What Would Happen If You Put Moonshine In A Car Gas Tank?

Brow Beat In the new movie Lawless, brothers Jack Bondurant (Shia LaBeouf) and Forrest Bondurant (Tom Hardy) find themselves unexpectedly out of gas on a tense drive out of Franklin County, Va. Luckily, they’re booze-running bootleggers, and after emptying a mason jar of moonshine into the tank, their automobile is back up and running.

Can cars really run on moonshine? Only if it’s really strong stuff. To power a car, moonshine—in this case, illicit homemade whiskey—must have an extremely high alcohol content, at minimum 150 proof (or 75 percent alcohol by volume), or 190 proof for best results. During the Prohibition, moonshine could be as weak as 63 proof and as strong as 190 proof,

Alcohol has been used to fuel cars since the dawn of the modern automobile. Henry Ford’s Model T was equipped for running on ethanol as well as gasoline. And in recent years, the federal government has mandated that ethanol make up about 10 percent of most gasoline bought at the pump,

• Others drive on the more controversial E85, which is 85 percent alcohol.
• Some penny pinchers have even installed legal “moonshine” stills in their own backyards, to save on gas money.
• Practically any car could run on high-potency hooch, though the level of performance would vary.
• The Ford Model A driven in the historical novel Lawless is based on would run pretty smoothly, though it would lose about 30 percent of its horse power.

Most automobiles made prior to 2000 aren’t equipped to handle alcohol long-term, and fueling with ethanol can lead to leaks, rust, and corrosion, However, since alcohol has become a regular additive to gasoline, modern fuel systems have developed a much higher tolerance for the substance.

Can I put alcohol in my gas tank?

99.9 PERCENT ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL IS INEXPENSIVE DRY-GAS SUBSTITUTE QUESTION: I have a question about the “dry gas” that you can pour into your gas tank to absorb condensation. I know some brands of gas contain methanol and some contain isopropyl alcohol.

• And isopropyl is recommended for cars with fuel injection.
• So can I use the isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol I buy in the drugstore? I noticed the label says “contains 70 percent isopropyl.” Does this mean the rest is water? Joe Ray: Yes.
• And water is exactly the thing you’re trying to get out of your tank by using “dry gas” or “gas line antifreeze.” So I wouldn’t use that 70 percent stuff.

Tom: But if you can find it, you can use rubbing alcohol that contains “99.9 percent isopropyl alcohol,” which costs about a third of the price of commercial “dry gas.” Ray: What is that other 0.1 percent? It could be yak sweat for all I know. But 99.9 percent is certainly pure enough.

1. It’s not available everywhere, but call around – some stores do carry it.
2. Tom: Of course, I don’t believe you really need this stuff.
3. Most gasolines already contain some kind of gas line antifreeze.
4. But if you do find it helpful, you can put the rubbing alcohol into your tank in the same ratio that you would use for a commercial dry gas product – about 12 ounces of isopropyl alcohol for every 10 gallons of gas.

GET SECOND OPINION ON NOISY ENGINE Q: The engine on my ’93 Toyota Celica sounds as if it’s full of tree frogs. This sound seems to go away when I push in the clutch. My mechanic said the throttle bearings are going bad. When I asked him what the consequences might be, he said my engine might “seize up.” However, he said it wasn’t bad enough to replace the bearings yet.

• My car has only 40,000 miles on it but lots of city driving.
• Can you tell me about throttle bearings? JoAnne Tom: I’ve never heard of throttle bearings.
• Ray: He may have said (or meant) “throw-out bearing,” which is a crucial part of the clutch.
• But that wouldn’t be right either, because a bad throw-out bearing would start making noise when you push in the clutch.

You say the noise goes away when you push in the clutch pedal. Tom: And in any case, a bad throw-out bearing wouldn’t cause your engine to seize. Ray: Unfortunately, when pushing in the clutch causes a noise to stop, that indicates that the problem is inside the transmission (pushing in the clutch stops the transmission gears from spinning).

So that may be where your problem lies. It’s very unusual, however, on a Celica with only 40,000 miles. So this is a case where a second opinion is definitely called for. Tom: And the dealer is the right place to go. JEEP CHEROKEE HAS FAULTY BOLTS Q: I have a ’95 Jeep Cherokee 4 by 4 with 51,000 miles. It has the 4.0-liter engine.

The three motor mount bolts that go into the block sheared off on the passenger side. The mechanic had to drill out the bolts. He put in a new motor mount too. The bolts on the driver’s side were OK and tight. Six days and 900 miles later, I went slowly over a railroad crossing and the same three bolts sheared off again.

1. What’s going on? Neal Ray: Here’s what I think happened.
2. For some reason, during that first 50,000 miles, those bolts started to come loose.
3. Why? I don’t know.
4. Perhaps they weren’t tightened properly at the factory.
5. Or maybe the holes were never drilled and tapped correctly.
6. The bolts should not have come loose on your car, but they did.

Tom: The three bolts go through a bracket, and with one or more of the bolts loose, that bracket slides up and down and has a shearing action – acting like a knife against those bolts. Eventually, a bolt got sheared off. That weakened the mount even further, making the shearing action even more intense, and eventually the second and third bolts gave way too.

And when the third one broke, the motor fell down and you noticed it. Ray: And the reason it broke again a week later is that the repair was not as good as the original. When you drill out broken bolts, you can’t always drill as deep as you’d like (especially when you’re drilling into somebody’s engine block).

So you often end up using shorter bolts, which, in this case, weren’t up to the job. Or maybe they neglected to use “hardened” bolts. In any case, as you discovered, it didn’t take much to shear off those inferior bolts the second time. Tom: It’s possible that they can weld it all back together and make it work.

But it’s also possible that the whole thing is going to be even weaker after another repair attempt. So if the next repair fails, the next step would be a new engine block. Ray: And in my opinion, Daimler Chrysler ought to pay for it. This shouldn’t happen on a 1995 car with only 50,000 miles on it, and they’ll probably agree with that.

I’m not aware of any maintenance that Chrysler requires on the motor mount bolts. So it would seem as though you’re absolved of all responsibility. It seems to us clearly a manufacturing error. : 99.9 PERCENT ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL IS INEXPENSIVE DRY-GAS SUBSTITUTE

Can alcohol be car fuel?

