment. I would literally fire up four month old gas in the spring. Watch me have an issue this year.


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## Cory (Aug 23, 2017)

It must just be your area, which seems odd being Texas and all. We have stations with ethanol free all over the Raleigh/Durham area, it's pretty easy to find here as well as in the Charlotte area.


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## TulsaFan (May 1, 2017)

In Tulsa, the newer built convenient stores offer ethanol free/higher octane gas as their premium option. Lucky for me, they built one 0.1 miles from my house. Otherwise, I would drive 50 miles for the longevity of my small engines.


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## TigerinFL (Mar 29, 2018)

lobbyist and politicians are the reason ethanol exist


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## dfw_pilot (Jan 28, 2017)

Pilots are pretty familiar with draining water from fuel. Add one of these to your homemade kit and you're all set, haha.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

Mightyquinn said:


> I know around here they are building a lot of new Circle K gas stations and they too are offering ethanol free gas for about $ .20 more a gallon but it's only 87 octane. I bought it once but couldn't really tell a difference and have been sticking to 93 octane with Stabil which I have been using for years now without any issues.


Unless that 93 is ethanol free, it has nothing to offer a small engine over 87. If the 87 is e-free, then it's actually a disadvantage using the 93 E-10. I'd take 87 e-free all day, everyday, over 93 E-10. Keep using the Stabil regardless.

99% of all fuel related issues with small outdoor power equipment can be traced back to fuel storage. Good fuel stored in an open/vented container under the oak tree in the back yard is far worse than E-10 stored in a sealed container, in the dark, at moderately cool temps.


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## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

Wife and I removed ourselves from the Socialist Republik of Maryland-stan.

No chit man, after gun control and entitlement programs for politicians run rampant, a primary reason for us moving to Western NC is the ready availability of zero-ethanol / ethanol-free / 100% gasoline.

While still behind the liberal curtain, we just used PRI-G in everything from generators to the wife's '66 GTO - darned best answer to ethanol in gas out there! http://priproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/2015-PRI-G-Flyer.pdf


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## Cory (Aug 23, 2017)

Ethanol in fuel is less about a Liberal agenda and more about big business. If the laws mandating ethanol were to go away the oil companies would most likely still use it. Ethanol is a cheap way to boost octane vs refining the petroleum to the desired octane, cleaner emissions is just a side effect at this point. If there were a cheaper alternative to boost octane and still have the same emission standards ethanol would be out of gasoline. However, with the amount of people that would be effected in the Midwestern agricultural industry and the ethanol refining industry, they would most likely lobby against allowing any other additive. It's a lot more complicated than just the Liberal agenda, there are a lot of people, and pockets, affected by ethanol production.


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

440mag said:


> .......to the wife's '66 GTO


 :shock: pics please


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

I used https://www.pure-gas.org/ to find ethanol free MOGAS for my power equipment. My chainsaw, blower, and trimmer all call for 89, so I just fill all my gas cans up with 89 ethanol free octane, combined with some Sta-bil, and call it a day.


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## zinger565 (Nov 28, 2017)

Cory said:


> Ethanol in fuel is less about a Liberal agenda and more about big business. If the laws mandating ethanol were to go away the oil companies would most likely still use it. Ethanol is a cheap way to boost octane vs refining the petroleum to the desired octane, cleaner emissions is just a side effect at this point. If there were a cheaper alternative to boost octane and still have the same emission standards ethanol would be out of gasoline. However, with the amount of people that would be effected in the Midwestern agricultural industry and the ethanol refining industry, they would most likely lobby against allowing any other additive. It's a lot more complicated than just the Liberal agenda, there are a lot of people, and pockets, affected by ethanol production.


Ding ding! Yup. There's a lot of capacity in the industry left over from the corn syrup craze of the 80s and 90s, and a lot of that is going to ethanol and other specialty products (Erythritol, lactic acid, citric acid, various petroleum replacements, etc etc).


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## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

J_nick said:


> 440mag said:
> 
> 
> > .......to the wife's '66 GTO
> ...


OKay man, here we go (me trying that is) my pic upload foo ain't much ((eyes closed, biting my lip, pressing the button ... NOW (KABOOOOOM!!!!!)



She bought this car (it really is HER Car!) from THE ORIGINAL OWNER with 27,000 miles on it. Everytime she walks by she barks at me, "What're YOU lookin' at?" and I tell her, "I'm just trying to see that horseshoe stickin' outta yer, er, backpocket!" She just giggles.

