Fuel - No Start, Driveability, Excessive Alcohol Content
Number 85-6(Gasoline)-25 Date 4/85Subject: DRIVEABILITY CONDITIONS DUE TO EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL IN FUEL
SERVICE PROCEDURE FOR DETECTING ALCOHOL-IN-FUEL
Application:
Certain driveability conditions such as reduced performance, no start, etc.. may be caused by an excessive amount of alcohol-in-fuel. The conditions may be due to fuel system corrosion and subsequent fuel filter plugging, deterioration of rubber components such as the accelerator pumps and/or air-fuel mixture leaning effects.
Various types and concentrations of alcohols are used in commercial gasoline. Some alcohols are more detrimental to fuel system components than others. If an excessive amount of alcohol in the fuel is suspected as the cause of a driveability condition, the procedure as outlined in this bulletin may be used to detect alcohol in the fuel. In this procedure, water is used to extract the alcohol from the fuel. However, this procedure will not identify the type of alcohol (i.e. methanol vs. ethanol).
The fuel sample should represent the fuel in the bottom part of the tank so that any water if already present can be detected. A fuel sample can be obtained from the vehicle using the fuel return line or a siphon hose. If the fuel return line is used, discard enough fuel to ensure a representative sample from the bottom part of the tank. The sample should be bright and clear. If the sample appears cloudy or contaminated with water as indicated by a water layer in the bottom part of the sample, this procedure should not be used. The fuel system should then be cleaned if contamination is evident.
Detecting Alcohol In Fuel:
Service Procedure:
1. Using a 100 ml cylinder with 1 ml graduation marks (suggested part Kimble #20039), fill with fuel to the 90 ml mark.
2. Add 10 ml of water to bring the total fluid volume to 100 ml and install a stopper (Fig. 1).
3. Shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds.
4. Carefully loosen stopper to release pressure.
5. Close the stopper and shake vigorously again for 10 to 15 seconds.
6. Carefully loosen stopper to release pressure.
7. Put the graduated cylinder on a level surface for approximately 5 minutes to allow adequate liquid separation.
If alcohol is present in the fuel, the volume of the lower layer, which would now contain alcohol and water will be greater than 10 ml. For example, if the volume of the lower layer is increased to 15 ml (Fig. 2), it would indicate at least 5 percent alcohol in fuel. The actual amount of alcohol may be somewhat greater because this procedure does not extract all of the alcohol from the fuel.
One source that the 100 ml cylinder is available from is:
SARGENT-WELCH
S-24747 CYLINDERS-Single Graduated, s-Stopper, KIMAX (Kimble No. 20039). Graduated and provided with s-stopper closure. With heavy molded hexagonal base. Calibrated to contain at 20~C. For replacement stoppers, see S-77416.
Cat Cap., Subdiv., s-stopper
No. mL mL No. Price/Pkg. of Price/Case of
S-24747-B 10 0.2 13 14.55 2 142.82 24
S-24747-C 25 0.5 13 17.99 2 132.39 18
S-24747-D 50 1 16 22.58 2 110.81 12
S-24747-E 100 1 22 25.96 2 84.93 8
S-24747-G 250 2 27 34.02 2 111.28 8
S-24747-H 500 5 32 21.97 1 107.76 6
S-24747-J 1000 10 32 30.80 1 100.74 4
S-24747-K 2000 20 38 45.93 1 75.12 2
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Livonia, MI 48150 27501 Schoolcraft Road Telephone-(313) 425-9400
Washington, D.C. 20760 (Sales-Service Center) 8709 Grovemont Circle Gaithersburg, Maryland Telephone-(301) 948-1162
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SARGENT-WELCH SCIENTIFIC OF CANADA, LTD.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada 285 Garyray Drive Weston, Ontario M9L 1P3 Telephone-(416) 741-5210 TELEX - 06-527129
INTERNATIONAL DIVISION
7300 North Linder Avenue P.O. Box 1026 Skokie, Illinois 60077 U.S.A. Telephone-(312) 677-0600 Cable-SARWELSCI TWX-910-223-4541 TELEX - 72-4442
Montreal, Quebec, Canada (Sales-Service Center) 3300 Boulevard Cavendish, Montreal, P.Q. H4B 2M8 Telephone-(514) 481-0119 TELEX - 055-66396