E85 Water Absorbtion
- Thread starter horndog
- Start date
John Larkin
Sublime Master of Turbology
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
It's not a problem.
- Joined
- May 26, 2001
The simple fact is that alcohol WILL absorb water from the air, so the question is how much will it absorb, and over what period of time will it take to cause an issue?
Leaded race fuel will last at least a year, and have had some over 2 years that still would test good.
Even here in the desert, fuel in my race car will have water from condensation within a year even if the car is run every couple weeks at most.
However, I will not trust e-85 in the race car no longer than 2 months without draining the tank and putting in fresh fuel after a "flush" with gasoline.
One of my street cars is also on e-85, but that is driven about once a week so the fuel is more often replaced. I may still flush it every 6 months or so with gasoline.
There are now some additives on the market which say they are formulated for "protecting" e-85 fuel systems, but not sure I trust the advertising hype and would like more factual data?
My engines are too expensive for me to ignore the possibility of contaminated e-85, so I will continue my research on this subject.
Leaded race fuel will last at least a year, and have had some over 2 years that still would test good.
Even here in the desert, fuel in my race car will have water from condensation within a year even if the car is run every couple weeks at most.
However, I will not trust e-85 in the race car no longer than 2 months without draining the tank and putting in fresh fuel after a "flush" with gasoline.
One of my street cars is also on e-85, but that is driven about once a week so the fuel is more often replaced. I may still flush it every 6 months or so with gasoline.
There are now some additives on the market which say they are formulated for "protecting" e-85 fuel systems, but not sure I trust the advertising hype and would like more factual data?
My engines are too expensive for me to ignore the possibility of contaminated e-85, so I will continue my research on this subject.
Thanks Nick for the honest answer. In my boat, I added Stabil marine Ethanol additive and ran just fine compared to without. I also add it to my gas for my lawnmower and trimmer and don't have any issues.
As far as this additive on what the effects it has on high performance engines I have no clue, bu I would bet it would be better than the water that would have accumulated in your tank.
I was thinking if I did switch over, and I knew the car would sit for a long period of time, I would drain the ethanol and fill it with unleaded race gas, or is that too extreme?
As far as this additive on what the effects it has on high performance engines I have no clue, bu I would bet it would be better than the water that would have accumulated in your tank.
I was thinking if I did switch over, and I knew the car would sit for a long period of time, I would drain the ethanol and fill it with unleaded race gas, or is that too extreme?
Use Seafoam and NEVER worry about it .. if your going to store it over winter put unleaded in it with Seafoam.. make sure to run it for a while so it gets ALL the way through the system.. NO ISSUES then
I've done this since 2004 on my TTA's .. just plain works
I've done this since 2004 on my TTA's .. just plain works
- Joined
- May 26, 2001
I agree that an additive would be better than water or nothing, and I am now using the Lucas E-85 stuff now in all the e-85 cars.
If the car is sitting and not run for 2-3 months, I would drain the e-85.
In my original T with 9k miles, for most of its life I have used leaded gas in it, and it sits months at a time w/o moving, but it fires right up when started!
If the car is sitting and not run for 2-3 months, I would drain the e-85.
In my original T with 9k miles, for most of its life I have used leaded gas in it, and it sits months at a time w/o moving, but it fires right up when started!
It's not so much based on a "TIME " frame ... 2 weeks you won't see a issue.. 2 months with drastic fluctuations in TEMP and HUMIDITY and yes you should have a additive or drain it and add unleaded with additive.. TEMP and HUMIDTY fluctuation has a far greater influence than TIME.
It's not METHANOL .. BIG BIG difference ... I let E85 sit in one of my sleds OVER 3 months that had Seafoam in it.. just fired it up every now and again with ZERO issues..
Methanol you don't have that luxury.. you have to get it out as it will destroy things pretty quick.
Who said anything about methanol? I would rather do time frame than play meteorologist to figure out the saturation in my gas tank.
John Larkin
Sublime Master of Turbology
- Joined
- May 25, 2001
Do a test. Get one of those quick fuel test tubes and drain some off the fuel rail. Let us know how it turns out. That will be real instead of speculation.
I'm trying to explain that TIME has NOTHING to do with it.. you can leave E85 for 4 months in the tank and NOT see a DAMN thing moisture wise ( FULL TANK additive in) .... and you can have moisture build up in 2 weeks ( Empty tank , no additive, fluctuations in temp and humidity) ... so clearly time is not what you want to go by... but by all means you do whatever you feel is best for you.
i was mearly giving you some friendly advice .
northerngn
Master Monkeywrench
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2006
Being in MN I store my car for a few months every year...
I do the following which works well...
Pump out my sumped fuel cell by hotwiring the pump under the hood and disconnecting the return line from the top of cell and pump it into a gas can...
Dump that into my grand am...LOL
Add a gallon of gas...
Do same into different gas can...
Dump that in my grand am...
Add 5 gallons of gas ...
Change fuel energy constant in the xfi from E-85 setting to gas setting....(.680)->(1.0)
Start car and let run...
Drive the car in the spring on the gas tune till nearly empty...
