isopropyl alcohol in gas tank
11-03-2006, 08:07 PM
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isopropyl alcohol in gas tank I still can't pass smog in my 96 ws6. My numbers are as follows:
15mph %co2:14.7 %o2:.3 hc:21 co:.03 no:619
25mph %co2:14.6 %o2:.3 hc:17 co:.04 no:503
The only thing that failed was the no at 15mph. Max was 414 and I scored 619. Has anybody tried the alcohol in the gas thing? I have heard that by adding about 2-3 16oz bottles to a 1/4-1/2 tank of gas it will significantly lower emissions. Of course I will refill immediately after and burn the gas quickly so the alcohol doesn't sit in my tank and fuel lines. I have already spent way too much money and I refuse to pay $1000 for new cats. Egr works fine, fuel and induction system have been cleaned out, I'm just ready to pass and get this over with.Anybody who has tried the alcohol thing or has any opinions please help me out.
15mph %co2:14.7 %o2:.3 hc:21 co:.03 no:619
25mph %co2:14.6 %o2:.3 hc:17 co:.04 no:503
The only thing that failed was the no at 15mph. Max was 414 and I scored 619. Has anybody tried the alcohol in the gas thing? I have heard that by adding about 2-3 16oz bottles to a 1/4-1/2 tank of gas it will significantly lower emissions. Of course I will refill immediately after and burn the gas quickly so the alcohol doesn't sit in my tank and fuel lines. I have already spent way too much money and I refuse to pay $1000 for new cats. Egr works fine, fuel and induction system have been cleaned out, I'm just ready to pass and get this over with.Anybody who has tried the alcohol thing or has any opinions please help me out.
11-05-2006, 12:50 AM
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Ok, let me tell you what I did to get my '93 Ranger to pass. Do this at your own risk. Here was the condition of my 4.0L V6 ranger:
Broken exaust valve in #5 cylinder causing resulting in no compression in that cylinder which in turn caused the computer to think the engine was running lean and richening the mixture to the maximum (I presume since I was getting 10mi/gallon). Of course all the extra fuel was not buring so I passed out in to the tailpipe.
The first time I had it tested I was over 11.5 times the limit of hydrocarbons and 3 time the Nitrogen compounds.
Second test: I ran almost all of the gas out of the tank till there was less than a gallon then I poured 2 gallons of denatured alchohol into the tank. I did this incrementally making sure the engine was staying alive without problems. Everything seemed ok so I drove to the testing facility. Since my truck is a 4x4 I locked the front axle in wheel drive shifted the transfer case into 4HI and told the worker not to touch the 4x4 or take it out of 4x4. Then like an idiot he drove it up onto the rollers (2 wheel drive rollers only) and managed to drive off of the rollers when he started the test.
This forced him to do an unloaded test only. The results showed my truck to be 10x below the hydrocarbon limit and 4x under the nitrogen compound limit. As I drove out of the bay after I passed the check engine light came on. I booked it to the nearest gas station filled up and the light went out and the engine ran without problems, well, except it was still only running on 5. 
Broken exaust valve in #5 cylinder causing resulting in no compression in that cylinder which in turn caused the computer to think the engine was running lean and richening the mixture to the maximum (I presume since I was getting 10mi/gallon). Of course all the extra fuel was not buring so I passed out in to the tailpipe.
The first time I had it tested I was over 11.5 times the limit of hydrocarbons and 3 time the Nitrogen compounds.
Second test: I ran almost all of the gas out of the tank till there was less than a gallon then I poured 2 gallons of denatured alchohol into the tank. I did this incrementally making sure the engine was staying alive without problems. Everything seemed ok so I drove to the testing facility. Since my truck is a 4x4 I locked the front axle in wheel drive shifted the transfer case into 4HI and told the worker not to touch the 4x4 or take it out of 4x4. Then like an idiot he drove it up onto the rollers (2 wheel drive rollers only) and managed to drive off of the rollers when he started the test.
