What methanol does to aluminum in only a couple of weeks. Do not use
     aluminum tubing in a menthol fuel system. Use AN line and anodized
     aluminum AN or SS fittings. This yellow snot gets in the fuel
     injectors and gums them up.

   Paul Lamar

     Paul, I suspect that the water that is in the methanol is reacting
     with the aluminum and methanol. It is almost impossible to get 100%
     water free alcohol by ordinary methods.

     Bill Schertz

     I don't recall plain water does that to aluminum Bill. There is 4 oz
     of castrol oil per gallon in the methanol.

     Paul Lamar


   Back in the 1970's, Valvoline was supplying all the methanol and there
   were a lot of concern about the aluminum oxide (white powder) that
would
   form on un-anodized aluminum parts. As was stated by someone, dry
   methanol is basically only available from lab supplies. The commercial
   grade is allowed some percentage of water. It is still fine as a
fuel (a
   little less heat content as the % of H2O rises). At some point, it
still
   appears to run well but the power output can drop severely.

   This used to
   cause a lot of consternation when testing an engine that appeared to be
   OK, until someone remembered to check the barrel and "wet" methanol was
   detected. I don't remember the quantities, but the Valvoline test
was to
   add some amount of water to a beaker of alcohol and if it turned milky,
   it wasn't useful as a motor fuel anymore. It, of course, was
supposed to
   be checked before running the engine :)

   Valvoline stated that you could leave bare aluminum in dry methanol
   forever without any oxide forming. I suspect what you are seeing is a
   result of the oil in the fuel.

   Gary Knutson

Race teams that ran methanol would drain the fuel tank and add some
gasoline at the end of a race weekend. Then ran the engine to get the
gas into the whole fuel system. This prevented corrosion with the aluminum.
Dale Davies


Put some methanol and the lube you are using in a sealed container and see if the snot develops..............

Kelly Troyer

You think the air has something to do with it?

The jar is was in was covered.

Paul Lamar


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