Repeat procedure going back to E-85...
DONE
I do the following which works well...
Pump out my sumped fuel cell by hotwiring the pump under the hood and disconnecting the return line from the top of cell and pump it into a gas can...
Dump that into my grand am...LOL
Add a gallon of gas...
Do same into different gas can...
Dump that in my grand am...
Add 5 gallons of gas ...
Change fuel energy constant in the xfi from E-85 setting to gas setting....(.680)->(1.0)
Start car and let run...
Drive the car in the spring on the gas tune till nearly empty...
Repeat procedure going back to E-85...
DONE
Ok, I live in Arizona so humidity is rather low. I have a water seperating fuel filter on my car and run e85 and e98. My Car has sat for 2 months. Started the Car with no issues, ran it so the fuel would circulate past the filter for several min. I drained the filter to see if I had any water contamination. I found no traces of water. O also the tank was filled all the way up prior to sitting.
Now currently im back in Arizona and about to take the Car to the track. Tank is currently filled with e98 and has been sitting for about 10 months. 3 months ago it was started and ran for a few min to circulate fuel and just warm it up. I will start the Car tomorrow and do the same and drain my filter and check for water contamination. I will report back.
Since im going to push my Car hard I will empty the fuel regardless and put fresh e98 in.
As far as ethanol quality, My fuel sits months on end and still test high. Right now it still test the same as it did when I put it in.
All and all, I think you guys are to worried about water in the ethanol. Now if the tank is extremely low and u have high humitty and sits for a year maybe some but I really dont think its going to hurt unless pushing the Car hard.
I will report back tom. to let u guys know how much water I dont find.
Also my 55 gallon drum of e98 get one bottle of ethanol treatments {toplube) but I dont use any when pumping from the station.
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Now currently im back in Arizona and about to take the Car to the track. Tank is currently filled with e98 and has been sitting for about 10 months. 3 months ago it was started and ran for a few min to circulate fuel and just warm it up. I will start the Car tomorrow and do the same and drain my filter and check for water contamination. I will report back.
Since im going to push my Car hard I will empty the fuel regardless and put fresh e98 in.
As far as ethanol quality, My fuel sits months on end and still test high. Right now it still test the same as it did when I put it in.
All and all, I think you guys are to worried about water in the ethanol. Now if the tank is extremely low and u have high humitty and sits for a year maybe some but I really dont think its going to hurt unless pushing the Car hard.
I will report back tom. to let u guys know how much water I dont find.
Also my 55 gallon drum of e98 get one bottle of ethanol treatments {toplube) but I dont use any when pumping from the station.
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delcowizzid
newzealand turbo 3.8
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2010
i dont think you would get any water in a water trap as it mixes with ethanol .you wont get water floating round seperated from the fuel to collect in the trap
HUH .. .Seriously .. HOW are you getting water in a non compressive state in the cylinder for it to go BOOM.. doesn't it have to go past a fuel injector first ??? It would be atomized at that point and going into a cylinder that would instantly turn it into a gas ...
The car may run like crap with water in the fuel.. but you certainly won't hydrolock a motor from the little to no water found in your ethanol fuel...
WIVES TALES ... and rumors ...
IF you have a Turbo Buick , and have E85 available... and you still aren't running it.. you've completely missed the boat.
In my opinion running a Turbo Buick on 91/93 pump fuel is a complete waste of time .. might as well drive a 4 cylinder focus
you wanna run fast or run pump fuel.. pick one
E85 Really lets the cars run to their potential.. NIGHT and DAY different from 93
I would like to run it but there is a cost to performance along with maintenance. If you don't do your due diligence before you take something like this on, then you should expect surprised. Now cut me a deal on your 80#s.
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Well not sure if this will help out or not... but everyone I've converted over to E85 ... after they run it and see for themselves the difference in not only performance.. but how all the rumors and BS associated with E85 just from people who DON'T know just aren't true....
They ALL have come back and said .. WHY have I waited this long to try it ?
To see their response the first time they experience RACE fuel level BOOST / TIMING on "out of the pump" fuel is priceless.
I will say this for the price of the conversion approx $350 .. nothing will add this kind of performance.
$255 shipped for Brand new 80# Siemens injectors that is a DEAL !!!! Add in a TT chip and you will have a smile from ear to ear.
The cars run so much better .. they literally do not feel like the same cars.. not only WOT but just driving .. idle quality.. etc etc
If your not on E85 with a Turbo Buick.. your missing out.. it changes the playing field altogether .
They ALL have come back and said .. WHY have I waited this long to try it ?
To see their response the first time they experience RACE fuel level BOOST / TIMING on "out of the pump" fuel is priceless.
I will say this for the price of the conversion approx $350 .. nothing will add this kind of performance.
$255 shipped for Brand new 80# Siemens injectors that is a DEAL !!!! Add in a TT chip and you will have a smile from ear to ear.
The cars run so much better .. they literally do not feel like the same cars.. not only WOT but just driving .. idle quality.. etc etc
If your not on E85 with a Turbo Buick.. your missing out.. it changes the playing field altogether .