7.3.2 Methanol – Alcohol-based fuels have been used in automotive applications for a long time, particularly as high-octane fuels for racing cars. They burn more completely and thus produce lower emissions, although they are still hydrocarbon fuels. Two types of alcohol are distinguished: ethanol and methanol.

Ethanol is the type of alcohol we drink and it can easily be produced from the fermentation of a range of different crops. In the mid-1970s the Brazilian Government launched the ‘Proalcool’ programme as an import substitution project. In the wake of the oil crisis of 1973–4 Brazil felt it spent too much on importing oil to run its cars and a means was devised to substitute this with ethanol produced from sugar-cane.

Although the heyday of the programme was in the 1980s, cars capable of running on alcohol were still being built in Brazil at the turn of the century. The programme has been revived through the introduction of a new generation of bi-fuel petrol/alcohol vehicles into the Brazilian market ( AEA, 2002 ).

Brazilian car makers now regard this technology as marketable elsewhere for compliance with tightening emissions standards. Ethanol has also proved popular as an oxygenate to add to petrol, particularly in North America. In 1998 the US Post Office ordered 10000 post vans with ethanol capability from Ford.

These vehicles are very durable and should be in use well into the twenty-first century. In practical terms there are limitations to this approach, as vast areas of dedicated crop cultivation would be required to run a significant proportion of the world’s cars on this fuel, although where surpluses of crops rich in sugar exist it may be feasible locally.

Methanol is a different product. It is more dangerous to handle than ethanol, or even petrol, and requires a completely different fuel delivery system as it corrodes most existing fuel system materials. Even with the use of stainless steel, a regular replacement of seals in the fuel system is required for methanol-powered vehicles, increasing the cost of maintenance.

Nevertheless, it enjoyed some popularity in the US as an alternative fuel. In practice it is usually mixed with petrol in order to control its effects somewhat and make cold starting easier. A usable fuel, M85 (85 % methanol, 15 % petrol) is produced this way.

1. M85 became a popular alternative fuel in parts of the US from the late 1980s onwards.
2. Volvo was among the manufacturers to offer test vehicles capable of running on M85, for evaluation by California’s Air Resources Board (CARB) and South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD).
3. The 1992 Volvo 940FFV used a modified version of the company’s 2.3 litre 4-cylinder engine.

When run on M85 rather than pure petrol, power output increased from 120 hp to 130 hp, although range was reduced from 460 km to 325 km. These figures are due to the higher octane level but lower energy density of methanol. By the late 1990s, California had begun to review its earlier enthusiasm for methanol as an IC fuel and few of the experimental vehicles were still in use.

• By then, methanol had already come to be regarded as a useful source of hydrogen for feeding fuel cells.
• In this application it may prove more useful than as a direct fuel for internal combustion engines, although it is still only a hydrogen carrier needing an on-board re-former.
• A reformer adds weight and complexity, while it needs to do something with the non-hydrogen parts of the methanol; CO 2 emissions at point of use tend to be a by-product of this approach.

This does not endear it to regulators aiming to implement the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol. A methanol version of DaimlerChrysler’s Necar4 prototype, based on the A-class, is claimed to return 3.6 1/100 km. Running on pure hydrogen, the fuel consumption is around 3.2 1/100 km.

Necar4 uses a stack of 400 cells, which each produce between 1 and 2 V, leading to a maximum 750 V for the stack. The motor only requires 250 V. Fuel cell powered prototypes used to be mostly vans with the powertrain taking up most of the volume, but in the Necar4 the cells fit neatly into the A-class’s sandwich floor.

Toyota’s fuel cell prototypes are based on the RAV-4 compact sport utility vehicle (SUV), where the cells can also be accommodated within the existing structure without interfering too much with the passenger space. Daimler claims a ‘well-to-wheel’ efficiency of 60 % and ‘tank- to-wheel’ of 40 % ( Nieuwenhuis, 1999 ).

However, developments are moving so fast that analysing the performance of current prototypes is largely irrelevant. Burns et al. (2002 : 49) point out that various elements of the hydrogen infrastructure already exist and that these could be built on in various ways. First of all, limited pure hydrogen distribution currently amounts to some 540 billion cubic metres, mainly re-formed from natural gas.

This would meet around 10 % of transport demand for a fuel cell powered fleet. It also shows that considerable expertise in hydrogen use and distribution already exists. Alternatively, existing fuel stations could be fitted with re-formers to produce hydrogen on site from existing automotive fuels, while the domestic natural gas distribution infrastructure of many countries could also be used for producing vehicular hydrogen.

What happens if you put alcohol in an engine?

Can You Run Your Car on Alcohol? – Wikimedia Commons “”> Image Credit: Don Ramey Logan Jr./ Wikimedia Commons Well, it depends on the car. Race cars run on an ethanol-based blend (for example, NASCAR uses an E15 blend, while in 2022, F1 was using an E10 blend), so the short answer would be yes—but not without some modifications.

1. Nowing how to read an ECU data log and what it means for your car is important if you’re running ethanol.
2. Since it burns hotter and evaporates faster than gasoline, using it wouldn’t be practical in a normal engine.
3. There are also two primary factors to consider, such as the year of the car and if the car has a carburetor or automatic fuel injection engine.

A carburetor takes in air and fuel, then mixes them so the engine runs smoothly. If there is too much air and not enough fuel, the car will run lean. This basically means there is a possibility that the engine won’t run because there is too little fuel.

• Automatic fuel injection is a system that injects the right amount of fuel into the engine cylinders at the right time.
• It is a closed-loop system that constantly monitors exhaust gases to ensure that the correct mixture is being burned.
• The benefits include increased fuel efficiency, reduced emissions, and improved engine performance.

However, running a car primarily on ethanol is incompatible with a normal gasoline engine. You’d expect engine sputters and stalls due to the lack of efficiency, which could (and would likely) lead to other issues. Newer performance cars have more sophisticated engines and computers that could effectively use higher blends of ethanol fuel, unlike older cars, which would struggle to burn the ethanol effectively.

Does alcohol dissolve in gasoline?

