Thread: Methyl Hydrate

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Is Methyl Hydrate an effective gas additive, and does it help to clean engines if you pour it directly into the carb? I have heard mixed reviews of it.

we use methal hydrate up north here to keep the gas in the gas lines from freezing up . i think the water or moiisture in the lines freezes when its really cold and the methal hydrate prevents this.
approx 1/4 cup per 16 gallons of gas., it should be used a lot if you dont drive your car much or keep it in a heated garage where condensation can build up in the fuel tank.

ive heard mixed reviews of this stuff. some people say it is a sinister chemical that causes engines to knock and make other unhappy sounds. other people say that it is excellent for emissions and cleaning the engine.

i dont know if is too bad for a engine in small quanities .
but whens its 40 below and your fuel line freezes up because you dont have the stuff in you tank it aint no fun.

To me it is "quaint" to hear about "methyl hydrate" as an old name for CH3OH known as methanol, methyl alcohol or even wood alcohol, but it is true that they (IUPAC, International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry) come up with changes in the ways to name chemicals every few years. You can buy this stuff as "Dry Gas" for a tank additive to absorb moisture in the gas. A little CH3OH in the gas will reduce tank moisture and be pretty harmless, but we should know from the "Gasohol" fuels with higher percentages of Ethanol CH3CH2OH that various gaskets and tubing in the fuel system may or may not swell, leak, be dissolved or otherwise misfunction due to the CH3CH2OH in the fuel. I would expect that high percentage of "methyl hydrate" would eventually effect older fuel system gaskets and plastic tubing. Newer cars since about 1990 should have materials in gaskets and tubing to handle Gasahol and should not be effected by CH3OH either, but older carb gaskets or see-through fuel lines might get gummy and/or swell up with high percentage amounts of CH3OH. Of course an occasional pint container of Dry Gas thrown into a tank of fuel will be a very low concentration and not harmful. Of course most of us know that you should not drink CH3OH as "wood alcohol" because it leads to blindness. For biological reasons our digestive biochemistry can process alcohols with an even number of carbon atoms so CH3CH2OH and CH3CH2CH2CH2OH can be digested with accompanying drunkeness, but CH3OH and CH3CH2CH2OH (rubbing alcohol) are poisons. Just some factoids about low molecular weight alcohols. The comments about using engine cleaning with water through the carb are very interesting, but I would think that windshield wiper fluid might be pretty good too, even better, due to the isopropropanol in it (a form of CH3CHOHCH3, an isomer of propanol with the -OH on the middle C atom instead of the end).

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

First of all I would like to introduce myself to the board. Hi y'all.

I would need some help on another vehicle in order to pass an emission test. I was told that a mixture of 25% alcool and 75% premium fuel would significantly help to reduce emissions. Does this make sense? What I don't know is if this alcool is Isopropyl (99%) or methyl hydrate.

The vehicle in question is 5 years old and supercharged. I want to make sure that this mixture does not harm it. Does the alcool increase or reduce octane levels. That's important on a supercharged vehicle. This is a one shot thing just to be able to pass the emission test. can I go as high as 50:50?

Many thanks,
Red

Seems to me that engines running on alcohol are prone to burning holes in pistons if they run lean. I would be very mindful of my fuel mixtures if I were you. You will also need to increase the volume of fuel flowing into the engine (size of jets) as you increase the alcohol content of the fuel. You will see a considerable drop in fuel milage as a result.

Alcohol ( rubbing or 'HEET' gas line dryer)
will reduce the CO (rich mixture readings) only, it will not do a thing for the H C, or Nox readings, If your gonna use it don't get stupid with it no more than 3 to 4 bottles of Heet,cuzz alcohol will lean the system down,but doing so may also raise the Nox........

Don, you always seem to come up with some awesome chemical information. I know it's from experience, but damn, I love it when you talk like that. Keep up with the great info. Now where did I put that bottle of CH3CH2CH2CH2OH, I know it's here somewhere.

wear gloves, absorbtion of such a small compound through the skin can cause problems reportedly

So what would be the best additive,chemical, to use to reduce hydrocarbon emissions ?

Interesting topic. I've made the decision to run straight methanol in the 55.. a few little problems to work out yet, but it should something you don't see everyday (blown injected alcohol motor on the street)

Ok,,,,since we are after all talking about cheating the emissions test here,,,,,If you have dual exhaust,,,,do what i have done on many occasions,,,disconnect one of the tail pipes after the muffler,,and just as it goes over the rear axle,,,,then make sure the remaining Tail pipe is very visible,,,(even put a chrome tip on it) then take it through the emissions test.
They will calibrate for 8 cylinders for example,,,and the probes,,
( the ones they stick into the tail pipe),,,,will only be reading 4 cylinders,,,,unless your car smokes like an old chimney,,,you will pass every time.