Alcohol in petrol

I have some antifreeze in the shed which is 20% methanol and the rest 'glycol'. Would it be hard to separate out the methanol? I presume glycol isn't a good thing to add to petrol.

What about methylated spirits? That's ethanol / methanol and so I'd have thought OK to add to petrol in smallish quantities.

I just wondered! Does this make a change from, Can I run my diesel on vegetable oil???

Reply to
Mark W
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No, it would be very, very easy to seperate out the methanol.

All you'd need is a still. The methanol will evaporate off at

64.7C at standard pressure.

Be aware, however, that methanol vapour is rather explosive; you'd need to get it condensed again very quickly.

The entire contraption is likely be an exercise in Darwinianism. You also need a licence from HM Revenue and Customs in order to operate any kind of still in the UK though, and they're just plain not going to give you one.

Sorry n'all - but you'd be a fool to try it.

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John

Reply to
John Duffey

Its hard to seperate. But it only costs 2 quid a gallon for methanol anyway! Adding a LITTLE methanol will increase octane rating, make the engine run fractionally weaker, dry any water out from the bottom of your fuel tank.

Adding lots of methanol, more than say 2 or 3 percent requires a fueling change.

What happens if you add glycol as well I am buggered if I know!

The problem with running any/much alcohol in a petrol engine is that you need more of it.

You need fuel jets 2.25 times bigger to run it neat. (or injectors 2.25 times as big?) And a different (more advanced) advance curve.

Reply to
Burgerman

Methanol eats fittings and pipe work. Alchol fuel drag cars are purpose built in terms of pipe work/fuel systems. What you want is Ethanol. I believe, using a formula and triple distilling using the proper equipment to minimise losses, you can convert about 50 gallons of home brew strength to about 3-5 gallons of pure enough Ethanol to run a petrol car with minimal conversion, and not worry about that much trace methanol being left in the ethanol.

The Swedes are making a big deal of E85 (petrol car fuel that is 85% Plant Ethanol, 15% fossil petroleum fuel) and a lot of cars will run that with little conversion, like a lot of older diesels will run veg oil with minor changes or mixes, and newer ones can run properly converted veg based BioDiesel.

Reply to
NeedforSwede2

I think under EU rules, to bring us into line with other countries, you can now distill your own spirit for personal consumption (not necessarily drinking). In France it is even legal to distill under a certain amount each year and sell it (at farmers markets etc) without being limited by a license.

Reply to
NeedforSwede2

Maybe there's a reason for Tesco Value Lager after all..

Reply to
Halmyre

Unfortunatley, the duty on beer makes it dearer.

But, how about taking grain based animal feed from a feed merchant, and growing your own yeast from fresh yeast from a bakers. You don't really need brewers yeast, it will still ferment, and you won't care about what it tastes like because you are aren't drinking it.

Reply to
NeedforSwede2

But it won't get over 10% alcohol.

Fraser

Reply to
Fraser Johnston

Nope, you will have a crap tasting medium strength beer.

Then you triple distil it.

Reply to
NeedforSwede2

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