Testing Fuel/Water additives

[R Cahoon]

This is a repeat of an earlier message.

We did a simple test of K-100, E-Zorb and Startron.
Put a quart of ethanol gas in three glass jars added around a tablespoon of the three additives one to each jar and added about two tablespoons of water shook up and let sit for one hour.
Now granted this is'nt lab science. But we saw where the E-Zorb and Startron was separated and the K-100 had not. We took a small piece of a oil diaper and only the K-100 was absorbed (oil diapers can't absorb water) and lastly only the K-100 would light with a match!
Not exacting but a darn good indication of what works best.

Keep Smilin

[In Memory Walter K]

VERY interesting...especially the burning part. Walter

[Rawleigh]

Where do you get K-100, what are the mixing proportions and how much does it cost?

[R Cahoon]

I am sure you can get it at some marina's but I understand NAPA sells K-100. Not cheap around $22. to $25. a quart but a quart is good for up to 85 gallons. Startron is half the price but we do not think it is a good product. A matter of fact, when we where doing this testing I mentioned and only the K-100 ignited we took the Startron which now is in a gooey form put it in the K-100 jar, the k-100 made it one with no separtation and yes it then igniited!
Now, bear in mind you don't have to use this every time you fill up and maybe only if you are having problems with water.
Speaking in terms of a New England boater where we store our boats in the winter, I think I would use the suggested amount when first starting the season then maybe a little once and a while for prevent purposes.

Keep Smilin

[Skipper Dick]

I've used this addative. I looked all over for it and finally ordered it from this URL. https://www.shop.orderk1004thekids.com/splashPage.hg


Dick

[dougl33]

Interesting. As I mentioned in another post, I used Startron excluively and never had an ethanol water related issue. Maybe its because I installed a second set of fuel water separators when I installed my floscans back in June. That gave me one fuel water separator before the floscan meter and one on the engine.

[frank price]

Well to add to the thought process, I have run all season on E10 in my 33 and have not changed filters, still only use the original mercruiser ones and used no additive untill my last tank of gas on the way home from Oak Bluffs two months ago, which is still in the boat. I don't think I needed the startron but figured it couldn't hurt.
Doug, Why would you expect to see water seperating out of the gas? If you did see water , wouldn't this be a sign of phase seperation? From what I understand about this crap, if we see water in the trap , wouldn't the assumption be that the whole tank of gas is now compromised, as far as octane? My guess is , the reason you didn't have a water problem in your fuel is the same reason I didn't, there wasn't enough water present in the fuel to seperate out of the gas, taking the ethanol with it
Peter,
I had a few thoughts about octane. At the marina where I keep my boat, they sell only 93 octane E10. Pure ethanol has an octane rating of 110 I believe. Now my math skills aren't good enough to figure it out but it would seem that just removing the ethanol from 93 octane gas couldn't bring the octane lower than , say 87? If the octane was reduced enough to cause a problem , do they still sell those octane boosters? Different companies used to market them and probably still do and they are not all made from alcohol. It seems like it could be handy to have some of these cans of octane booster on hand in case of phase seperation.