ethanol water seperation

[hirk]

To ad to a previous post today,I copied this from another website post,it clearly explains the fear of actual water seperation in tanks is unfounded,yes ethanol inhanced fuels may absorbe atmospheric moisture but unless close too 100% absorbsion resulting in water representing a high percentage of the total volume going through injectors and causing a lean condition/or washing oil from crank, there is nothing to worry about.As the read indicates it would take a VERY long time drawing mositure from the air to cause seperation.

I did some looking around and this comment I found sums up all of the infomation, that I thought was based on any kind of real study, showed.

"The EPA produced a report on the chances of phase separation in oxygenated fuels. If the only source of water is from moisture in the air, it is highly unlikely to have it happen due to the long period of time required.

 

"For example, at a constant temperature of 100 degrees F and relative humidity of 100%, it would take well over 200 days to saturate one gallon of gasoline in an open gasoline can (assuming the only source of water is water vapor from the air). Water absorption from the air is far slower at lower temperatures and humidities. (At a temperature of 70 degrees and relative humidity of 70%, it would take over two years to saturate one gallon of conventional gasoline in the same gasoline can.) Again, oxygenated gasolines can hold more water than conventional gasoline, and would therefore take much longer to saturate with water.""

 

Personally I have had E10 gas that sat for 6 months that did not seem to have a problem. I think a lot is blamed on E10 that is unfounded in any scientific testing.

Edited October 9, 2008 by hirk

[jwl]

there has been talk of this sort of thing for years, pretty much all the major manufacturers of marine engines and products have knows about additives in gas for years before it has been in the forfront to the general public or boat owner, and thus make products to compensate for this..for example...most good TCWIII related 2 stroke oils already have additives in them to help prevent water separation and such..different brand specific products are also designed for optimum performance with the associated brands of engines. hate to think how much iot would cost us all if we could only run marine grade feul in our engines , let alone the general availablity of it, we would all have to plan our fishing/boating adventures well ahead of time and try to find the nearest available marina with a gas dock that actually had marine grade fuel with no ethanol in it at all.