Todd Pattist wrote, "... find empty clear bottle (typically a water bottle),
scratch mark at about 10% point near bottom, fill with water to that point,
add gas, shake, let settle, see if the water level is higher. If it is,
alcohol has moved from the gas to the water."


I have a small fuel sampler named "Fuel-Check by Daansen." It is designed to
measure the amount of alcohol -- from 0 to 30% -- dissolved in a fuel
sample. The sampler is first filled with water up to the "water" line, which
is about an inch up from the bottom. The water line is also the 0% alcohol
line. The sampler is then filled with fuel to the "gas" line, which is about
3 1/2 inches up from the bottom. The percent of alcohol is then read on the
"% alcohol" scale which runs from 0 at the bottom to 30% about 3/4 inch up
from the 0 line. Thus it appears that if there is alcohol in the fuel it
will dissolve in the water and raise the water/alcohol level.