Testing MoGas

For those of us who use car gas, the advent of ethanol has been a real
pain. Although we don't test every tank full, we have used the
"water/gas/shake" test to verify that there is no ethanol present. I
find this method to be rather imprecise and quite a pain, since you
have to have water around to perform the test. (Not easy, in an
unheated hangar, in winter.)

As ethanol spreads like a cancer, we're becoming more certain that we
SHOULD be testing at each fill, now, even though the pumps here in Iowa
are clearly labeled. Well, a guy on a Cherokee 235 mail group has come
up with the following method to test for water AND alcohol at the same
time -- tell me what you think of this:

1. Put fuel in cup.
2. Add 1/4 of an alka-seltzer to fuel
3. If no fizz, no water OR alcohol is present.

I really like this method, as it's portable and doesn't require the use
of water. I plan on testing it on our next tank-full of car gas.

I'm no chemist, so I've got to ask: Does this method pass muster,
scientifically?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"