# Primer On How to Convert Your Car to Alcohol



## LongRider (May 8, 2012)

Here is a pretty good starter for you DIY'ers that want to convert their motor vehicles from gas to alcohol. *Convert Your Car to Alcohol* or something you may want to print out as a PDF file for your Nook or Kindle for later down the road


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## Startingout-Blair (Aug 28, 2012)

Thanks LongRider! Sounds like good information. My problem is, once SHTF, I plan to make alcohol for fuel, trade and medicinal purposes. I have seen several nice stills online. I know that currently, Distilling is illegal unless you pay big $$ for the licensing. Is it also illegal just to have the still and not use it? How would you get one orate one if just owning a still is illegal?


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## LongRider (May 8, 2012)

I would guess it would vary state to state. I know folks locally who have a still they use to make tinctures with, so it may be that the restrictions are on making ethanol for drinking. Honestly I don't know but at least in Washington operating a still for non drinking applications seems to be OK. I doubt owning the parts would be illegal as that is mostly just copper or stainless steel tubing. Maybe these links will help some
Alcohol Still Laws
Is it illegal to brew moonshine?
The last links seems to say the cost is huge to get a federal permit to brew fuel.


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## LongRider (May 8, 2012)

This appears to be the applicable federal law
*PART 1-BASIC PERMIT REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE FEDERAL ALCOHOL ADMINISTRATION ACT, NONINDUSTRIAL USE OF DISTILLED SPIRITS AND WINE, BULK SALES AND BOTTLING OF DISTILLED SPIRITS*


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## Startingout-Blair (Aug 28, 2012)

Thanks for the info LongRider! I appreciate. May just have to buy or make one and store it.


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

Thanks for the info. Remember, you'll need an old (carburated) vehicle to make it work.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

We have E85 here (85% ethanol gas blend) and I can easily run 50% E85 with 50% gas in any of my "non-flex" fueled EFI vehicles. The computer has no problem with it, but it gets way worse gas mileage.

One advantage EFI has is a really high pressure fuel pump and a lot of circulation between the engine and fuel tank, which keeps the fuel mixed and blended. Regular carb'd engines have a tendency for the different fuels to separate out into layers in the tank.


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

LincTex said:


> We have E85 here (85% ethanol gas blend) and I can easily run 50% E85 with 50% gas in any of my "non-flex" fueled EFI vehicles. The computer has no problem with it, but it gets way worse gas mileage.
> 
> One advantage EFI has is a really high pressure fuel pump and a lot of circulation between the engine and fuel tank, which keeps the fuel mixed and blended. Regular carb'd engines have a tendency for the different fuels to separate out into layers in the tank.


I was wondering how it worked with EFI. Thanks for the info.


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## recoilless_57mm (Oct 15, 2012)

Poor fuel economy is only one of the issues. Ethenol is corrosive as heck. You will find the weak spots in your engine once you begin to use higher concentrations of ethenol. 57mm


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

recoilless_57mm said:


> Ethanol is corrosive as heck. You will find the weak spots in your engine.


Mainly, I have found it to be limited to the carb itself, mainly the inside of the float bowl. it doesn't seem to be as much of a problem if you drive very regularly, but if the bowl is allowed to hold fuel for any length of time you get a really nasty white corrosion (zinc oxide?) from the "pot metal" carb bowl.

Fuel pumps are aluminum (not pot metal) and seem to do a little bit better.

The website from this picture claims 72 days.... I would say that is true for alcohol blended gasoline, but pure alcohol will make a carb look like this in just a week or two.









When we raced track cars on alcohol, after the event we would drain EVERY DROP of fuel from the system, blow everything out with clean air, and then fog everything with wd-40. All do keep the alcohol from corroding anything.

It can be done, but not easily I am afraid. I think if you had mostly plastic components (Lawn-Boy carb?) you might be able to get by for longer periods of time.

Perhaps the different coating used on Marine carbs would give better corrosion resistance?


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## upstateprepper (Nov 15, 2012)

I have a question.. How about converting a motorcycle to run on buzz juice. Just tuning that I have o old yam maxim 550 ???


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

upstateprepper said:


> I have o old yam maxim 550 ???


Ahhh, the ol' XJ550 Maxim, my first "real" motorcycle. Mine was a '82. It spent a LOT of time over 9000 RPM!

Honestly, you will have four carbs worth of headache!!!! I would not tackle modifying it.

You also need the special "YICS" tool that slides in the tube under the carbs to get them synch'd, or part throttle driveability would really suck. What a huge headache!!!

I guess if it came down to it.... 
I would TIG weld an intake manifold together to run all 4 cyls off of one larger carb, like a Keihin CV40 that comes on the Evo Harleys. An S&S Super E carb would also work. That would be 1000% easier to deal with. And also very "Mad Max" looking, to boot!


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## upstateprepper (Nov 15, 2012)

Lol it is a 82....


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## musketjim (Dec 7, 2011)

I wonder about running a chainsaw on just alcohol. What would the oil mix be?


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

musketjim said:


> I wonder about running a chainsaw on just alcohol. What would the oil mix be?


The oil MUST be a synthetic that is specified for alcohol fuels, or it will separate out from the mix.

I used to be friends with a family that did a lot of Kart racing; they ran Yamaha KT100 engines on alcohol with Klotz synthetic two-stroke oil for alcohol. The oil is not cheap, and is a mail order item only.

The circle track guys running "Late Models" (WISSOTA rules) also run on alcohol, and they run a scented (grape, strawberry) oil in their fuel to help keep the rings and valve guides lubed, but I don't know how it would work for two stoke oil??? Probably not really well.

Lastly, there is "Castor oil" (from castor beans). Model airplane guys have been using it with alcohol for years, Smells good when it burns, but it has a LOT of problems on its own as well, being a vegetable oil and all.

Honestly, there isn't really anything in a chainsaw's stock fuel system that can handle alcohol without getting eaten or corroded.


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