E85 longevity
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 13,632
Likes: 824
From: Fresno, CA

But on all seriousness, I need plastic. Me clumsy.
You could have 87% water and 13% gasoline and it would read E87.
So basically what I am saying is that the sensor is not a good indicator of showing you if the ethanol is contaminated with moisture or not.
As an FYI, the way the sensor works is that it measures gasoline characteristics, not actual ethanol. (I know, it seems counterintuitive)
You could have 87% water and 13% gasoline and it would read E87.
So basically what I am saying is that the sensor is not a good indicator of showing you if the ethanol is contaminated with moisture or not.
You could have 87% water and 13% gasoline and it would read E87.
So basically what I am saying is that the sensor is not a good indicator of showing you if the ethanol is contaminated with moisture or not.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 13,632
Likes: 824
From: Fresno, CA

. I ran through the 85 and have been on pump one tank, e85, now back to pump. No problems to report.
If that is the case then why do they sell it as an analyzer? And why would it read different between fuels? I understand what your saying but it doesn't make since to me being if that was the way it worked then it would read high all the time no matter what type of fuel was in it.
Last edited by razorlab; Oct 8, 2016 at 04:13 PM.
The sensor measures Dielectric Constant. The dielectric constant of Gas is about 2.0, Water is 80.4 and Ethanol is 24.3. These values change a little depending on temperature.
If you add water, the meter will read higher. The engine will also be less likely to detonate. The water increases the octane rating of the cylinder contents as water does not combust, and therefore does not detonate. If the water content gets high enough, it will phase separate and then you will have a water ethanol mixture in the bottom of your tank and a gasoline mixture in the top. Burning the water/ethanol mixture may keep your car from running...it may not combust well.. Burning the gasoline may make your car detonate due to the lack of octane. If you are running E85 it takes a lot of water to get phase separation.
One thing to note, if you fill up and months later your meter shows an increased reading, your fuel has absorbed water, raising the Dielectric Constant of the fuel mixture.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/li...ts-d_1263.html
If you add water, the meter will read higher. The engine will also be less likely to detonate. The water increases the octane rating of the cylinder contents as water does not combust, and therefore does not detonate. If the water content gets high enough, it will phase separate and then you will have a water ethanol mixture in the bottom of your tank and a gasoline mixture in the top. Burning the water/ethanol mixture may keep your car from running...it may not combust well.. Burning the gasoline may make your car detonate due to the lack of octane. If you are running E85 it takes a lot of water to get phase separation.
One thing to note, if you fill up and months later your meter shows an increased reading, your fuel has absorbed water, raising the Dielectric Constant of the fuel mixture.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/li...ts-d_1263.html
The sensor measures Dielectric Constant. The dielectric constant of Gas is about 2.0, Water is 80.4 and Ethanol is 24.3. These values change a little depending on temperature.
If you add water, the meter will read higher. The engine will also be less likely to detonate. The water increases the octane rating of the cylinder contents as water does not combust, and therefore does not detonate. If the water content gets high enough, it will phase separate and then you will have a water ethanol mixture in the bottom of your tank and a gasoline mixture in the top. Burning the water/ethanol mixture may keep your car from running...it may not combust well.. Burning the gasoline may make your car detonate due to the lack of octane. If you are running E85 it takes a lot of water to get phase separation.
One thing to note, if you fill up and months later your meter shows an increased reading, your fuel has absorbed water, raising the Dielectric Constant of the fuel mixture.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/li...ts-d_1263.html
If you add water, the meter will read higher. The engine will also be less likely to detonate. The water increases the octane rating of the cylinder contents as water does not combust, and therefore does not detonate. If the water content gets high enough, it will phase separate and then you will have a water ethanol mixture in the bottom of your tank and a gasoline mixture in the top. Burning the water/ethanol mixture may keep your car from running...it may not combust well.. Burning the gasoline may make your car detonate due to the lack of octane. If you are running E85 it takes a lot of water to get phase separation.
One thing to note, if you fill up and months later your meter shows an increased reading, your fuel has absorbed water, raising the Dielectric Constant of the fuel mixture.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/li...ts-d_1263.html
Here is an interesting article on "water uptake" for E10 blends.
http://www.agri-pulse.com/Ethanol-wi...n-09292016.asp
http://www.agri-pulse.com/Ethanol-wi...n-09292016.asp
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