A good example of this is ethanol which will dissolve in both water (a polar solvent) and gasoline (a non-polar solvent). The left side of the molecule has non-polar characteristics because of the C-C and C-H bonds which allows the alcohol to dissolve in a non-polar solvent (gasoline is primarily made of octane which is a non-polar hydrocarbon). On the right side of the ethanol molecule we see an alcohol functional group (OH).

Is alcohol gas flammable?

Description – Flammability Many alcohols are highly flammable (with flash points below 100 degrees F). Especially dangerous are methanol and ethyl alcohol, because of their wide flammability limits. Polyols are generally combustible. Their generally low volatility means that they are poorly flammable.

Reactivity Flammable and/or toxic gases are generated by the combination of these materials with alkali metals, nitrides, and strong reducing agents. They react with anhydrides to form acids and esters, generating noticeable heat, and also with oxoacids and carboxylic acids to form esters plus water, but the heat of reaction in the latter case typically is low.

Oxidizing agents convert them to aldehydes or ketones. They exhibit both weak acid and weak base behavior. They may initiate the polymerization of isocyanates and epoxides. Toxicity Alcohols and polyols vary widely in toxicity. Among the most toxic are methyl and allyl alcohol, which act as nervous system depressants.

• Other Characteristics These materials are organic compounds containing one or more hydroxyl (-OH) groups linked to hydrocarbon groups.
• Alcohols may have straight-chain, branched-chain or ring structures.
• Polyols contain two or more hydroxyl groups; diols contain exactly two hydroxyl groups, each attached to a different carbon atom.

Examples Ethyl alcohol, methanol, propanol, butanol, ethylene glycol, hexanol, allyl alcohol, amyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, cyclopentanol, glycerol, isopropyl alcohol, isobutyl alcohol.

Is ethanol the same as moonshine?

Methanol – A Deadly Byproduct – The fermentation process used to make moonshine produces alcohol in two forms: methanol and ethanol. Ethanol is the drinkable version. Methanol, known as wood alcohol, is a byproduct that’s toxic when large amounts end up in the finished product,

The distillation process that follows produces concentrated ethanol by boiling the fermented product. The problem moonshiners run into is ethanol has a boiling point of 173.1 degrees Fahrenheit while methanol’s boiling point is 148.5 degrees Fahrenheit. This means methanol evaporates at a faster rate than ethanol and can become concentrated.

When done correctly, it only forms in small amounts and is easily separated out and discarded. Without the right equipment, high concentrations of methanol can end up in the drink. What makes methanol so dangerous is the human body converts it to formaldehyde, an ingredient used to make embalming fluid.

Does alcohol burn hotter than gasoline?

The use of alcohol as a fuel in race cars, specifically Open Wheel and in some closed wheel cars, has been a standard for many years. What most of us don’t realize is why? When comparing alcohol to gasoline it’s not readily obvious why one would select alcohol over gasoline.

1. For purposes of this story when we refer to alcohol we mean methanol or ethanol.
2. Gasoline is much denser from an energy content perspective, meaning it takes less gas (versus alcohol) to make the same power.
3. It’s easier to ignite gasoline than alcohol fuels.
4. Gasoline is available all over the world, the quality may be different, but it’s available.

Gasoline is also more compatible with the materials that are currently used in the construction of fuel systems in use on the road today, from vehicles to the infrastructure used to move it from producer to customer. The characteristics, between the gasoline’s used in say an F1 car are worlds apart from what we use in Saturday night racing.

• It would be easier to get a date with Angela Jolie, even if you weren’t supplying the baby sitter, than to buy 55 gallons of the “Gasoline” used in a F1 car.
• It’s pretty much unobtainable to the average racer.
• That said, we’re still able to buy racing gasolines that are a far cry from what is available at the pump today.

We have at our fingertips, and our wallets, some of the finest racing fuels that have ever been offered to the racer at any time in history. We are a truly lucky lot. While we pay for this privilege, the cost is reasonable given the amount of technology and infrastructure it takes to deliver these high quality products.

History Lesson We need to look back at why alcohol was even introduced to the racing community. It boils down to one word: safety. Yes, there are other benefits but the fuel was really legislated into use due to perceived safety benefits. The great things about gasoline and its use in racing engines, is also why it’s inherently a riskier fuel than alcohol, gasoline will ignite in less than ideal conditions, as in outside the engine.

And, once it’s lit, it’s harder to extinguish outside of the controlled burning that is taking place in the combustion chamber. If you have ever been present when a race car catches fire it’s a truly scary event, regardless of the fuel used. But gasoline is a bit more intense.

1. The bright orange of the fire, the very intense heat, and the fact that spraying water on the fire does very little to it other than spread it around.
2. I’m not suggesting banning gasoline as a fuel for racing; I’m just stating a fact.
3. The fact that fires are a very rare occurrence in today’s race cars is a testament to the safety that is designed into the modern race car, at all levels of the sport.

A car that is fueled by alcohol is no less scary should it catch fire, but there are a few critical differences. The fire is much easier to extinguish with water-based fire extinguishers. In fact, water is the fire extinguisher medium of choice for alcohol fires.

• There is less need for special extinguishers to be used outside of the car itself.
• This goes back into our racing past, in 1964 when there was a crash and a terrible fireball due to a ruptured fuel tank, early in the Indy 500 and two prominent IndyCar drivers of that time, Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald, perished as a result of that fiery crash.

The following year (1965) all the cars racing under the USAC banner, including the 500, were powered by methanol as the use of gasoline was banned. Some other alcohol facts that make it a bit safer from a fuel perspective: It burns at a much cooler temperature and slower than gasoline.

Consequently, this slower burn rate, around 18 to 22 percent slower depending on the conditions, results in an open fire that is a bit less intense and easier to control with easily obtained firefighting equipment. Please do not confuse this as a “safe fire.” But not everything is all roses and honey, from a safety perspective.

In the light of day, it’s almost impossible to see an alcohol flame. While it’s easier to extinguish an alcohol fire, first you have to see it. Often times you will see the driver or crew reacting to the fire before any pit personnel can see the flames.

1. Their reaction is due to the fact they are being burned.
2. Think back to the Indy 500 when Rick Mears was burned by a fire ignited during a pit stop.
3. This was the genesis of IndyCar teams squirting water on the dry break fuel valve right after it’s disconnected from the car as a fire mitigating process.

