Fuels: pump gas vs alkylate vs aviation.

[Den]

Been using premium, high octane, non-ethanol pump gas in my saws.
Thinking about switching to Aspen alkylate 4 stroke fuel, and mixing it with Amsoil full synthetic.
I thought possibly aviation fuel may be alkylate, and I could buy it cheaper and mix with Amsoil.
Anyone have experience with aviation fuel?
Is it okay to mix Aspen 4 stroke alkylate fuel with Amsoil full synthetic 2 stroke oil?



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[ammoaddict]

Have never used AV gas, there are many threads here about it, but yes you can use any oil with the aspen fuel.


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[Den]

According to everything I've researched, Alkylate fuel has 10 chemicals in it.

Pump gas has 100 chemicals in it... most of which are not needed and only act to harm rubber and metal components, as well as harm the user. Things such as Benzene.

If a person could find affordable alkylate fuel, that would be the way to go. Some people confuse jet fuel with avgas. From what I understand, avgas is made of a composition more suited to engines that use spark plugs, and contains mostly alkylate. You just have to make sure you get unleaded avgas, and avoid leaded avgas.

Aspen and Steve's Small Engine Saloon have some excellent youtube video's on this alkylate fuel topic.


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[ammoaddict]

According to everything I've researched, Alkylate fuel has 10 chemicals in it.

Pump gas has 100 chemicals in it... most of which are not needed and only act to harm rubber and metal components, as well as harm the user. Things such as Benzene.

If a person could find affordable alkylate fuel, that would be the way to go. Some people confuse jet fuel with avgas. From what I understand, avgas is made of a composition more suited to engines that use spark plugs, and contains mostly alkylate. You just have to make sure you get unleaded avgas, and avoid leaded avgas.

Aspen and Steve's Small Engine Saloon have some excellent youtube video's on this alkylate fuel topic.


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I didn't realize they made unleaded AV gas. The only kind I have heard of is 100LL which means low lead. I will have to do some research, if I can find unleaded AV, I will try it.

 

[REJ2]

According to everything I've researched, Alkylate fuel has 10 chemicals in it.

Pump gas has 100 chemicals in it... most of which are not needed and only act to harm rubber and metal components, as well as harm the user. Things such as Benzene.

If a person could find affordable alkylate fuel, that would be the way to go. Some people confuse jet fuel with avgas. From what I understand, avgas is made of a composition more suited to engines that use spark plugs, and contains mostly alkylate. You just have to make sure you get unleaded avgas, and avoid leaded avgas.

Aspen and Steve's Small Engine Saloon have some excellent youtube video's on this alkylate fuel topic.


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Would be really bad to confuse jet fuel with avgas. "Jet fuels" are kerosene, some highly refined.

 

[Den]

I didn't realize they made unleaded AV gas. The only kind I have heard of is 100LL which means low lead. I will have to do some research, if I can find unleaded AV, I will try it.

Yep ammoaddict,
I read 30% of the planes in the USA require leaded fuel, the other 70% can use unleaded. EPA regs have Rolls Royce, Lycoming and others concerned about the future of their leaded engines.
Incidentally, I have not contacted my local municipal airport yet, but what is aviation gas selling for these days?

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[ammoaddict]

Yep ammoaddict,
I read 30% of the planes in the USA require leaded fuel, the other 70% can use unleaded. EPA regs have Rolls Royce, Lycoming and others concerned about the future of their leaded engines.
Incidentally, I have not contacted my local municipal airport yet, but what is aviation gas selling for these days?

.

I don't have a clue, I never checked on it because I thought it was all leaded.

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[OM617YOTA]

I would never run leaded fuel in an engine that exhausts where I'm breathing. I know lots of people do, but that is not a worthwhile roll of the dice for me. I have enough health issues already.

Also, 100LL is only "low lead" in relation to 130 octane avgas. It's still significantly more lead than automotive gasoline used to contain.

