Ethanol fuel and stabilizer test

[Jerryl]

Scary $hit!

 

[Pronto]

So we learned ethanol is corrosive to aluminum which I think we all kind of knew. I never viewed fuel stablizer as a corrosion preventer, just something to keep the fuel from absorbing water and causing it to gel so the fuel will still allow the engine to start. I wouldn't run old fuel in boost. Just run it down driving or siphoning it out.
Small engines are a different story with aluminum carbs...

 

[Jerryl]

Understand and agree.
What I found interesting is the "lack of" fuel burn, and what the fuel looked like with stabilizer.

 

[turbocamino1]

I imagine we all have engines that sit for long periods,,i have 7,, mostly small engines, snow-blower ,mowers ,generator,motorcycles that sit for several months,etc,,seems it would be worth keeping them all stored, and run, with race gas,without E-anything?

 

[KC87]

We're lucky to have a few places to get non ethanol gas but this stuff, Pri-G is supposed to be the best additive. Have read tons of reports on it and they are pretty much stellar. Probably have to order it online or from the mfg Power Research Inc in Houston. That's in Texas for you Rio Linda people.

 

[Pronto]

Yes, that light the fuel with a lighter was strange. I have done some research on methanol and it is much harder to light up. You would think the high evaporation of alcohol would lead to it being easy to ignite but it is not. Gasoline is much more easy to ignite. I wish I saved the site but was focused on methanol and storage etc. I understand E85 is a different material but I still was shocked it didn't ignite with the stabilizer in it. From the website I was referencing, the said methanol burns very clear, almost as clear as nitromethane which they deemed very dangerous since you don't realize there is a flame. I remember stories from years ago when they used 100% nitro and guys were getting burned up not even knowing they were on fire.

 

[dynoman]

I use My extra E85 when starting burn piles of brush . It's a lot better than gas cause it doesn't flash back at you .
I'm rethinking using Lucas stabilizer any more in my car .
And yes alcohol burns with almost no visible flame .

 

[Jerryl]

Yes, that light the fuel with a lighter was strange. I have done some research on methanol and it is much harder to light up. You would think the high evaporation of alcohol would lead to it being easy to ignite but it is not. Gasoline is much more easy to ignite. I wish I saved the site but was focused on methanol and storage etc. I understand E85 is a different material but I still was shocked it didn't ignite with the stabilizer in it. From the website I was referencing, the said methanol burns very clear, almost as clear as nitromethane which they deemed very dangerous since you don't realize there is a flame. I remember stories from years ago when they used 100% nitro and guys were getting burned up not even knowing they were on fire.

Correct.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Old nitro racer, here. Front engine T/F cars.
We had an experience with a nitro fire, in our Dodge D500 tow wagon. Didn't know it was burning until our eyes started watering!
Instead of putting the nitro jugs where they should have been, one was in the back of the wagon.
As luck would have it, the tool box slid into the lic plate light wire, and cut it open. The corner of the box poked a hole in the plastic nitro jug.
You can imagine the rest.
Fire extinguishers? Nope! Dirt from the roadside was the best we could do.....
Alky? Nope. Throw in the can and the label, and race it.
We did ok, until we got really "smart", and added some hydrazine and propylene oxide, to the mix...The ol' 392 didn't react well, to that swill.
Lots of old tymie stories...
I've gone to non corn regular in the farm stuff, and have switched to 56V electric leaf blower and weed eater. Only oil mix left, is the chain saw.
The white you see in the vid is what I find on the top of some of the injs I clean. I call it "corn starch".

 

[Pronto]

On a side note,a methanol fire can easily be put out with plain water. That's one of the reasons they went to it for racing in the 60s.

 

[No disintegrations]

We have e10 here in CT. Up to 10% anyway. I use golden eagle red stabil in all my powersports machines. If I have a carb apart for tuning I find them better than new inside. The aluminum looks almost polished. I think putting a chunk of aluminum in a jar works differently than when bolted to the engine for an anode cathode style situation. In a jar it's totally ungrounded and it a magnet for corrosion. Just a theory. Plus jeeze how much water did he use? Half a drop would be massive for the 1oz of fuel in each jar.