System Testing

Alcohol in Fuel Testing with Special Tool

1. Test the fuel composition using J 44175  and Instruction Manual.
2. If water appears in the fuel sample, clean the fuel system and replace the fuel filter.
3. Subtract 50 from the reading on the DMM in order to obtain the percentage of alcohol in the fuel sample.
4. If the fuel sample contains more than 15 percent ethanol, add fresh, regular gasoline to the vehicle fuel tank.
5. Test the fuel composition.
6. If testing shows the ethanol percentage is still more than 15 percent, replace the fuel in the vehicle.

Alcohol in Fuel Testing without Special Tool

1. Using a 100 ml (3.38 oz) specified cylinder with 1 ml (0.034 oz) graduation marks, fill the cylinder with fuel to the 90 ml (3.04 oz) mark.
2. Add 10 ml (0.34 oz) of water in order to bring the total fluid volume to 100 ml (3.38 oz) and install a stopper.
3. Shake the cylinder vigorously for 10-15 seconds.
4. Carefully loosen the stopper in order to release the pressure.
5. Install the stopper and shake the cylinder vigorously again for 10-15 seconds.
6. Place the cylinder on a level surface for approximately 5 minutes in order to allow adequate liquid separation. If alcohol is present in the fuel, the volume of the lower layer, which would now contain both alcohol and water, will be more than 10 ml (0.34 oz). For example, if the volume of the lower layer is increased to 15 ml (0.51 oz), this indicates at least 5 percent alcohol in the fuel. The actual amount of alcohol may be somewhat more because this procedure does not extract all of the alcohol from the fuel.