E85Forum.com

440Jim · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 188

I tested my newest batch of E85 I bought. This tested as close to 85% as the test is accurate. (97-91)=6 gave 86%, if it was (97.5-91)=6.5 it would give 85%

nova_70_383 · Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 23

special thanks to DC for showing me how to do the same test! although my gas on top wasnt yellow like yours... i wonder why?

Eric68 · Joined: 01 Nov 2007 Posts: 331

There are different gasolines used for mixing with E85. One is more yellowish and the other clear. Don't remember the difference other than the color. One is "natural" (low octane) I believe.
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Alcohol · Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 634 Location: Central Wisconsin

The yellow hydrocarbon is normally whatever the most available and lowest cost gasoline is in the area- it may be suboctane or CBOB (east of Rockies that is 84.5 octane), conventional 87 octane, or RBOB (again- 84.5 octane east of Rockies) if that is all that is available.

The water clear hydrocarbon can either be a gasoline (refineries can be sometimes set up to produce water clear gas- not common though) or natural gasoline (sometimes natural gas condensate- sometimes refinery stream). Generally the natural gasolines lack heavy ends- having a distillation IBP range starting similar to gas at about 81 degrees, midpoint (50%) at 138, and end point at 263 (ethanol is 173 start to finish). Gasoline endpoints can be 375 to 437 degrees (too high of endpoint will generally leave ash or incomplete combustion). Octane on nat gas is not published as it is only a blendstock. For the most part- the hydrocarbon is only present for starting the engine and assisting beginning of combustion. With alcohol's cooling effect the octane # of the blend component is generally not of significance.

jsiddall · Joined: 06 May 2010 Posts: 6

I purchased my first E85 in Ottawa, Canada today where this early in the spring I was expecting an ethanol content somewhere around the 74% minimum. Instead, I calculated about 86%. Can that be correct?

I filled the cylinder with 50 ml E85 and added 48 ml water. It's a bit hard to see on the photos due to distortion but the total volume is about 97 ml and the white bit is about 91 ml. That's after about 25 minutes. After 15 minutes the white part was more like 93 ml.

The 6 or so ml liquid at the top is slightly yellowish. Then there is a layer of 4-5 ml of more opaque white stuff, then the rest is somewhat more translucent white stuff. Any ideas what the two white parts are?

Edit: Looks like an hour or more is required for everything to fully separate. Now I have a single white and a single yellow layer at 87 ml and 97 ml, or 79%.

Alcohol · Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 634 Location: Central Wisconsin

You are south of me over here in WI-- my sites currently range from 78% (Spring blend) to 82% (1st loads of Summer 83.3% pure alc). Your later results seem to be accurate. Not sure why your's took so long. Was that distilled water, & was the fuel and water temp both around 60 degrees?

The red behind is likely throwing color off a bit- but the hydrocarbon looks water clear w/o any tint. If so-this could be natural gasoline or like the old BP Whiting IN refinery type gasoline.

jsiddall · Joined: 06 May 2010 Posts: 6

Alcohol · Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 634 Location: Central Wisconsin

jsiddall · Joined: 06 May 2010 Posts: 6

Picked this stuff up June 15th. Looks like 86%. This test also took a long time to settle (many hours for the white bit to become homogenous). Not sure what the issue is. Maybe I need to shake it a little less violently!

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