As a fuel, alcohol is to be treated with the same respect as any other fuel. It’s dangerous and can cause some serious injuries just like any other combustible liquid. Alcohol Problems For the racer there seem to be many positives for using alcohol as a fuel; are there any downsides? Yes, there are a number of issues that alcohol brings to the party that are not even considerations with gasoline fuels.

The first is that alcohol is hygroscopic. It will absorb water out of the air if it’s exposed to the environment. This little feature can make a perfectly acceptable jug of fuel not worth using if the water content gets too high. This feature of alky fuels is, and has been, the bane of many tuners as they make changes to the fuel system only to find that the fuel was contaminated with water.

This is also a real problem in areas that have a good bit of humidity in the air. In the Southwest it’s not a big issue but it still means that any alcohol that is stored needs to be in containers that are not vented and that the fuel should not be exposed to the environment any longer than possible.

• Another downside is that many of the rubber type seals that are used in gasoline fueled cars don’t hold up when the fuel is changed to alcohol.
• They don’t react well with alcohol fuels, often degrading and no longer offering an acceptable seal, or even worse they degrade and contaminate the fuel downstream of their location.

While this seems like a real issue, it’s simply rectified, by using seal materials that are resistant to alcohols, from the tank to the end of the fuel delivery system. Chemistry 101 The chemical makeup of alcohol is very corrosive to many of the coatings that are typically used on metals in the fuel system.

It’s not uncommon for metal components to get surface oxidization and pitting as a result of alcohol fuels. This becomes a real issue if the alcohol is allowed to sit in the fuel system between races. The fuel system should be maintained between races to prevent the alcohol in the system from turning into what is a very strong corrosive agent.

If the fuel system isn’t cleaned frequently, preferably after each race day, the corrosive nature of alcohol will play havoc with the metal and rubber components in the fuel system, especially those components not designed for this type of fuel. This isn’t a real issue as most racers who are using alcohol fuels are already familiar with the required maintenance.

For those not familiar with the maintenance rigors required when using alcohol fuels; education comes quickly and with a vengeance. Failure to properly maintain an alcohol fuel system will result in, aside from the corrosion, a grit like substance, almost a fine sand type of residue, in the lines and around aluminum parts.

This grit is the result of an increased electrical conductivity that alcohol has over gasoline fuels. The grit is from the galvanic corrosion caused by the greater electrical conductivity from the fuel as it interacts with the various different metals in the fuel system.

This contamination will migrate throughout the system clogging fuel filters, fuel jets, and generally cause havoc within the fuel system. It’s often thought that alcohol makes power because it has a greater amount of energy. This isn’t exactly true; in fact, the type of alcohols that are commonly used in racing have less heat energy than gasoline based on the volume.

There are, in fact, four types of alcohols of which only methanol and ethanol are currently used as fuels in the racing world. The other two types of alcohols, propanol and butanol, aren’t used commonly used. Propanol has more uses as an industrial solvent than as a fuel while Butanol is an interesting chemical.

Handling From a handling perspective, alcohol will cause the racer a few more considerations. Since alcohol has less heat energy than gasoline, you’ll be required to burn more of it—that means more weight at the start of the race and, due to the higher consumption rate, the car will become lighter and lighter as the race progresses.

Why is this a bad thing? Because it will change your weight and balance to a greater degree than you would have with gasoline fuel, as the fuel burns off. Yes, gasoline burns off and the car will get lighter as well, it’s just that with alcohol it will happen at a greater rate, and not only will you have to deal with the ever changing track conditions, but you will have to develop a setup that will not go away as the car gets lighter.

Of course, you can develop a setup that favors the car later in the race. The point is that the use of alcohol will not only mandate fuel system changes, but it will also mandate a different setup than gasoline. More Power So, just why does alcohol make more power than gasoline if it has less energy per pound than gasoline? Good question! Obviously, you will have to run more of the alcohol-based fuels to get the same power, how much more will depend on the type of alcohol you’re running.

With methanol and ethanol it’s about 40 percent more than gasoline. Let me espouse some of the good characteristics that alcohol brings to the table. First, when you burn alcohol one of the byproducts of combustion is oxygen. This helps enhance the combustion process.

Another is the cooling effect of alcohol as it “vaporizes” in the inlet track. This helps create denser air as the air/fuel charge enters the engine, another positive. The cooling effect also helps to cool the engine, at least on the inlet side of the equation. Remember, producing horsepower is all about creating and controlling heat.

Another positive feature about alcohol that is seldom discussed is that the incoming fuel charge, the mixture of air and alcohol, is easier to compress than a mixture of gasoline and air. The alcohol doesn’t vaporize as well or as completely as gasoline as it comes out of the carburetor or the injector.

1. While gasoline forms a more complete vapor, alcohol forms a “vapor” made up of many very small droplets of fuel suspended in the incoming air/fuel stream entering the engine.
2. Then during the compression stroke, the heat of simply compressing the incoming air/fuel mixture completes the vaporization process.

So, from a mechanical perspective, your engine uses a smaller percentage of the power it’s making to sustain continued operation. Long story short, an alcohol mixture takes less energy to compress than a gasoline mixture. And, as an added bonus the last vaporization step also helps to further cool the mixture.

• Remember, cool, in this case, is a relative term as compared to a gasoline mixture.
• Additionally, an engine that is burning methanol or ethanol can support a much higher compression ratio.
• It’s not uncommon to see alcohol engines using as high as 13:1 or 14:1 compression rations with little fuel-related problems.

Of course, high compression engines have other mechanical issues that aren’t related to fuel. That said, alcohol can support some very high compression engines without the fuel causing detonation issues which can occur if the wrong grade of gasoline is used.

Currently, the majority of alcohol fuels are manufactured from petroleum products, in this case natural gas. More specifically, the methane that is a component of natural gas. It can also be manufactured from the pyrolysis of wood. A process that utilizes pressure, high temperature, and an absence of oxygen, one of the byproducts of this process is methanol, another is charcoal.

The term wood alcohol is derived from this process. As previously discussed in other Circle Track articles, there are other sources of alcohol fuels, such as agricultural products like corn, beets, or sugar cane. Leaving the political arguments of whether it’s good or bad to manufacture fuel from corn, beets, or sugar cane let’s jump right into the future.

