Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site amdahl.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!decwrl!amdcad!amdahl!ems
From: ems@amdahl.UUCP (ems)
Newsgroups: net.auto.tech
Subject: Re: Fuel composition (Testing for ethanol...)
Message-ID: <2494@amdahl.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 6-Jan-86 18:48:55 EST
Article-I.D.: amdahl.2494
Posted: Mon Jan  6 18:48:55 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 8-Jan-86 06:50:38 EST
References: <623@ihwpt.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Circle C Shellfish Ranch, Shores-of-the-Pacific, Ca
Lines: 19
Summary: A possible way to test for ethanol in motor fuel.


Alcohol is often used to rid fuel tanks of water by soaking
it up into the fuel mix.  It seems to me that this could
be used in reverse to test for alcohol in the fuel.  Take a
sample of fuel, mix in a small amount of water, watch for
one of three possible reactions:
1)  Water absorbed -> lots of alcohol, small water
2)  Separation layer of water -> no alcohol
3)  Separation layer of water & ?? -> probably small alcohol, lots water.

A friend and I tried some water/alcohol/gas mixes in a small
engine about 1971.  If I remember right this is what we found.
It's been a while though, so if some one has a chem lab handy
they might want to test my memory.  I also have no idea what
gas of the '80s contains; though rumors of ethers & stuff abound ...
-- 
E. Michael Smith  ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems

This is the obligatory disclaimer of everything.