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Author Topic:   Alcohol to gasoline ratio to remove water

JimU posted 11-24-2003 03:38 PM ET (US)
My fuel tank has collected some water through condensation. I understand i can Add alcohol to the tank and it will "absorb" the water so it can be burned off with the fuel. Can anyone share info on this? How much alcohol to a gallon of gasoline? any downside to this? thanks, JIM
Bigshot posted 11-24-2003 03:55 PM ET (US)
Are you goig to be able to run it out? Go to auto parts store and get gas line antifreeze, dry-gas, water remover, etc and follow directions. One jar is usually good for 15 gallons or so and they cost about $.50 each or sometimes 3/$1. Downside is that alcohol rots gas lines(continued use) but if you do it to get rid of water, no biggie. Also install or change water seperator filter if this is a built in tank. If above deck tank, just run some dry-gas and be done with it.
Tom2697 posted 11-24-2003 04:25 PM ET (US)
There is a product available (Boater's World, etc) called Watersorb. It costs about $5-8 a bottle but it says it is safe for marine fuel lines. It also treats about 100 +/- gallons of fuel.
Definitely get a water separator if you have an internal tank. If it is an external tank, just use the additive as Bigshot suggests.
JimU posted 11-24-2003 06:36 PM ET (US)
Thanks. I have two 70 gal internal tanks. I hope to be able to run it out. I bought a pint of water absorber from West Marine, not Dry Gas brand but instructions say one pint will treat 250 Gals.Does anyone know if you can use too much?
JimU posted 11-24-2003 06:40 PM ET (US)
P.S. I have installed a Racor water separating filter. It has the capability to drain the colllection bowl without replacing the entire filter element. Hope this solves future problems along with fuel stabilizer. Thanks again
jimh posted 11-24-2003 07:59 PM ET (US)
A product which has been mentioned many times and has been reported to be excellent in many seasons of use is MDR Water-Zorb.
See:
http://www.mdramazon.com/54.htm
Dave Murray posted 11-26-2003 07:27 PM ET (US)
I can tell you from direct experience to look for the actual cause of the water in the tanks and then to drain it off using the Racor visible bowl filters.....the treatment stuff just makes a milky mess that clogs the filters and can cause very serious (read expensive) engine/carb problems....better to pressure test the tanks and replace if necessary and get the water out via filters than risk multi hundreds in repairs.....been there- done that- changed the 63 gal Outrage tank with a new Florida Marine Whaler spec tank....DSM
coleman posted 12-01-2003 08:30 AM ET (US)
I've been told (in response to the same problem I had) that using alcohol in mixed gas/oil tanks will be harmful to the engine. Any insights on this?
lhg posted 12-02-2003 07:33 PM ET (US)
NEVER add alcohol Dry Gas to your fuel, particularly in a cold climate, as this only worsens the risk of phase separation (alcohol combining with water to form a highly corrosive liquid at the bottom of your tank over the winter) resulting in destruction of your aluminum built-in tank. Jimh's recommendation of MDR Water-Zorb is what should be used, as it contains NO alcohol, and will emulsifiy any water in the tank so it can be burned through the engine. This product is a winterizing must if you have a built-in tank.
Ramboat posted 12-10-2003 12:20 AM ET (US)
FYI.
I put 20 gallons of cheap no-name gas (read as watered down with alcohol) in my 40 gal. tank a few years ago and had pre-ignition (so said the insurer)..ruined the engine.
claybv posted 08-08-2008 02:44 PM ET (US)
[After being dormant for five years, this discussion has been revived to add:]
Isopropanol is a major ingredient in "dry-gas" fuel additive. In significant quantities, water is a problem in fuel tanks as it separates from the gasoline and can freeze in the supply lines at cold temperatures. The isopropanol does not remove the water from the gasoline; rather, the isopropanol solubilizes the water in the gasoline. Once soluble, the water does not pose the same risk as insoluble water as it will no longer accumulate in the supply lines and freeze.
Although isopropanol is sometimes sold as "Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol, 70%" (or 91%) and "Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol, 99%", there is no isopropyl alcohol in the United States Pharmacopoeia formula for rubbing alcohol, U.S.P.
deepwater posted 08-09-2008 06:23 PM ET (US)
go to your local propane or natural gas company,, you can buy pure alcohol from them ,,it used to be about $4 a gal but its worth it 1 (one) cup per 20 gal will get rid of all the water ,, we used it to pass the emissions test at dmv as it wasn't picked up on the exhaust probe
glen e posted 08-09-2008 07:31 PM ET (US)
call your mfr tech line (cust relations) and ask about alcohol - my owner's manul say NEVER use it - I too have used MDR Water Zorb with great success for small amounts of water in the system...