1. It seems much more economically viable to use feed stocks that are lower in cost and that we already have in our hands, than to grow or divert new feed stocks to produce fuels.
2. Waste byproducts such as whey from the cheese making process, still contain sugars that can be turned into ethanol.
3. It seems infinitely smarter to use this waste product or products and get all the value possible out of this resource.

As far as the racer is concerned, the more demand for alcohol fuel products the more technology will be devoted to improving the product and creating better and, hopefully, more economical methods for producing alcohol from waste products or easily renewable agricultural products.

1. The future does look promising in this field of developing new methodologies for creating fuel from alternative sources.
2. The UOP division of Honeywell International this year flew a Gulfstream G450 Business Jet from New Jersey to the Paris Air Show using a “green fuel” that was composed of a 50/50 blend of petroleum-based jet fuel and Honeywell “Green Jet Fuel.” The Green Jet fuel, or biofuel, was developed using camelina.

Camelina is the agro crop that doesn’t compete in the food chain and is used as a rotational crop in wheat farming. Another benefit is that Camelina can be grown on farm land that is considered marginal and doesn’t have to compete with crops that require the best land for production.

1. This was the very first transatlantic flight that utilized a biofuel in a business jet.
2. While this wasn’t an alcohol-based product, it does showcase some very sound American technology that will have effects on how we develop new technologies for creating new fuel feed stocks, and this will have implications in how alcohol products are developed.

It may not be too far off into the future that we see commercially available alcohol-based fuels that are created from algae feed stocks or cellulouse waste products. The idea that we could take garbage and turn it into the feed stocks that are used to develop fuel isn’t just a pipe dream it may become a reality.

Can a car run on vegetable oil?

Can you fill up your car with vegetable oil? – Firstly, you can only use vegetable oil in a diesel engine, not a petrol one. It’s important to note though that oil should not be poured directly from the bottle into a car. Due to the oil being so thick and sticky, it won’t flow properly through the engine, and it will not burn efficiently.

• In turn, this will cause the oil to solidify and build up, damaging the engine and causing it to burn out or stall.
• However, it is possible to use straight vegetable oil (or SSO as it is known as) as a fuel source, but this is only feasible if you have modified your car to address the viscosity issue – for example, by adding a heat exchanger to preheat the oil, therefore reducing its viscosity and surface tension.

On the other hand, there is also a process which turns cooking oil into an efficient biodiesel called transesterification. However, it’s strongly advised that this process is left to the experts. If the chemical compounds are mixed or processed incorrectly, then it can cause a very dangerous and hazardous chemical reaction.

• It’s believed older diesel engines are more likely to run on cooking oil or even used oil that has been strained.
• However, again, the viscosity of cold oil can cause fuel injectors to clog.
• In contrast, modern diesel engines will need the cooking oil to be enhanced and turned into biofuel.
• So, while it is possible if you have a diesel engine, the process is not advised – with plenty of things that could potentially go disastrously wrong.

Of course, alternative fuel is a hot topic at the moment. It was recently confirmed that cars and vans powered wholly by petrol and diesel will not be sold in the UK from 2030. With that in mind, Arnold Clark recently opened the Innovation Centre, The new £5 million site opened last year on Dumbarton Road in Glasgow’s West End with the aim of educating visitors about the benefits of alternative fuel vehicles and why they are becoming so important.

• There are more than 60 vehicles on site available to test-drive, from plug-in and self-charging hybrids to fully electric vehicles, including the Volkswagen ID.4, Mercedes EQC, MINI Electric, Hyundai Kona, Kia e-Niro, BMW X2, and BMW i3.
• To learn more about making the switch to electric, book an appointment here,

WARNING: Drivers should only use fuels as advised by their manufacturers. Any modifications made to your car may cause damage to your vehicle and invalidate your warranty.

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Can I pour water in my engine?

Pros/Cons of Using Water – Using water adds contaminants to your radiator system. It’s much better for the engine to use water than to drive with low coolant, but you should replace the water with the correct coolant for your vehicle as soon as possible.

• When you add water to the radiator, you dilute any coolant that may still be in the radiator.
• Coolant has several important functions: preventing corrosion, increasing the boiling point of the water, and lowering the freezing point of water.
• While you can drive the car for a short time using water in place of the coolant, it won’t effectively protect your engine.

This means its essential to get the problem that caused a low coolant level fixed as soon as possible, and the radiator filled with a 50/50 ratio of coolant to water.

Can cars run on methanol?

Vehicle Fuel & Thermal Applications Methanol is an affordable substitute for gasoline and diesel in countries that are looking to transition away from fuels that result in high levels of air pollution. Methanol’s efficient combustion, safety, ease of distribution and wide availability around the world make it an attractive alternative fuel for transportation.

Methanol can be used as a transportation fuel in three ways: Additives or fuel blends – Methanol is used to manufacture methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), a gasoline additive that reduces tailpipe air emissions, and to produce fuels like biodiesel which is a diesel alternative. By 2025, the average output of biodiesel and similar fuels is anticipated to increase by 30 per cent from 2019 levels.

Methanol is also used in gasoline blends around the world at high volume percentages (50-100 per cent), mid (15-30 per cent) and low blends (3-5 per cent). An early adopter, China has been using methanol and methanol blends since the 1980s. Both India and Denmark launched methanol-blend fuel stations in 2022, and other countries—including Israel, Germany, India, New Zealand, the U.K., and Italy—are at the assessment or near-commercial stage for low-level methanol fuel blending.

Fuel for passenger vehicles – In China, increasingly stringent air quality standards are supporting the adoption of methanol as a cleaner-burning vehicle fuel. By the end of 2022, approximately 110 M100 (100 per cent methanol fuel) filling stations were operating in China’s Shaanxi, Shanxi, Gansu and Guizhou provinces to service approximately 27,000 M100 taxis (running on 100 per cent methanol).

