Hello. Is there a product to remove ethanol from the gas in the tank that won't cause more harm to the engine? I worry about my Mini, especially once the Govt starts using 15%. The only place to by non ethanol fuel is 40 miles away in Erie at a boat marina. I also need it for my cycles and my older vehicles. They already don't run well on the 10% in there now. Thank you. Brian.

 

No, not easily.

 

Due diligence making sure that you don't buy e15. That is about the only thing you can do.

 

If you are concerned about ethanol fuel, you could use Stabil's new product below.

http://www.goldeagle.com/products/10_oz_ethanol.aspx

 

This is only good for a engine that is meant to run on E85. Also this does not remove the ethanol. It removes the water.

 

I think you could easily use this on a modern engine that is designed for E-10 or E-15 that does not get much use and has ethanol fuel that will sit in the tank over a month. Ethanol based fuel has a shelf life of about 1 month before it starts to break down. 100% gas has a shelf life of about 3 months.

I've been using Stabil products for almost 20 years for storing cars and also have used these products in 20 and 30+ year old Porsches. I've yet to have a fuel related issue in all of those years and I'll routinely have 2 year old fuel in my show car that fires right up and runs perfect during the few times the car comes out of the garage. So, something must work with this Stabil stuff. We have E10 based fuel in my area.

The key to ethanol based fuel is to burn it up within 30 days before it starts to break down...and cause problems. If you can't do that, then it's probably best to treat that fuel with some sort of fuel stabilizer to protect some components in your fuel system that may be affected by water in the fuel system.

 

Ethanol fuel breaks down because of water. Thats what will seperate the gas from the ethanol. So this product helps to keep them mixed and not seperated. There is no product to remove ethanol from gas.

 

I agree 100%.

 

there are products

last time I was in the parts store there must have been 10 choices

do they help? I dunno

but after a bad experience with my local 'no ethanol' source I started using one in my 79 . . .

:

"What can I do to protect my vehicle?

Eastwood's Fuel Guard additive system prevents the harmful effects caused by Ethanol and prevents corrosion, gumming and resin build-up. Use Fuel Guard Protection formula with every fill-up and Fuel Stabilizer formula for storage up to 12 months
Prevents Ethanol Phase Separation and the harmful impact of Ethanol blended fuels
Stabilizes Ethanol-blended fuels
Prevents corrosion in the fuel system
Helps remove water
Keeps stored fuel fresh for easy starting
Protects against gum & resin build-up
Prevents clogged carburetors, injectors, filters & fuel lines
Compatible with all 2 & 4 stroke engines
Contains no harmful alcohol or hydroscopic additives"

http://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-s-f...ve-system.html

or

SAFEGUARD™ ETHANOL FUEL CONDITIONER WITH STABILIZERS
Lucas Safeguard™ Ethanol Fuel Conditioner with Stabilizers was developed to specifically address issues associated with using ethanol based fuels. This applies to E-10, E-15, E-85, pure ethanol and any mixtures in between including gasoline. Our Product is completely soluble in all ethanol fuels and will not harm filters. Lucas Safeguard™ Ethanol Fuel Conditioner with Stabilizers contains effective additives to prevent rust and corrosion associated with the use of ethanol fuels.
Safeguard™ Key Benefits:
• Cleans injectors, valve seats, combustion chambers and other critical fuel components

• Stabilizes fuel and prevents varnish & gum formation in ethanol and gasoline

• Combats deposits and protects your engine oil lubricants from the harmful effects of alcohol combustion
Safeguard™ treats up to 80 gallons(302.8) of ethanol fuel. One ounce treats five gallons of ethanol fuel. Our new 5.25 oz bottle treats up to 25 gallons (94.6 liters) of ethanol fuel. Recommended for use in automobile and marine applications.

 

yes the help to stabilize ethanol based fuels. But the op wanted to know how to remove ethanol.

