Gasohol

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message ups.com...
Whether .2% water is enough to fizz an Alka-Seltzer tablet I have no idea.

I don't know the answer to any of these questions, but I've run almost
9,000 gallons of mogas through Atlas' Lycoming O-540, without a
burp.

In that time, I would be willing to bet that SOME ethanol-polluted
gasoline has run though his veins. It almost seems inevitable.

Personally, I am skeptical that gasohol is going to harm my 1974-
vintage aircraft. I use the damn stuff in every other gasoline engine
I own, including my 1986 Goldwing, my 1995 Toyota, my 1995 Ford van,
my 1997 Subaru, my 2000 Mustang, my three lawn-mowers, my two yard
blowers, and my one snowblower -- ALL without problems.

But, hey, if the FAA says it's bad, I gotta believe 'em -- so I test
every tank for alcohol.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"



If the alka seltzer test is good, I would think the STC folks would promote it as a way to detect alcohol, but they
don't. They say to do the water to the line test.

Peter, you need to read over the water to the line test. It starts out with a known quantity of water, and then if the
apparent volume increases it has absorbed alcohol. Depending on the beaker you are using, you can then calculate the
amount of alcohol absorbed and therefore the amount of alcohol in the 'fuel' sample.

Jay, didn't you say you had a fuel hose leak at your last annual? Be very careful...

I do the water to the line test...

If the alka seltzer test is good, I would think the STC folks would
promote it as a way to detect alcohol, but they
don't. They say to do the water to the line test.

Peter, you need to read over the water to the line test. It starts out
with a known quantity of water, and then if the
apparent volume increases it has absorbed alcohol. Depending on the beaker
you are using, you can then calculate the
amount of alcohol absorbed and therefore the amount of alcohol in the
'fuel' sample.

Jay, didn't you say you had a fuel hose leak at your last annual? Be very
careful...

I do the water to the line test...


I agree that the "water to the line" test is the one to use. It might
mistake any water already absorbed as ethanol, but is obviously very
reliable for the intended purpose.

OTOH, the AlkaSeltzer test will only work with a fresh, dry peice of
AlkaSeltzer. If not kept hermetically sealed--usually in one of those
unbroken foil pouches--it won't fizz in a jar of tap water!

Nevertheless, the combination would be technically interesting.

Peter

Blueskies wrote:


If the alka seltzer test is good, I would think the STC folks would promote it as a way to detect alcohol, but they
don't. They say to do the water to the line test.

Probably because the folks that make Alka Seltzer would sue the living
crap out of them. This would happen because if they didn't sue and stop
the practice then the first time a plane crashes after the pilot uses
the Alka Seltzer test they would get sued for a faulty product.

"601XL Builder" wrDOTgiacona@suddenlinkDOTnet wrote in message ...
Blueskies wrote:


If the alka seltzer test is good, I would think the STC folks would promote it as a way to detect alcohol, but they
don't. They say to do the water to the line test.

Probably because the folks that make Alka Seltzer would sue the living crap out of them. This would happen because if
they didn't sue and stop the practice then the first time a plane crashes after the pilot uses the Alka Seltzer test
they would get sued for a faulty product.

Or....
it is a test for water....