Mercury OFFERS- INEXPENSIVE FUEL "ETHANOL CONTENT TESTER"- Update Jan. 2010!

[EuropeanAM]

Ever wondered if the fuel you are buying is ACTUALLY ethanol-free, or if the percentage posted is accurate?

So have I! Wanted to share this with you... MERCURY MARINE NOW offers a low cost test kit (do it yourself) that you can purchase for about $7.08! Very simple... results in about 1 minute. All you need is a very small amount of water... and some of the fuel in question.

Results are quite accurate (unless the fuel is already "heavily laden with water").

Stop by your local Mercury Dealer, or you can order these from us. Use Part# 879172T28

[ssimpala71]

I have one as well--cost around $7.00

[Roddy]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EuropeanAM &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
So have I! Wanted to share this with you... Briggs and Stratton offers a low cost test kit (do it yourself) that you can purchase for under $10.00! Briggs and Straton Part #: 100023
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Hell, I'm an engineer for Briggs and didn't even know about the test kit.

[Strokerdean]

I picked mine up today, it came without instructions. It is a very small glass jar/vile (2 3/4" tall X 3/4" dia.) with the following printed on it, water, a line, then gasoline and a note saying "fill to neck", there is also persentage lines for 10%, 20%, 70% and 85%. Do you put water to the line then fill the rest with gas or do you fill the entire jar with gas and wait for seperation? I just thought before I start experimenting someone would be able to explain the correct method of use. Thanks.

[Strokerdean]

I found the instructions on line, fill with water to the water line, fill with gas to the neck, put lid on and shake vigorously,stand vertical with cap on, let stand for 10 minutes, locate the gas/water seperation line and read scale for percentage of alcohol.

[EuropeanAM]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Strokerdean &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I found the instructions on line, fill with water to the water line, fill with gas to the neck, put lid on and shake vigorously,stand vertical with cap on, let stand for 10 minutes, locate the gas/water seperation line and read scale for percentage of alcohol.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Accurate.

And you're right- just the tester comes in the box. Pretty slick though.... we've used this method for years, but always used a "graduated beaker"... and had to "do the math".

It's worth the $7 or so just to have the info at your fingertips.

[4dbass]

Updated Part #...Briggs and Stratton 795161 (replaces 100023) GASOHOL TESTER

[EuropeanAM]

Mercury Marine Part# 879172T28

[DIXIEDOG]

What are you guys doing with the water/gas mix that's in your test kit each time? I'm assuming you do this right at the pump before you fill your boat?

[EuropeanAM]

Very good question.... interested to see what others are doing.

We use ours to test customer's fuel (here at the shop).... and in our case, we utilize a syringe (with a small tube at the end) to draw the water off from the bottom of the sample (along with much of the ethanol).

The remainder of the sample is then placed in our "lawn equipment" fuel container.

Note: As long as the sample jar is kept out of the sunlight (or extreme heat)... samples can be kept in the container for several days if necessary (obviously, you must protect the container from breakage).

What do the rest of you do?

[showdawg77]

seems that the water separation line ends up at the original line that i filled water to from the start?????

[bh54lf]

how do you dispose of the sample?

[JAZII]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by showdawg77 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">seems that the water separation line ends up at the original line that i filled water to from the start????? </td></tr></table>

That should be GOOD.
No ETHANOL should be present if the separation line doesn't go up.

JAZII

[EuropeanAM]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by showdawg77 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">seems that the water separation line ends up at the original line that i filled water to from the start????? </td></tr></table>

Make sure that you SHAKE the tube vigorously for 1 minute... then set it upright on a level surface (it will take 2-10 minutes for it to separate under normal circumstances).

If the line of separation still hasn't moved- NO ETHANOL is present.

For disposal of sample question.... please read above responses already addressing that.

[hooken203]

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