 

correct - their aim to reduce 'harmful effects'

 

Interesting read, especially starting at page 31:

White Paper on Ethanol Blended Gasoline

This is from the guys making the fuel treatment products. In summary, they say that E10 should not hurt your vehicle if it was manufactured after 1985. The ethanol is not the problem with modern materials. The biggest problem is the water causing corrosion as the fuel breaks down in storage.

 

I've used E-10, or what we use to call Gas o Hol since it came out in 1978. The only trouble I've encountered with it was in the early years before gas stations replaced their old steel tanks. It seems that the alcohol wanted to clean those tanks, and proceeded to put into my tank. That was interesting.

But, beings as this is a Mini site, I've used, almost exclusively E-10 in my factory JCW since I picked it in the fall of 2010. Problems? Nil, performance, great, fuel mileage? great. The longest trip we've taken with it was to Galveston in 2011. Averaged 38.7 mpg, one stretch in Texas was over 41 mpg. I questioned that figure on my in car computer and filled up the tank, again with mid range fuel, or E-10 and it was actually 42.6 mpg. I haven't run it up against performance times, but the seat of my pants tells me that it is more than sufficient.

Anyway, it works for me, and I do get tired of all those bad mouthing this product, when they don't really have anything to back it up with. Ok, read oil company propaganda, or the news media and their liberal crap, but to me, it's 10% fuel that isn't going to the Arabs. Again, just my opinion.

 

hemisedan, the issue isn't E10, it's the looming introduction of E15 which BMW emphatically states is not approved for use in their engines.

Also, a lot of the oil used for gasoline comes from your friendly Canadian neighbours to the north

 

Ok...if you were to "remove the ethanol" from your fuel, what are you going to do with it? drink it?! How are you going to get it out from the tank?!
Hate to play devils advocate when a question is asked, but sometimes the question results in more questions....
Simply DO NOT BUY 15% (E-15) ethonol fuel...and NEVER BUY E85 (85% ethanol)....
E-10 is the most common pump fuel around..most stations sell it...
When I pump it I like to picture all the starving kids that would KILL to eat the CORN we are burning in our cars.....folks should be outraged...if it was economically feasible, tax-breaks, and credits would not be needed to make it happen....

And this is how you remove ethanol from fuel...one way anyway,...it is actually how it is tested for the percent...I have never done it, but seen the test done...

A measured volume of Gasoline is poured into a container...next a measured volume of Ethylene glycol is added...say start with a 50% MIX...SHAKE THE MIXTURE...let it settle...now based upon the volume of glycol, and decrease of gasoline, you can determine the ethanol content....
Would I then use the fuel...hell no!!

Tips....Fuel that sits for a time does tend to have the ethanol separate out...so but fuel at a busy station to get a good mix...a chemical, called a co-solvent can be used to keep the ethanol on susupesion....but it is generally not used in gas...it is generally pumped/sold in a couple of days at most stations....and that is why those above mixed are sold...to keep the ethanol in suspension, and to keep the water in suspension, and to neutralize it...just like adding "drygas"....either methanol or isopropl to regular gas in the old days to get rid of excess water...

 

Correct. E10 only seems to be a problem for small motors. That's probably why you can find pure gas at marinas. E15 however, is approved for Flex Fuel engines ONLY!

Not even gonna address E85 and the scam behind it.

 

Ethanol period causes problems for almost all cars that are not meant to be run on ethanol (i.g. European and Japanese cars). Ethanol is crap and does nothing but, put money in the pockets of people who make the laws.

 

Here in the Ozarks a Ethanol plant was approved and work had started before folks rose up and got it shut down. Local town got the very deep well they had already drilled. Someone did the research and discovered how much water is actually used to produce this product. It would have lowered our water table to dangerous levels for miles around not to mention the burning of perfectly good food.

 

I started running 'gasahol' in 1982 in Indiana

in my bike and my cars . . . .

nuthin new . . .