Methanol or Isopropyl Gas Line Antifreeze?

[Jim Crenca]

Noticed that the old pickup has a bit of moisture in the tank (water at tailpipe) and with cold weather coming it's time for gas line antifreeze. Which is the best type to use; the local auto parts guy says isopropyl based for fuel injected vehicles and methanol based for carburetors.
Anybody know for sure?
Rich R, do you have an opinion sir?

 

[Oldschooldeathwish]

1) Water at the tail pipe is normal it means your cat is working properly, You would not even be able to tell if there is water in your fuel unless the engine is running like crap.

2) Some fuel injector cleaners can screw up injectors and sensors really bad so check with your dealership. If it is carb then you are not going to hurt anything.

3) best bet is to keep your tank full or as close to full during the winter to limit how much condencation forms in it.

 

[motometal]

Don't know about there, but here in Iowa, much of the fuel available already has ethanol in it...which should absorb moisture in the fuel line.

 

[Rich Rohrich]

Noticed that the old pickup has a bit of moisture in the tank (water at tailpipe) and with cold weather coming it's time for gas line antifreeze. Which is the best type to use; the local auto parts guy says isopropyl based for fuel injected vehicles and methanol based for carburetors.
Anybody know for sure?
Rich R, do you have an opinion sir?

Jim - Don't waste your money on that crap.

 

[Jim Crenca]

But Rich,
If you do fear water in the tank (and possible gas line freezing), does using either type help or is it all just BS?
I'm thinking that by never letting the tank get really low, the pickup might not ever get to the water at the bottom.

 

[motometal]

how do you know there is water at the bottom of the tank? water coming out the exhaust is normal (to an extent)!

 

[alongride]

Not sure you would ever need this stuff in a bike but for a auto/truck like you're asking about or a snowmobile the way it works is as follows:

Methanol will mix with the water but not the gas and while the mixture will not freeze, the mixture may not ever actually leave your tank/fuel system.

Isopropanol will mix with the water and the gas, all three become one mixture and then the water and isopropanol will actually leave your tank/fuel system.

Obviously, the isopropanol is the one to use. Of course you want to proportion it right, don't go adding a whole bunch into a little bike or sled tank.

You can do a simple test on each one with a little bit of gas and a tiny bit of water in a couple glasses and see how each behaves when you add in the methonal in one and the isopropanol in the other. Just be careful and don't do it with your kids around.

 

[kmccune]

The methanol is corrosive to aluminum and like alongride
said the iso willl mix with both the gas and water.

 

[gnarlykaw]

And the REAL answer is to change your fuel filter. Rich is right,adding junk to your fuel does nothing. If you really think you have that much water in your tank, pull the tank, empty it and access the damage through the sender hole. Trust me, you don't have that much moisture in the tank unless the cap has been gone for months. The water at the tailpipe is the result of the chemical reaction in the cat. Change your oil, tune the thing up, and keep on drivin.........................................

 

[Jim Crenca]

Thanks

 

[motometal]

as a side note, the problem that we have had with snowmobiles in cold weather, is that once the water turns into ice, even with fuel additives you're going nowhere because there's a big ice cube in your carb/tank/filter.

 

[Studboy]

motometal, ain't that truth? I've had that happen before at yellowstone. -20 or colder outside, go to start your snowmobile and it won't start...check the fuel lines.... pure ice. Also, if the water ices in your fuel lines/carbs you will lean out and seize the motor bigtime, I've seen it happen a lot.
I always pour a little bit of ISO antifreeze in my tank, and it has worked.

 

[kmccune]

And the REAL answer is to change your fuel filter. Rich is right,adding junk to your fuel does nothing. If you really think you have that much water in your tank, pull the tank, empty it and access the damage through the sender hole. Trust me, you don't have that much moisture in the tank unless the cap has been gone for months. The water at the tailpipe is the result of the chemical reaction in the cat. Change your oil, tune the thing up, and keep on drivin.........................................

You can have a LOT of water in the tank from a bad gas station. Depends on where you live and buy your gas. We had a station in the town that I grew up in that was notorious for water but they had the cheapest gas by far, so when you were down on cash and needed gas...... You just put a littel iso in for insurance.

 

[oldgoat]

They are both alcohol. Methanol is the one of choice because there's no odor. Go to the store and look on the back of gas additive to stop fuel line freeze up , it will say Metahnol.
Methanol is also used in windshield washer fluid. Its about 30% Methanol and 70% water with a little soap and a nice color additive.

Most gas stations in the northern climate have Methanol or some additive in the gas already, so as Rich said, save your money.

 

[Jim Crenca]

Just to beat this dead horse one last time, I don't remember ever seeing water come out of the tailpipe on this truck before. Perhaps it has happened because a recent tune up. It strikes me odd that even on new cars, some have water at the tailpipe and some do not. You would think that there would be consistency if it is true that it is a part of the combustion process.

 

[Studboy]

Every car that I've seen around here has water coming out, especially in the winter time.

 

[Rich Rohrich]

It strikes me odd that even on new cars, some have water at the tailpipe and some do not. You would think that there would be consistency if it is true that it is a part of the combustion process.

If the exhaust is very hot at the rear sections the water from combustion will exit the tailpipe as a vapor, when the system is cooler it gets a chance to condense and will come out as a liquid. Either way, all late model vehicles that are running correctly and have working converters will have water vapor in the exhaust. Water in the exhaust is a sign that all is well. It's just a simple chemistry equation. :cool:

 

[Jaybird]

All internal combustion engines will have H2O in the burn, and will expell the water after the burn.
The higher the humidity in the air, the more water present at combustion. Sometimes it condensates, sometimes it is expelled as vapor...but no matter what, the amount of H2O going in, will come out in one form or another.

 

[Jim Crenca]

Now I get it.
Thank you