I was thinking the other day with the increase of planted corn this year and the US supposedly starting to go green why couldn’t a person make their own, so called, bio feul. I’ve heard the arguments on both sides of the ethanol debates so that’s not what I’m going for. I was wondering how hard it would be to “Make your own fuel.” From what it sounds like it’s basically Moonshine. I go through 24 gallons of gas, at least, a week travelling around (What can I say I drive an old pickup). I don’t think I’d be able to keep up production of that much product to suit my needs, but could making a little bit help to lighten the amount of cash that is forked over to the cashier at the local Stop N Go. I’m sure the government would frown upon this type of activity.
If you enjoy doing it, fine. However, I have a feeling that if you spent the same amount of time earning minimum wage, and then spent your earnings on gasoline, your car would end up going further.
Aside from the obvious moonshining can of worms it opens, I think your bigger problem would be wasting more fuel on the creation of ethanol than you would get out of it. In other words, you’d spend more money/fuel on burning the propane/natural gas/coal/wood needed to heat the distiller than you would gain from the end product. So, in a Mad Max situation where you have loads of firewood (or pig manure) but no access to refined gasoline to run your car, then yes, it makes sense. But in terms of being an economically sensible way to fuel your car? No.
Plus, from the govt.'s standpoint, you now have tons of people putting god knows what into their car engines, emitting god knows what into the atmosphere.
EDIT: I stand corrected. Duke’s link is great–a solar still solves the above fuel waste issue (although not the govt. regulation of emissions issue).
If you want to run E85 or pure ethanol, you may need to make engine modifications. You will also need to make half again as much ethanol as gasoline, or 36 gal/week in your case. I believe you will also owe fuel taxes per gallon. The streets don’t pave themselves.
Aside from the legal aspects getting ethanol distilled up to a usable concentration requires some pretty special equipment. I don’t know how water-free the fuel has to be, but getting it to 95% ethanol requires a helluva collumn. Beyond that, distillation just plain doesn’t work. I can’t imagine that excess water is good for any engine.