Educate me....

Methanol appears to evaporate pretty fast, and when exposed to air, it turns to water, aluminum corrodes in water, maybe that was the problem.

I don't believe that's the process. Methanol reacts with the aluminum oxide layer that forms naturally on aluminum, and that interaction creates some type of chemical that is corrosive to aluminum.

And methanol is "hygroscopic" (absorbs* water from its surroundings, such as air) -- it does not "turn into" water.

PM
 
I don't believe that's the process. Methanol reacts with the aluminum oxide layer that forms naturally on aluminum, and that interaction creates some type of chemical that is corrosive to aluminum.

And methanol is "hygroscopic" (absorbs* water from its surroundings, such as air) -- it does not "turn into" water.

PM
Look at the molecule, H1O, very easily turns to water according to the chemist I talked to.
 
Back in the late 80’s when I was in tech school I took an alternative fuels class. The school had a still to make ethanol fuels. If memory is correct the only difference in ethanol and methanol is ethanol is made from grain and methanol is made from wood. The theory that ethanol or methanol turns to water is a valid theory but scientifically not possible. Instead of actually turning into H2O is attracts H2O to the point it will saturate and dilute the alcohol. I think this happens both in methanal and ethanol.
I am not a scientist, this is just what I remember from the fuel class. The theory is correct but the reality is different.
 
This is the same scenario with rottela diesel oil . Same time frame .
The trendy kart oils with out rust preventitive are terrible for storage .
 

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