She calls the car her, "Babycakes" and the peckin' order 'round here is: the dawg; the car, her boat, then me. But then, a lotta buds tell me, "Heck man, at least you KNOW where YOU stand in life!"


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## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

My ride .... To Hades and back with Ethanol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nickname: MISCHIF (cuz, just TRY to simply cruise in this car; YOU CAN NOT DO IT!!!!!!!! 10 miles to the gallon if you behave, 8mpg (or less) as soon as you start goosin' it . . . (ha-ha, just occurred to me, its the color I dream my lawn may someday be ....


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## J_nick (Jan 28, 2017)

@440mag awesome rides man. Your username makes a lot more sense now :thumbup:

I've got a '64 Dodge 440 that's been in the family since '65. Only had 24,000 miles on it when I got it but looks a little rougher than that Goat. It's only got a /6 in it now but hopefully that will change in the future once the kids get older.


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## kds (Apr 28, 2017)

Mightyquinn said:


> I know around here they are building a lot of new Circle K gas stations and they too are offering ethanol free gas for about $ .20 more a gallon but it's only 87 octane.


What's the issue with 87 octane? Everything that is E0 or E10+ around here is 87 octane for automobiles and I have never had an issue with this in small engines.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

kds said:


> Mightyquinn said:
> 
> 
> > I know around here they are building a lot of new Circle K gas stations and they too are offering ethanol free gas for about $ .20 more a gallon but it's only 87 octane.
> ...


I think Stihl calls for 89 or 91 octane for most of their equipment.


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## gene_stl (Oct 29, 2017)

If you are concerned about ethanol use Avgas 100LL which has 2 ml of tetraethyl lead per gallon.
All gasoline comes out of the fractionating tower at about 87 octane and is boosted with additives which ethanol is one. It boosts octane in terms of preventing knocking but lowers fuel value. Tetra ethyl lead was the main way back in the day. Higher octane=more lead. Ethanol is only one hydrocarbon that will raise octane. There are many others. Actually a little water will prevent knocking too but it also lowers fuel value.

The powers that be in aviation are concocting a new substitute for the tetraethyl lead to raise the octane so they can have a 100 octane no lead. I am sure it will be an excuse to raise the price another $1.00 a gallon. (Currently avgas is about $5.00 per gallon. Still cheaper than $15/gallon for the VPI fuels)

The post above is correct. Just having ethanol fuel in your equipment probably does little or no harm. It's when you leave it over the winter that problems start. I try to use avgas but if I don't feel like driving to the airport I use BP Ultimate 93 octane. I don't leave it in equipment but run it dry. I have used that fuel in all of my equipment since it came out a LONG time ago.(it was Standard Oil then)
Any carb issues I have had (two or three) could have had an ethanol contribution but all the gear was old enough to be entitled to a carb rebuild.



> The whole idea of adding water to gasoline scares me.


It scares me too. One of the advantages of ethanol is that it does bind with some of the moisture. The active ingredient in Heet is methanol. A little percentage of moisture in the gas is not likely to cause much problem unless it precipitates out in the bottom of the tank, the fuel bowl, gascolator or other low spot. It would be worse than the ethanol. It also would be more corrosive to alunimum and pot metal parts than ethanol. Ethanol does make gasoline absorb water faster than neat gasoline because alcohols are miscible (Chemistry term for mixable.) with water and also hygroscopic . (Chemistry term for attracts water.)

I think fuel additives such as Seafoam, Stabil and all the others are the height of snake oil and don't do anything. That is my not terribly humble opinion. I would be interested in any proof to the contrary furnished by an objective source. ( Not other NTHOs) You can't treat ethanol out of gasoline without doing something like the video does and it just amounts to adding more hydrocarbon with some oxygen on it to try to bind ethanol. You could do the same by adding methanol or acetone or both and of course some blue green or orange dye.

Don't blame liberals for ethanol. It was totally Iowa and Nebraska farmers.
Love the Goat.


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## 440mag (Jan 29, 2018)

J_nick said:


> I've got a '64 Dodge 440 that's been in the family since '65.


Schuh-weeeeeeeet! IMHO, NUTHIN' compares to family history / provenance (its one thing to have an old car but,mits entirely another thing to "keep" one "in the family" !!! :nod:

I don't necessarily "blame the liberals" for ethanol; all's I know after working in the MD state govt for 30 years is that, in my experience, it's only where liberals are in control that zero ethanol is, for all practical purposes, unobtainium ...

All moot points for the wife and I now; our boats and jet skis are happy, Happy, HAPPY here in Western NC far, far away from the kooks in Annapolis, MD!


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