Testing the Testing of Mogas

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ps.com...
others have already commented on the alka seltzer chemisty, but a simpler
and quantitative way of measuring how much alcohol is in the fuel is to
simply mix it with water. Try 9 parts of fuel to 1 part of water in a
graduated cylinder. the alcohol will migrate to the water phase so you
will
see an increase in the height of the water layer at the bottom and a
decrease in the height of the fuel layer if there is significant amount
of
alcohol..

Does this mean that you can use water to REMOVE alcohol from mogas?

Fill the mighty grape. Pour in a gallon of water. Drive around to mix. Drain
the water. Ta-Da.

Al G

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
Invent one, Edison!

I would, but I'm too busy posting to Usenet.

"Al" wrote in message
...

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ps.com...
others have already commented on the alka seltzer chemisty, but a
simpler
and quantitative way of measuring how much alcohol is in the fuel is to
simply mix it with water. Try 9 parts of fuel to 1 part of water in a
graduated cylinder. the alcohol will migrate to the water phase so you
will
see an increase in the height of the water layer at the bottom and a
decrease in the height of the fuel layer if there is significant amount
of
alcohol..

Does this mean that you can use water to REMOVE alcohol from mogas?

I guess it does but I wouldnt reccommend this to anyone. Interestingly we
had a major fuel contamination issue in australia in 2000 which grounded
half the GA fleet , a corrosion inhibitor , diethylamine which was supposed
to be washed out of the fuel before sale, wasnt removed properly . it
reacted with brass in the fuel systems to form a black gunk which caused
some engine failures. fortunately no one was hurt ( other than financially).
the solution was to just wash the stuff out with water.
terry