Thanks...use ethanol gas if you want to repeat what I did. I didn't stop studying this 2 years ago, by the way. I admit I'm a sucker for factual data and I admit I've always been curious. Actually I've read a decent bit about it since then. If you want more scientific data and research, I can give it or point you to studies that have been done. It all boils down to 2 words: phase separation. If you read only about that, you'll have a great understanding of why keeping ethanol fuel in a tank for longer than a month could be an unwise choice.
In a nutshell, what is needed to help solve the ethanol gas dilemma is to reduce phase separation...essentially more water must be held in suspension. Elimination of phase separation would be ideal, but from what I understand it would be chemically impossible. From every study I've read only 2 products have been proven to help do this (unfortunately Sta-Bil and Sea Foam flunked the tests and that is why I'm very lukewarm about using those at best). The only known way to help reduce phase separation is to add methyl or isopropyl alcohol in high purity doses and to use the gas asap. We know that 200 proof ethanol will help but this is not available as a fuel additive, and using it as a fuel additive would be cost prohibitive. The bottom line is alcohol is hygroscopic whereas gasoline (by contrast---because it does not bond hydrogen) is hydrophobic and that means alcohol absorbs water whereas gasoline will not absorb it. The whole idea behind the "gas life extending products" is that they will absorb water so that water can be passed through the engine without problems. In other words adding more alcohol will soak up water and hold it in suspension. But...there are limits. Once the amount of water in E10 gas exceeds .41%, that ethanol-rich water in excess of that small % is heavier than gasoline and it settles to the bottom of the gas tank. And then nothing good happens as it will never mix with anything. For a visual example, .41% of a 20 gallon gas tank equals 10.5 ounces or roughly 2/3 of a pint of water (2560 ounces x .0041 = 10.496). And as mentioned, that is the "safe" level. A greater percentage (which will indubitably happen given more storage time) means all the excess goes right to the bottom of the gas tank. Again, please study "phase separation."
Which 2 products were proven to reduce the phase separation and actually prolong gas storage life? HEET ISO Gas Drier and BG-Ethanol Fuel System Drier. But...and this is really important...the max % of water held in suspension using those 2 products was .43% and water started separating from gasoline again at .44%. A big victory? No. A very tiny success, actually. .41% v .43%. Baby steps.
Here are some other products which didn't work: STP, Valvoline, Rislene