 

[Mad Professor]

Yep ammoaddict,
I read 30% of the planes in the USA require leaded fuel, the other 70% can use unleaded. EPA regs have Rolls Royce, Lycoming and others concerned about the future of their leaded engines.
Incidentally, I have not contacted my local municipal airport yet, but what is aviation gas selling for these days?

.

$4.93/gal near here

This has a nationwide search

100LL


Non-E10 pump premium here is up to $4.07/gal (thanks Joe Biden!) so price is comparable

 

[bwalker]

100LL aviation fuel is straight run alkylate with lead and a aviation specific additive package added. It stores for an incredibly long time with out going bad. It's distillation curve isnt that well suited to a two stroke and I have zero desire to breathe lead fumes. YMMV.

 

[bwalker]

According to everything I've researched, Alkylate fuel has 10 chemicals in it.

Pump gas has 100 chemicals in it... most of which are not needed and only act to harm rubber and metal components, as well as harm the user. Things such as Benzene.

If a person could find affordable alkylate fuel, that would be the way to go. Some people confuse jet fuel with avgas. From what I understand, avgas is made of a composition more suited to engines that use spark plugs, and contains mostly alkylate. You just have to make sure you get unleaded avgas, and avoid leaded avgas.

Aspen and Steve's Small Engine Saloon have some excellent youtube video's on this alkylate fuel topic.


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Pump gas hasn't had appreciable amounts of benzene in it in a decade or more. Benzene is a known carcinogen.
As you mention gasoline is a chemical soup and always has been. Every fraction a refinery makes has to go somewhere and ai can assure you nothing is wasted.

 

[Aviacs]

Foreflight shows 100LL in my area, southern tier NY/Norther tier PA from about $6.12 to $6.50 at large airports like Williamsport, to about $4.50 - 4.65 at smaller airports like Towanda or Cortland.

There is no such thing as lead-free avgas.
As someone said, 100 lowlead avgas has more lead in it than most any octane mogas ever had.
Many small aircraft owners have STC's for non-ethanol premium mogas.
Ethanol corrodes aluminum parts, like fuel tanks, & can be hard on rubber parts, like fuel bladders. It can also absorb quite a bit of water. So it is prohibited. However, for many operators, non-ethanol 93 octane mogas tends to be preferable, or at least preferred on a regular basis, say "every other fill-up" due to less lead fouling of plugs, or sticking valves in small Continentals & Lycomings. And it is a little healthier, or at least has one less hazardous material to get intimate with.

I run non-ethanol mogas/pump gas in my chainsaws including Disstons, Stihl, and Echo.
It's also what the club runs in our airplanes, when we can get it. Some small airports have it at the pump. Not so much to service homebuilts, but because many small Lycomings and Continentals just run better on it. Elsewhere it means schlepping it through the gate in 5 gal containers, so laziness usually wins.

smt

 

[bwalker]

Foreflight shows 100LL in my area, southern tier NY/Norther tier PA from about $6.12 to $6.50 at large airports like Williamsport, to about $4.50 - 4.65 at smaller airports like Towanda or Cortland.

There is no such thing as lead-free avgas.
As someone said, 100 lowlead avgas has more lead in it than most any octane mogas ever had.
Many small aircraft owners have STC's for non-ethanol premium mogas.
Ethanol corrodes aluminum parts, like fuel tanks, & can be hard on rubber parts, like fuel bladders. It can also absorb quite a bit of water. So it is prohibited. However, for many operators, non-ethanol 93 octane mogas tends to be preferable, or at least preferred on a regular basis, say "every other fill-up" due to less lead fouling of plugs, or sticking valves in small Continentals & Lycomings. And it is a little healthier, or at least has one less hazardous material to get intimate with.

I run non-ethanol mogas/pump gas in my chainsaws including Disstons, Stihl, and Echo.
It's also what the club runs in our airplanes, when we can get it. Some small airports have it at the pump. Not so much to service homebuilts, but because many small Lycomings and Continentals just run better on it. Elsewhere it means schlepping it through the gate in 5 gal containers, so laziness usually wins.

smt

Your absolutely correct in that 100LL has a ton of lead in it. It will turn spark screens and muffler outlets white with oxidized lead.

