Isopropyl Alcohol and Methanol/Ethanol Question

[IndyFan]

Each winter, I run a couple of bottles of Heet Isopropyl Alcohol in my gas tanks to get rid of any water in the bottom of the tank. My question is this: Will gasoline with 10% methanol or ethanol do the same thing? I normally fuel with top tier gasoline (Shell or Phillips 66) but would do a tank here and there if it is enough to take care of small amounts of water in the fuel system.

 

[Familyguy]

The alcohol already blended into your gas will achieve the same affect. No need to waste any money on "dry gas."

 

[IndyFan]

That's what I wanted to know. I only spent .75 for each bottle of the stuff, so it wasn't a big drain, but I don't want to use it if I don't have to.

Thanks!

 

[Pablo]

The additives in the fuel to help deal with the (hygroscopic) alcohol and the water make those type of additives unnecessary.

I know it's the additives somewhat more than the alcohol itself from messing around with oil/fuel/methanol/ethanol blends for my motored bike.

 

[Captain_Klink]

I try to make sure the tank is never less than 1/2 empty in the winter. That will minimize the condensation. If the fuel has 10% ethanol, then 10 gallons of fuel contain one full gallon of ethanol! which will sop up a WHOLE LOT MORE water, than just a little bottle of HEET! But besides this tiny benefit, ethanol uses up MORE than one gallon of fuel to produce, and we are burning up people's food in our vehicles: totally insane, the sooner ethanol is banned as a fuel, the better.

 

[JohnBrowning]

Not all of us have alch. in our fuel. In fact my Dad has had ice form in his fuel lines about 3 times inthe last 10 years! He is not the type to let his fuel tank get below 1/2 a tank before refilling either. Methanol and water can be mixed in any ratio you like and they bond readily. Keep in mind you are only trying to keep the water from freezeing in the lines. I do not know of any other additives in fuel that will readily bond to H20 and keep it from freezing in the line.