"dry gas" vs ISOPROPYL Alcohol

tie_one_on

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Oct 27, 2003
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I've noticed products selling as "dry gas" state "contains Isopropyl Alcohol". Would you consider these interchangable? I have IA that is 70%. Could this be used as "dry gas"? What would you think is a safe ratio if this can be used?
Thanks
 

scipper77

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Re: "dry gas" vs ISOPROPYL Alcohol

70% IPA 30% water. At my job we have 99.5% pure and 99.9% pure. I wouldn't even consider using 70%. But that's just me.
 

JustJason

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Re: "dry gas" vs ISOPROPYL Alcohol

I think alcohol is alcohol... and there are 2 types. The type you drink and the type that comes in gasoline.
Oh wait... I think they are the same :) But since i'm not off to drink gasoline i'll offer you this.
Dumping 16 ounces of alcohol into a volume of gas that is already 10% alcohol, isn't going to do anything.
If you have a 50 gallon tank you already have 5 gallons of alcohol in there. etc etc.....
 

bruceb58

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Re: "dry gas" vs ISOPROPYL Alcohol

I think alcohol is alcohol... and there are 2 types. The type you drink and the type that comes in gasoline.
Oh wait... I think they are the same :)
There are many many types of alcohol. Isopropyl is used as a gas drier because it absorbs water better than other types of alcohol. Unlike ethanol, it doesn't have a phase separation and can thus be burnt even after it has absorbed quite a bit of water. Obviously our gasoline now has up to 10% ethanol. Ethanol behaves poorly when there is too much water in it. That is why Isopropyl is used instead.

Don't use 70% Isopropyl...it already has water in it!
 

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
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Re: "dry gas" vs ISOPROPYL Alcohol

In what application? Some dry gas containers are not marked and some are for engines with fuel injection...... since the advent of E-10 gas I have not seen one gas tank "slush up" in the past two years.
 

bruceb58

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Re: "dry gas" vs ISOPROPYL Alcohol

Just look up the MSDS for any gas drier on the market.
 

tie_one_on

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Re: "dry gas" vs ISOPROPYL Alcohol

This is on a jetski. When running it the other day, a hose came off, filled the ski just to the point where water tickled the carbs. Pulled the plugs and saw a few water droplets. Thought I may want to runn some dry gas through it.

Is IA of about 99% readily available to the public? Where?
 

mikesjet

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Oct 30, 2008
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Re: "dry gas" vs ISOPROPYL Alcohol

Most "dry gas" is methanol or methyl alcohol. This will eat most rubber orings and lines. Isopropyl alcohol does everything that methyl alcohol will without the deterioration of fuel system components. Main reason for this stuff to be marketed was fuel injection components on present vehicles being damaged by methyl alcohol.
 

Fl_Richard

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Re: "dry gas" vs ISOPROPYL Alcohol

Just run it for a few hours. The heat will dry out the internals.
 

windsors03cobra

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Re: "dry gas" vs ISOPROPYL Alcohol

Guy said he "pulled the plugs and saw water droplets" after "water tickled the carb".

I would also suggest running it for atleast an hour to flow some gas and oil thru the engine, you know petroleum=anti rust.
 

wca_tim

Lieutenant Commander
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Re: "dry gas" vs ISOPROPYL Alcohol

isopropyl works better than methyl, but is harder to keep dry and more expensive (withour water in it) so companies use methanol in most dry gas formulations. DON't use the stuff from the grocery store or you're adding a significant amount of water along with it. Kind of defeats the purpose, eh?

Ethanol is also a good dehydrating alcohol for fuels and solubilizes a good bit of water allowing it to be passed through the fuel system and burned. The rub is that it picks up water from the air and at 10% in fuel, especially in a wet marine environment, can pick up enough water over time to phase separate with a viscous lower layer (sludge) that won't redissolve in the etoh / fuel mix. as long as you keep it dry you're golden, water is the enemy here.
 

Lone Duck

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Re: "dry gas" vs ISOPROPYL Alcohol

Most "dry gas" is methanol or methyl alcohol. This will eat most rubber orings and lines. Isopropyl alcohol does everything that methyl alcohol will without the deterioration of fuel system components. Main reason for this stuff to be marketed was fuel injection components on present vehicles being damaged by methyl alcohol.

YUP! Use 1 ounce per gal in tank if running mixed fuel , much more and it will not mix well with oil mix , it tends to thicken or curdle the oil. I am talking about 90 percent alcohol or better.
 
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