 

[osteoart]

Been using premium, high octane, non-ethanol pump gas in my saws.
Thinking about switching to Aspen alkylate 4 stroke fuel, and mixing it with Amsoil full synthetic.
I thought possibly aviation fuel may be alkylate, and I could buy it cheaper and mix with Amsoil.
Anyone have experience with aviation fuel?
Is it okay to mix Aspen 4 stroke alkylate fuel with Amsoil full synthetic 2 stroke oil?



.

If you can buy non-ethanol pump gas then I say count your blessings. All the pump gas in central KY have 10% ethanol. Well there is one holdout gas station in Lexington (Dixon's Service) that is reported to still sell real gasoline.

 

[Mad Professor]

If you can buy non-ethanol pump gas then I say count your blessings. All the pump gas in central KY have 10% ethanol. Well there is one holdout gas station in Lexington (Dixon's Service) that is reported to still sell real gasoline.

Any marinas that sell fuel nearby? They often have it for boats.

 

[osteoart]

Any marinas that sell fuel nearby? They often have it for boats.

Not close by, but even then the Marinas don't allow fuel to be transported. No carry in or out. Reminds me of the TV commercial "no gas no squeegee."

 

[Mad Professor]

Not close by, but even then the Marinas don't allow fuel to be transported. No carry in or out. Reminds me of the TV commercial "no gas no squeegee."

I remember when I could drive my 68 Camaro onto the airport and get 100LL, no more after 9/11. That was an 11:1 motor that had been decked and heads surfaced.

 

[Den]

Foreflight shows 100LL in my area, southern tier NY/Norther tier PA from about $6.12 to $6.50 at large airports like Williamsport, to about $4.50 - 4.65 at smaller airports like Towanda or Cortland.

There is no such thing as lead-free avgas.
As someone said, 100 lowlead avgas has more lead in it than most any octane mogas ever had.
Many small aircraft owners have STC's for non-ethanol premium mogas.
Ethanol corrodes aluminum parts, like fuel tanks, & can be hard on rubber parts, like fuel bladders. It can also absorb quite a bit of water. So it is prohibited. However, for many operators, non-ethanol 93 octane mogas tends to be preferable, or at least preferred on a regular basis, say "every other fill-up" due to less lead fouling of plugs, or sticking valves in small Continentals & Lycomings. And it is a little healthier, or at least has one less hazardous material to get intimate with.

I run non-ethanol mogas/pump gas in my chainsaws including Disstons, Stihl, and Echo.
It's also what the club runs in our airplanes, when we can get it. Some small airports have it at the pump. Not so much to service homebuilts, but because many small Lycomings and Continentals just run better on it. Elsewhere it means schlepping it through the gate in 5 gal containers, so laziness usually wins.

smt

Aviacs, you state: "there is no such thing as lead-free avgas".
Then what is G100UL, or UL94 ?


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[Jonny Quest]

Yep ammoaddict,
I read 30% of the planes in the USA require leaded fuel, the other 70% can use unleaded. EPA regs have Rolls Royce, Lycoming and others concerned about the future of their leaded engines.
Incidentally, I have not contacted my local municipal airport yet, but what is aviation gas selling for these days?

.

My son and son-in-law are both pilots. They tell me that purchasing aviation fuel is becoming more difficult if you don’t have a corresponding “tail number”. So, Joe average guy trying to buy av-gas isn’t always easy. Current price in the SLC area is $5.80 / gal for 100LL.

JQ

 

[Mad Professor]

My son and son-in-law are both pilots. They tell me that purchasing aviation fuel is becoming more difficult if you don’t have a corresponding “tail number”. So, Joe average guy trying to buy av-gas isn’t always easy. Current price in the SLC area is $5.80 / gal for 100LL.

JQ

One local airport has a self serve pump, swipe your plastic and fill up. It's very small and an exception.