deepwater posted 08-09-2008 10:07 PM ET (US)
never use it?? ,,its in all the gas now so you cant help but use it ,,anything you buy from the drugstore or auto parts store is diluted with water,, get the good stuff,, your motor may run ruff for an hour until the water is gone but its not as bad as sucking a load of half mix water up and into your carbs,,the more you dilute the water the better and that's what your looking for if you know you already have water in your tank

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Author	Topic: Alcohol to gasoline ratio to remove water
JimU	posted 11-24-2003 03:38 PM ET (US) My fuel tank has collected some water through condensation. I understand i can Add alcohol to the tank and it will "absorb" the water so it can be burned off with the fuel. Can anyone share info on this? How much alcohol to a gallon of gasoline? any downside to this? thanks, JIM
Bigshot	posted 11-24-2003 03:55 PM ET (US) Are you goig to be able to run it out? Go to auto parts store and get gas line antifreeze, dry-gas, water remover, etc and follow directions. One jar is usually good for 15 gallons or so and they cost about $.50 each or sometimes 3/$1. Downside is that alcohol rots gas lines(continued use) but if you do it to get rid of water, no biggie. Also install or change water seperator filter if this is a built in tank. If above deck tank, just run some dry-gas and be done with it.
Tom2697	posted 11-24-2003 04:25 PM ET (US) There is a product available (Boater's World, etc) called Watersorb. It costs about $5-8 a bottle but it says it is safe for marine fuel lines. It also treats about 100 +/- gallons of fuel. Definitely get a water separator if you have an internal tank. If it is an external tank, just use the additive as Bigshot suggests.
JimU	posted 11-24-2003 06:36 PM ET (US) Thanks. I have two 70 gal internal tanks. I hope to be able to run it out. I bought a pint of water absorber from West Marine, not Dry Gas brand but instructions say one pint will treat 250 Gals.Does anyone know if you can use too much?
JimU	posted 11-24-2003 06:40 PM ET (US) P.S. I have installed a Racor water separating filter. It has the capability to drain the colllection bowl without replacing the entire filter element. Hope this solves future problems along with fuel stabilizer. Thanks again
jimh	posted 11-24-2003 07:59 PM ET (US) A product which has been mentioned many times and has been reported to be excellent in many seasons of use is MDR Water-Zorb. See: http://www.mdramazon.com/54.htm
Dave Murray	posted 11-26-2003 07:27 PM ET (US) I can tell you from direct experience to look for the actual cause of the water in the tanks and then to drain it off using the Racor visible bowl filters.....the treatment stuff just makes a milky mess that clogs the filters and can cause very serious (read expensive) engine/carb problems....better to pressure test the tanks and replace if necessary and get the water out via filters than risk multi hundreds in repairs.....been there- done that- changed the 63 gal Outrage tank with a new Florida Marine Whaler spec tank....DSM
coleman	posted 12-01-2003 08:30 AM ET (US) I've been told (in response to the same problem I had) that using alcohol in mixed gas/oil tanks will be harmful to the engine. Any insights on this?
lhg	posted 12-02-2003 07:33 PM ET (US) NEVER add alcohol Dry Gas to your fuel, particularly in a cold climate, as this only worsens the risk of phase separation (alcohol combining with water to form a highly corrosive liquid at the bottom of your tank over the winter) resulting in destruction of your aluminum built-in tank. Jimh's recommendation of MDR Water-Zorb is what should be used, as it contains NO alcohol, and will emulsifiy any water in the tank so it can be burned through the engine. This product is a winterizing must if you have a built-in tank.
Ramboat	posted 12-10-2003 12:20 AM ET (US) FYI. I put 20 gallons of cheap no-name gas (read as watered down with alcohol) in my 40 gal. tank a few years ago and had pre-ignition (so said the insurer)..ruined the engine.
claybv	posted 08-08-2008 02:44 PM ET (US) [After being dormant for five years, this discussion has been revived to add:] Isopropanol is a major ingredient in "dry-gas" fuel additive. In significant quantities, water is a problem in fuel tanks as it separates from the gasoline and can freeze in the supply lines at cold temperatures. The isopropanol does not remove the water from the gasoline; rather, the isopropanol solubilizes the water in the gasoline. Once soluble, the water does not pose the same risk as insoluble water as it will no longer accumulate in the supply lines and freeze. Although isopropanol is sometimes sold as "Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol, 70%" (or 91%) and "Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol, 99%", there is no isopropyl alcohol in the United States Pharmacopoeia formula for rubbing alcohol, U.S.P.
deepwater	posted 08-09-2008 06:23 PM ET (US) go to your local propane or natural gas company,, you can buy pure alcohol from them ,,it used to be about $4 a gal but its worth it 1 (one) cup per 20 gal will get rid of all the water ,, we used it to pass the emissions test at dmv as it wasn't picked up on the exhaust probe
glen e	posted 08-09-2008 07:31 PM ET (US) call your mfr tech line (cust relations) and ask about alcohol - my owner's manul say NEVER use it - I too have used MDR Water Zorb with great success for small amounts of water in the system...
deepwater	posted 08-09-2008 10:07 PM ET (US) never use it?? ,,its in all the gas now so you cant help but use it ,,anything you buy from the drugstore or auto parts store is diluted with water,, get the good stuff,, your motor may run ruff for an hour until the water is gone but its not as bad as sucking a load of half mix water up and into your carbs,,the more you dilute the water the better and that's what your looking for if you know you already have water in your tank