There were also 1,000 methanol hybrid passenger cars built by the Geely Group operating in China. Collectively, this demand represents approximately 520,000 tonnes of methanol per year. Fuel for heavy-duty vehicles – Methanol is a diesel substitute for heavy-duty vehicles. Commercial trucks are another emerging opportunity in China, with Geely developing the world’s first pure methanol combustion heavy-duty truck. As of 2022 there were 3,000 methanol heavy-duty trucks in operation in China.

What happens if you pour water on a car engine?

I just got caught in a rainstorm and drove under a bridge that was pretty flooded. My car made it through, but I’m worried I have water in my engine. What happens if water gets in your engine? What happens if water gets in your engine is that it can lead to compression issues and serious damage,

Water in the engine can lead to compression issues, since the water will remain trapped in the engine. This can eventually lead to your piston rods bending and breaking, If you drove through water, there’s a chance it reached your engine, especially if you have an air intake that is low to the ground.

Water in your engine may also lead to rusting, which can damage pretty much everything under the hood. If you’re worried there’s water in your engine, you might want to head to a mechanic —it could save you from some significantly pricier repairs down the road.

• Staying on top of your car’s health isn’t the only way to save money on car ownership—another is by finding a more affordable policy with the help of insurance broker,
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Which alcohol is best for fuel?

# 1 – Denatured Alcohol – 16 Cents an Ounce – Advantages: Hot, clean flame that produces a very small amount of soot and almost no odor when burned. Reasonably priced. Disadvantages: None. Denatured alcohol is an excellent alcohol fuel and is readily available in stores in both the camping section under the label of “alcohol fuel” or in the paint section labeled “denatured alcohol”.

• Manufacturers of devices that burn alcohol usually recommend denatured alcohol for fuel.
• It has unique characteristics (clean, hot, flame with little soot or odor) that make it the top pick for burning.
• Denatured alcohol will store indefinitely in a tightly sealed container.
• The shelf life varies depending on the type of container it is stored in.

The manufacturer of Klean Strip Denatured Alcohol recommends the following storage conditions: Keep container tightly closed when not in use. Store in a cool, dry place. Do not store near any source of heat or open flame, furnace areas, pilot lights, stoves, etc.

Why is alcohol used in fuel?

Fuel Properties – Ethanol (CH 3 CH 2 OH) is a clear, colorless liquid. It is also known as ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, and EtOH (see Fuel Properties search,) Ethanol has the same chemical formula regardless of whether it is produced from starch- or sugar-based feedstocks, such as corn grain (as it primarily is in the United States), sugar cane (as it primarily is in Brazil), or from cellulosic feedstocks (such as wood chips or crop residues).

Ethanol has a higher octane number than gasoline, providing premium blending properties. Minimum octane number requirements for gasoline prevent engine knocking and ensure drivability. Lower-octane gasoline is blended with 10% ethanol to attain the standard 87 octane. Ethanol contains less energy per gallon than gasoline, to varying degrees, depending on the volume percentage of ethanol in the blend.

Denatured ethanol (98% ethanol) contains about 30% less energy than gasoline per gallon. Ethanol’s impact on fuel economy is dependent on the ethanol content in the fuel and whether an engine is optimized to run on gasoline or ethanol.

Can you use alcohol in a gasoline engine?

Chapter 1 Alternative Fuel Source – Are you as tired of the “gasoline shortage” as I am? Long lines at the pump, shorter service station hours and higher prices are here to stay. Rationing has affected various areas of the nation. Unstable, international politics threaten our continued dependence on foreign crude oil.

Politicians and oil executives predict the situation to worsen. Faced with these grim facts, I began to search for an alternative energy source. I wasn’t looking for a solution to the entire country’s energy problems. I simple wanted to insure that my family and I would have the fuel to power our vehicles when and where necessary, without interference or restriction from Uncle Sam’s energy “experts” or the whims of a greedy oil sheik in the Middle East.

Alcohol fuel is the little man’s best hope for relief from gas “pains”. The all-but-untapped, domestic resource has many advantages. The following is a list of the ones I feel are most significant:

Almost any gasoline-powered engine can be made to run well on alcohol. Only minor and inexpensive modifications to the engine are required. Anyone with reasonable, mechanical skill and common handtools can make the modifications once they’ve learned the procedure. Alcohol can be produced from a variety of organic materials and is a natural substance. Distilling can be done a small scale by individuals or on a very large scale by local companies. And profit generated by production of domestic alcohol fuels will stay in America and will pay American farmers.

With these thoughts in mind, I decided to undertake a test project. The first goal was to successfully convert a vehicle fuel rather than “gasohol”. The vehicle was then to be driven daily to determine was practical for use under normal everyday conditions.

What doesn’t dissolve in gasoline?

Sugar doesn’t dissolve in gasoline. If you add it to gasoline, it stays in granular form.

How do you remove alcohol from gasoline?

Making non-ethanol gas out of ethanol gas (E10) – Dave’s Garage Dave was super busy this month so the staff at Wheel Tracks decided to go with a story that Wendell Nobel mentioned about making non-ethanol gas out of ethanol gas (E10). The hope is that members will not try the process but instead will more thoroughly understand this ethanol problem that we have.

• Wendell Noble tells a story of an article he read of someone in the Northeast Kingdom removing ethanol from his gas for his chainsaw use.
• The gent simply adds water to five gallons of the dreaded E10 gas.
• The water speeds the separation of the ethanol and settles to the bottom of the gas can.
• The gent then siphoned off the non-ethanol gas on the top.

He uses the “stuff” on the bottom, the water and ethanol mix, to wash his windows! (who wodda guessed). Here is a more detailed process taken from an internet story How to make your own ethanol-free gasoline Ethanol is the scourge of owners of old cars, motorcycles, boats, and many other gasoline-operated vehicles and implements.

E10 (10% ethanol) is pretty much the only available gasoline in most of the country now, with a few stations offering ethanol-free gas. And E15 (15% ethanol) is coming soon, recently approved by the EPA for 2001 and newer cars – even though the car manufacturers don’t want it. You can thank the ethanol lobby for that.

What’s the problem with ethanol? The biggest problem is phase separation. Like brake fluid, ethanol is hygroscopic, which means it bonds very easily to water. If there is moisture in the air (which there always is), the moisture bonds with the ethanol.

