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Heet in E85?

b4black

before black
Jun 6, 2008
1,331
542
Oswego
E85 is mostly ethanol. Adding a few more ounces of Heet (which is either methanol or isopropanol) won't do anything.

E85 can absrob a lot of water before the fuel seperates. The ethanol and water mix together and the gasoline portion of E85 separates out and floats on top of the water/ethanol layer.

If this happens, the car won't start when cold. The gasoline is there to give the E85 vapor pressure. If the car is starting and running OK, then I suspect there is another problem going on. Maybe the Flex Fuel Sensor is bad.

If you did actaully get wet E85, then its likely that others are the same station did as well. If it were me, I would pump some fuel out of the engine's fuel rail into a glass jar and look at it. If it's hazy or separates into two layers, it's wet. I'd also buy another gallon from the station and look at it. Then I would talk to the station manager and see if anyone else complained. With the heavy rain we recently had, it's very possible that water made it's way into the underground staorage tank.
 

Donnie

Ethanol Junkie.
Jan 31, 2012
2,891
40
Uranus, Sol System
If you did actaully get wet E85, then its likely that others are the same station did as well. If it were me, I would pump some fuel out of the engine's fuel rail into a glass jar and look at it. If it's hazy or separates into two layers, it's wet. I'd also buy another gallon from the station and look at it. Then I would talk to the station manager and see if anyone else complained. With the heavy rain we recently had, it's very possible that water made it's way into the underground staorage tank.

qft :bigthumb:
 

crooks

TCG Elite Member
TCG Premium
Sep 30, 2012
3,917
2,271
Elgin IL
So I got in the truck and the check engine is still on. I drove right back into the service bay. They say that the sensor is reading 100% alcohol not e85 or 85% and I have about 24 gallons in the tank. They think the light will go off after I burn through this tank and put some regular gas in it and sent me on my way.
 

b4black

before black
Jun 6, 2008
1,331
542
Oswego
There is a problem using the field testers. They extract the ethanol from the flex fuel with either water or glycol. If the flex fuel is already wet, it will extract that water as well and show it as ethanol.

Ethanol is allowed to have 1% water before blending. I believe E85 can hold up to 15% before the gasoline floats out. If you get any results that higher than expected, it can be wet flex fuel.

That water will also mess with the flex fuel sensor. But the O2 sensor show still be able to control the engine just fine.
 

Caramine

New member
May 17, 2023
1
0
I think they make a water remover heet type fluid for e85, I know they also make stabil for e85 fuel
Just curious.
E85 is mostly alcohol that can absorb up to 50% it's volume of water.
What if that fuel already has water absorbed in it along with other additives to allow it to burn in a flex fuel auto.
That would be an ideal scheme to make more profit on fuel.
At least it would probably clean the combustion chamber, reduce preignition, & reduce emissions.
Similar to a water injection.
Am I totally wrong or is it possible water is added to the E85 before it is sold?
 
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