Greg,

It is a simple 5 minute process to test for alcohol.  Get yourself an alcohol fuel tester, such as the one EAA sells for $15.00 and follow the directions.  Here's a link that explains two different methods to test for alcohol in gasoline.  http://www.eaa.org/autofuel/faqs/alcohol_testing.asp

Basically, you take a beaker, fill it with 1 part water and 9 parts gasoline, cap it and shake vigorously.  Let it sit for 5 minutes and see if the water has risen in the beaker.  The amount of increase in the water line (if any) will represent the percentage of alcohol in the fuel.   Test kits have the beaker marked so it is easy to see where to fill the water and fuel, and also the percentage of alcohol.  But you could use an olive jar with tape markings at 10% and 100% for a really low budget tester.

Mark S.
37.5 hrs

On Fri, Apr 11, 2008 at 5:13 PM, Greg <greg@itmack.com> wrote:

Is there an easy way to check for alcohol?

Greg

One of the fellows in the Short Wing Piper Club wasn't checking his fuel (Michigan has a law now that the pumps do not have to be labeled) and he brought the rubber  hoses that had connected the wing tanks to the airframe, one was completely clogged and the other was near.  Sunday I got 20 gal at the Shell station and checked it and it didn't have any Alcohol in it.  Still safe this week.  JohnD