The combination of water and ethanol is heavier than gasoline, so it falls to the bottom of the gas tank, where the pickup is. Let it sit for any length of time, particularly with a partially-full gas tank (because the air space left will contain moisture, and will expand and contract with heat, sucking in more moisture-laden air), and your tank will have a layer of water/ethanol mixture on the bottom.

This is called phase separation. Guess what gets sucked into your engine the next time you start it? The water/ethanol mixture will burn in your engine, but it will burn much leaner and hotter, with the potential for serious engine damage as a result.

• Ethanol is particularly corrosive to plastics, rubber, aluminum and fiberglass when compared to straight gasoline.
• So what is the solution? Well, you can check out the web site http://pure-gas.org to try to find a gas station near you that sells ethanol-free gas.
• Hint: many boat marinas sell ethanol-free gas, because with the added moisture in a boating environment, E10 plays havoc with boat engines.

How do you remove the ethanol from E10? It’s quite simple, actually – just add water! Remember, ethanol bonds strongly to water. All you need to do is add some water to the gasoline, agitate to make sure it mixes well, then let it sit for a few minutes.

The water will bond with the ethanol, and it will phase-separate out, falling to the bottom of the container. So how much water do you add? It depends on a few things, including the actual concentration of ethanol (which will vary – it’s seldom exactly 10%), and ambient temperature. Dave’s testing shows that the optimal amount of water is 2% by volume of the E10.

That’s 2.56 oz per gallon, or 12.8 ounces for a five-gallon gas can. Remember that extra water will simply separate out, so two cups (16 ounces) of water in a five-gallon gas can is safe. You should use distilled water only, to avoid leaving behind any minerals or other additives that your engine may not like (does fluoride keep your carburetors clean?). Please email all inquiries to: or snail mail 32 Turkey Hill Road Richmond VT 05477 : Making non-ethanol gas out of ethanol gas (E10) – Dave’s Garage

Is Moonshine flammable?

5 Surprising Uses for Moonshine Moonshine is in a league of its own when it comes to versatility. Moonshine is in a league of its own when it comes to versatility. Depending on the drinker’s taste and prefer ences, moonshine can be easily modified to replace other spirits. Keep readin g to learn five surprising uses for moon shine that m ight come in handy in the future. Lighter fluid Sitting around a bonfire with good friends while sipping on a jar of moonshine sounds like the perfect way to spend a cool fall or winter night outdoors.

• As it turns out, moonshine is ideal for starting the bonfire, too.
• Moonshine is a highly flammable liquid that works well as a source of fuel.
• And, unlike toxic gasoline, moonshine is made with all-natural ingredients, so whether you’re starting a bonfire or lighting your charcoal grill, you won’t have to worry about consuming toxic chemicals.

Antifreeze Most spirits need exposure to a temperature of at least -150 degrees before they freeze. Considering that moonshine is among the highest-proof spirits, it can be used as an antifreeze substance for certain things like vehicle engines or generators.

Opting for moonshine rather than actual antifreeze will work just as well, if not better. Unlike commercial antifreeze products, moonshine is entirely natural and won’t cause damage to the environment. Pain reliever For centuries, mothers have used moonshine to calm and soothe cranky or teething babies.

Full disclosure, we do not recommend the use of alcohol for anyone under the age of 21. However, scientific studies have shown that alcohol, especially moonshine, is a very effective painkiller for its high alcohol content. You’ve probably heard of people “drinking away their pain” — it seems as though there is some truth to that! Cleaner Moonshine can be used as a safe, all-natural cleaning agent.

Simply replace your chemical-based cleaner with moonshine and clean even the dirtiest surfaces, whether it’s the shower, kitchen counter or outdoor furniture. Even better, the high alcohol content will instantly kill 99% of germs and bacteria, leaving behind a fresh, clean surface. Antiseptic Whether you’re gearing up for a weekend deer hunt or planning a camping trip, be sure to pack a bottle of moonshine just in case you find yourself with a cut or scape while out in the great outdoors.

Moonshine contains a high enough alcohol content to kill off any bacteria that may get inside of a wound. Simply pour some moonshine on it to kill the germs and bandage it up. Then, just for good measure, drink a shot or two to help with the pain. Crystal Ridge Distillery is the only moonshine distiller in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Can smelling alcohol get you drunk?

How the Smell of Alcohol Makes You Tipsy The next time you hit the bar but decide to stay sober, you might want to hold your nose. According to new research, you could still be affected by the smell of all the alcohol being consumed, even if you’re not drinking a drop.

What happens if you put isopropyl alcohol in a gas tank?

With the coronavirus pandemic squarely upon us this spring, boating was curtailed during the worst possible season. With marinas and public and private boat launch ramps closed, many boats languished in boatyards and driveways. I wonder how many boat owners, like me, were faced with water in our gasoline fuel tanks.

• Water collects due to condensation and ethanol additives absorbing water from the atmosphere, which has been going through periods of heating and cooling.
• Pumping out and disposing of contaminated fuel can be an expensive proposition, but it can be avoided.
• While ethanol can contribute to contaminated fuel, other alcohols can re-disperse the water back into a burnable mixture.

The most widely available alcohol to do this job is isopropyl alcohol. If you can find a source, isobutyl alcohol is also effective. With the increased demand for sanitizers, isopropyl alcohol may also be difficult to find. Drugstores usually carry 70% solutions of isopropyl alcohol.

Do not use this. Look in the hardware store where the solvents are sold for 99% isopropyl alcohol, also called isopropanol and IPA. Isopropyl alcohol is also sold as a fuel additive. Read the labels on the additives at your automotive store. If you can’t find isopropyl alcohol, you may be able to get it labeled with a trade name as a fuel additive.

Isopropanol absorbs moisture from the air. This means that after restoring your fuel with an addition of isopropanol, you should run the remaining fuel through the engine by taking a long trip or enough laps around the lake to use up the fuel. A few caveats are in order here.

Isopropanol is said to be no more corrosive to rubber and other polymer parts of the fuel system than ethanol. It is less aggressive than methanol. Because it’s also a better cleaner than ethanol or methanol, it removes many deposits in a fuel system. I’m not certain if this will present problems or not.

All the literature and testimonials I have read indicate no ill effects from this “cleaning,” but you should use at your own risk. Isopropanol has an octane rating of 105. Depending on how much you use to re-disperse water in your fuel, the overall octane rating may change and affect the way your engine runs.