This forced him to do an unloaded test only. The results showed my truck to be 10x below the hydrocarbon limit and 4x under the nitrogen compound limit. As I drove out of the bay after I passed the check engine light came on. I booked it to the nearest gas station filled up and the light went out and the engine ran without problems, well, except it was still only running on 5.
11-05-2006, 08:52 AM
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Various grades of isopropyl out there contain
7-30% water. Water will cool the combustion
and push down NOx. Alcohol will also cool the
burn some. But it also is oxygenater and will
push you lean. NOx is lean and hot in the
cylinder. EGR should be tamping that down but
maybe is not functional, or something?
7-30% water. Water will cool the combustion
and push down NOx. Alcohol will also cool the
burn some. But it also is oxygenater and will
push you lean. NOx is lean and hot in the
cylinder. EGR should be tamping that down but
maybe is not functional, or something?
11-05-2006, 08:46 PM
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Originally Posted by jimmyblue
Various grades of isopropyl out there contain
7-30% water. Water will cool the combustion
and push down NOx. Alcohol will also cool the
burn some. But it also is oxygenater and will
push you lean. NOx is lean and hot in the
cylinder. EGR should be tamping that down but
maybe is not functional, or something?
7-30% water. Water will cool the combustion
and push down NOx. Alcohol will also cool the
burn some. But it also is oxygenater and will
push you lean. NOx is lean and hot in the
cylinder. EGR should be tamping that down but
maybe is not functional, or something?
A weak converter can also pose problems.
Motor all stock?
02-03-2007, 11:06 AM
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EverClear works! Gentlemen,
Thanks so much for all your postings on the subject of ethanol and passing emissions testing. They gave me confidence to try it out. I went to the Oregon State Liquor store and bought a fifth of EverClear (ClearSpring is the same thing), which is 98% ethanol. $13.20 a fifth. I waited until my car showed reserve for gas level, meaning it has about a gallon remaining. I opened the Everclear and had a little nip. It was like drinking Chanel #5! But my Geo loved it, and it ran the 5 miles down to DEQ as well or better than usual. In this valley here in Oregon we use a 5-15% ethanol mixture in gas, forced by DEQ, in the winter months to combat emissions.
My car has been variously running 250 to 500 on HC in 4 different tests at DEQ, depending on things I have tried, and 1 to 3 on CO. The limit on HC is 220, and 1 on CO. With the Everclear in the tank at about 20-25% ratio to gas, it turned in a spectacular 62 for HC and .31 on CO!
I paid my $10 for the DEQ pass and treated the car to a fresh full tank of gas. Now I can keep the car and continue getting 50mpg. I love Geos.
Thanks again for your support.
-Carl
Thanks so much for all your postings on the subject of ethanol and passing emissions testing. They gave me confidence to try it out. I went to the Oregon State Liquor store and bought a fifth of EverClear (ClearSpring is the same thing), which is 98% ethanol. $13.20 a fifth. I waited until my car showed reserve for gas level, meaning it has about a gallon remaining. I opened the Everclear and had a little nip. It was like drinking Chanel #5! But my Geo loved it, and it ran the 5 miles down to DEQ as well or better than usual. In this valley here in Oregon we use a 5-15% ethanol mixture in gas, forced by DEQ, in the winter months to combat emissions.
My car has been variously running 250 to 500 on HC in 4 different tests at DEQ, depending on things I have tried, and 1 to 3 on CO. The limit on HC is 220, and 1 on CO. With the Everclear in the tank at about 20-25% ratio to gas, it turned in a spectacular 62 for HC and .31 on CO!
I paid my $10 for the DEQ pass and treated the car to a fresh full tank of gas. Now I can keep the car and continue getting 50mpg. I love Geos.
Thanks again for your support.
-Carl
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02-03-2007, 02:41 PM
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Here, I posted this not too long ago.... 
https://ls1tech.com/forums/pcm-diagnostics-tuning/628610-ever-wonder-what-takes.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/pcm-diagnostics-tuning/628610-ever-wonder-what-takes.html
