Ethanol, Water, Storage and Gas Tanks

[Crossrodes]

Have you read this about ethanol:

http://www.goldeagle.com/UserFiles/file/Ethanol%20411/Gold%20Eagle%20eGas%20Article%20PSL.pdf

It seems that as temperature changes ethanol will absorb water and then the water will settle in the bottom of your tank.  I'm thinking it might be smart to drain all the gas when you store the bike for the winter.

[Bob_Roller]

When I lived in Chicago, ethanol was introduced into the fuel supply, in the mid '70's, only 5% by volume .

It was known then, that there was a possibility to get more water in your fuel tank due to the temperature and humidity changes over the winter months .

When I got involved in motorcycling, in 1979, I was told, it was best to drain the fuel tank, blow compressed air into the tank to purge it, then place it by a heat outlet in the basement, to get the remaining residual fluids out of the tank .

Did this with the '79 Yamaha, and then the R65, until I moved to Phoenix, in 1993, been riding all year long since, so winter storage isn't a problem .

I don't know if you have a fuel system anti-icing product containing 100% methanol in your area, but it was popular in the mid-western US during the winter months, went by the name of 'HEET' .

It worked pretty well, keeping the water in solution, and not accumulating in the bottom of the fuel tank .

[Semper Gumby]

I'm using SeaFoam from O'Reilly Autoparts to mitigate the ethanol.

[Bengt_Phorqs]

It's recommended that you drain your tank completely at least once each year when you perform the annual service.   Drain all of the fuel to a gasoline can and pour it into one of your cages.  Any residual water will be burned off much easier in the large fuel tank.

Of course you could add some isopropyl alchol to the tank.  Iso alky will mix with water and will also burn off with the fuel.

[Ed Miller]

Ethanol mixes fine with water.  I don't know why we would need to worry about it since most of us have 10% ethanol in our fuel now.  

[Crossrodes]

Read the article Ed.

[Barry]

I've always felt fortunate that UK petrol did not contain ethanol. Now I'm not so sure after a bit of investigation I found this quote from Shell with reference to the UK.

"Shell, like many other fuel suppliers, has begun blending ethanol into some Unleaded grades"

No mention of of how much ethanol or which grades, the standard apparently allows up to 5% without declaring this at the pumps.

Any of the UK guys know for sure if we already have some ethanol in all UK petrol or it just some brands.

This is the thin end of a green wedge.

[Semper Gumby]

They are putting ethanol in the fuel as away of destroying our older machines.  

It's a conspiracy.    :-?

(nomex suit on - thread exported to "rant" section)

[Ed Miller]

OK I read it.  I still think the problem of water separating out is less with ethanol than it is without it, especially for people who don't ride on reserve very much.  Gas without it won't absorb water, but water will still condense in the tank from the air and run down and sit on the bottom.  That's why tanks have been rusting out on the bottom since way back when ethanol was for human consumption.  At least ethanol will absorb some of the water.

Like Bob I ride my R65 all winter, so I won't have any problems.  Also after a fill up, I suggest riding the first 50 miles or so on reserve to prevent significant water build up in the lower part of the tank.  

I don't have any real good options for storage.  If I empty the tank, my uninsulated shop will condense a bunch of water out of the air.  If I store my bike with a full tank, a winter warm spell will make the gas expand and run out.  That happened on my Triumph, which I no longer ride in the winter.  I got tired of freezing to death.   At least our R65s will just let the excess gas run out through the overflow and not ruin the paint.  I could empty the tank and bring it in the house for the winter, but I doubt I could ever wash out the gas smell so it would stink up the house.  So (on again, on the Triumph) I keep some gas in it over the winter, but slosh it around, pour it out, and use fresh fuel before I ride it in the spring.  I put the old fuel in my car or my '58 Chevy which seems to run on anything.

Good one Bill.  

[Bob_Roller]

Another method of airing out the fuel tank, is to put a hose on the outlet of a shop vacuum cleaner, not the vacuum intake port, and insert it into the filler neck, and put the vacuum on low, and it will purge the tank and dry it in under an hour .