1. For a typical 40-gallon fuel tank, one half to one pint of isopropanol will disperse the water and get your engine running satisfactorily.
2. The water that’s now dispersed in the fuel is said to actually improve engine performance.
3. Years ago, when most fuel systems were carbureted, a device was sold that introduced a small amount of water vapor into the fuel/air mixture to improve performance.

Isopropanol, like most of its alcohol cousins, absorbs moisture from the air. This means that after restoring your fuel with an addition of isopropanol, you should run the remaining fuel through the engine by taking a long trip or enough laps around the lake to use up the fuel so you can fill up with fresh fuel.

Can you use alcohol in a gasoline engine?

Chapter 1 Alternative Fuel Source – Are you as tired of the “gasoline shortage” as I am? Long lines at the pump, shorter service station hours and higher prices are here to stay. Rationing has affected various areas of the nation. Unstable, international politics threaten our continued dependence on foreign crude oil.

• Politicians and oil executives predict the situation to worsen.
• Faced with these grim facts, I began to search for an alternative energy source.
• I wasn’t looking for a solution to the entire country’s energy problems.
• I simple wanted to insure that my family and I would have the fuel to power our vehicles when and where necessary, without interference or restriction from Uncle Sam’s energy “experts” or the whims of a greedy oil sheik in the Middle East.

Alcohol fuel is the little man’s best hope for relief from gas “pains”. The all-but-untapped, domestic resource has many advantages. The following is a list of the ones I feel are most significant:

Almost any gasoline-powered engine can be made to run well on alcohol. Only minor and inexpensive modifications to the engine are required. Anyone with reasonable, mechanical skill and common handtools can make the modifications once they’ve learned the procedure. Alcohol can be produced from a variety of organic materials and is a natural substance. Distilling can be done a small scale by individuals or on a very large scale by local companies. And profit generated by production of domestic alcohol fuels will stay in America and will pay American farmers.

With these thoughts in mind, I decided to undertake a test project. The first goal was to successfully convert a vehicle fuel rather than “gasohol”. The vehicle was then to be driven daily to determine was practical for use under normal everyday conditions.

Will alcohol clean injectors?

Tech Tip – Why Use Denatured Alcohol to Clean Injectors? At Delta Kits, we have a team of highly trained professional technicians who possess decades of experience in the windshield repair and headlight restoration industry. The Delta Kits standard procedure for necessitates that the equipment be thoroughly cleaned and maintained to ensure optimal repair quality.

One question that pops up when we talk to customers is “What kind of alcohol do I use to clean the injector and injector cylinder?” There are three main reasons why Delta Kits recommends the use of denatured alcohol for cleaning windshield repair injectors: It has a higher flashpoint (faster dry time), it won’t cause the injector end seal to warp or swell, and it thoroughly removes uncured from the injector plunger and cylinder.

Having a higher flashpoint means that denatured alcohol evaporates very quickly when brought into contact with oxygen. Denatured alcohol has very little water content, which contributes to two things: fast dry time and diminutive risk of rust forming on the injector or injector cylinder.

• Denatured alcohol efficiently removes uncured resin, and dries quickly, allowing technicians to properly store injector plungers and cylinders.
• In addition to its high flashpoint, denatured alcohol will not cause the end seal (used in the injector cylinder) to swell.
• The end seals are what ensure proper and effective resin injection into a glass break; a swollen, shrunken, hardened or warped end seal could result in improper resin injection and cause leaks.

The composition of the Delta Kits’ end seal is extremely resilient to denatured alcohol and common acids found in, (Note: Denatured alcohol may shrink or harden competitor end seals.) Another popular chemical used for cleaning injectors is Acetone. Simply put, we believe denatured alcohol is safer to use than Acetone because it is less toxic.

1. It is recommended to use protective respiratory masks when using Acetone.
2. It is stated on the label of Acetone that it can cause cancer and birth defects (studies based in California), it cannot be made non-poisonous, and prolonged exposure can lead to neurological and psychological damage, among other side effects.

Denatured alcohol is less toxic and easier on the skin. The most important aspect of properly maintaining an optimally-functioning injector is to keep it free of resin when it is not being used for a repair. Once resin cures the tool, it becomes unusable and the injectors will no longer be able to switch from pressure to vacuum cycles.

To keep this from happening, Delta Kits recommends that denatured alcohol be used to properly remove remaining resin from injectors and injector cylinders prior to storage. A technician should add 2-3 ounces of denatured alcohol to a small plastic container (like Delta Kits’ 6oz. plastic cleaning jar with lid ) and place the recently-used injector plunger and cylinder inside the container.

Next, replace the lid and shake the container for at least 15 seconds (it should be noted that the spring injector should be switched from its “pressure cycle” to its “vacuum cycle” positioning at least once during this cleaning procedure). This ensures that the denatured alcohol is reaching all parts of the injector and injector end seals, removing any remaining resin.

• It’s important to also note that injector plungers should not be turned upside down and should always be stored vertically in the relaxed (pressure) position when not in use.
• Delta Kits’ recommended use of denatured alcohol is not the “only way” to clean your injectors.
• However, through the company’s decades of experience it has proven it dries very quickly, does not harm the end seals, and thoroughly removes remaining resin from injectors and injector cylinders.

Most importantly it is safer than other popular products used for this purpose. For more information regarding Delta Kits products discussed in this article, visit www.deltakits.com, call us toll free at (800) 548-8332. To see the proper method of cleaning an injector and injector cylinder with denatured alcohol, check out the corresponding video,

What can be used instead of gasoline?

Alternative fuels include gaseous fuels such as hydrogen, natural gas, and propane; alcohols such as ethanol, methanol, and butanol; vegetable and waste-derived oils; and electricity. These fuels may be used in a dedicated system that burns a single fuel, or in a mixed system with other fuels including traditional gasoline or diesel, such as in hybrid-electric or flexible fuel vehicles.

Biodiesel (PDF) (3 pp, 112 K, February 2010, EPA-420-F-10-009, About PDF )

Learn more about converting a vehicle or engine to run on a different fuel, Learn more about alternative fuels on the Department of Energy,