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  #1  
Old 04-19-2011, 06:31 PM
rvaitor87 rvaitor87 is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Bartow, Florida
Posts: 204
Default Fuel question

I know this is in the wrong section, but it does involve fuel. I don't know about the rest of the country, but here in Florida the price of Avgas is over $5.00 a gallon. I have found a auto repair shop that sell non-ethanol gas for boaters. This guy gaurentees that there is NO alcahol in his gas.

Now for the questions.

1. How do I test for ethanol, he says it's clean, but I don't really want to trust my life on his word. Is there a kit available?

2. Would it be alright to mix with avgas. This engine has run on mogas before, but the plugs always fouled on the way out to the runway, so I went back to avgas. (I have since learned to lean)

The engine is a O-320 B2B 160hp

All help will be appreciated
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  #2  
Old 04-19-2011, 06:41 PM
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9GT 9GT is offline
 
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Location: Southern Michigan
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Default

You can buy a little ethanol tester from AS&S: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...oholTester.php
I run a little ethanol laced auto fuel premium in my O-235 mixed with avgas with great results. Ethanol free fuel is no where to be found around here at any gas stations and mogas is scarce at the airports.
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  #3  
Old 04-19-2011, 07:50 PM
Phlyan Pan Phlyan Pan is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 174
Default

There's this one as well:

http://www.eaa.org/autofuel/autogas/test_kit.asp

Some of the guys in my EAA chapter use these with good results.
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  #4  
Old 04-20-2011, 05:08 AM
pierre smith's Avatar
pierre smith pierre smith is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Louisville, Ga
Posts: 7,840
Default It's easy, Mike..

Quote:
Originally Posted by rvaitor87 View Post
1. How do I test for ethanol, he says it's clean, but I don't really want to trust my life on his word. Is there a kit available?

2. Would it be alright to mix with avgas. This engine has run on mogas before, but the plugs always fouled on the way out to the runway, so I went back to avgas. (I have since learned to lean)

The engine is a O-320 B2B 160hp

All help will be appreciated
..because alcohol is very attracted to water.

I use a paint mixing tube with ten lines, equally spaced...1/2" markings work. Fill to the first line with water, then add gas 'til the tenth (top) line. shake it up and the water will "suck" the alcohol out of the gas and if it's 10% alcohol, the water line will now come up to near the second line.

You can use any clear container that lets you see the original water level get bigger IF there's alcohol present.

FWIW, a friend of mine rides a crotch rocket and has made a 55 gallon drum to extricate any alcohol. He puts in 5 gallons of water and adds 45 gallons of gas. By the time he gets home and it sloshed for a few miles, the alcohol has been pulled down by the water. He has a spigot at the bottom that drains the water/alcohol mix until he sees/smells gas.

Best,
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  #5  
Old 04-20-2011, 05:15 AM
Pilottonny Pilottonny is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Belgium
Posts: 645
Default Please do not use a "scary face" to easily.......

Quote:
Originally Posted by rvaitor87 View Post
I don't know about the rest of the country, but here in Florida the price of Avgas is over $5.00 a gallon.
You lucky........

At our flying club the Avgas is now ? 2,45/ltr ==> $ 13,35/GAL !!!!!!
Some places the prices are as high as ? 2,80/ltr ==> $ 15,26/GAL !!!!!!

That's a reason for a !!

I am investigating where I can buy Ethanol free Mogas at the moment (wich will still be $ 8,50 to $ 10,00/GAL though)

Regards, Tonny.
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  #6  
Old 04-20-2011, 06:29 AM
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DakotaHawk DakotaHawk is offline
 
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Location: Arlington, WA
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Default

Go to pure-gas.com for a list of gas stations that have been tested to carry non-alcohol gas. If you find a new station (and test it!), then you can add that station to the data base.



To test for alcohol, I fill up a couple of five gallon jugs and bring them back to the airport. At the airport, I'll use my clear fuel tester. Put about an inch of water in the tester and use a sharpie to mark the water level. Then fill the tester up with your "non-alcohol" fuel. Shake it a little and then let it sit. Come back after an hour and check the water level. If the water level hasn't changed, you're in luck! If the water level has gone UP, then you have alcohol in your fuel and you might as well pour it into your car.

I use premium auto gas in my plane. I also update the Pure-Gas website periodically.
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  #7  
Old 04-20-2011, 06:33 AM
DakotaHawk's Avatar
DakotaHawk DakotaHawk is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Arlington, WA
Posts: 799
Exclamation Wrong way to get alcohol out of fuel!

Quote:
Originally Posted by pierre smith View Post
FWIW, a friend of mine rides a crotch rocket and has made a 55 gallon drum to extricate any alcohol. He puts in 5 gallons of water and adds 45 gallons of gas. By the time he gets home and it sloshed for a few miles, the alcohol has been pulled down by the water. He has a spigot at the bottom that drains the water/alcohol mix until he sees/smells gas.
Don't do this for your airplane!

The alcohol provides part of the octane for the gas. When your friend drags the alcohol out of the gas using this method, he is lowering the octane of the gas by several points! That Premium gas just dropped down to less-than-regular gas.
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  #8  
Old 04-20-2011, 09:27 PM
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RV10inOz RV10inOz is offline
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Brisbane Qld. Aust.
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Default

I am glad you posted this Mr Hawk

I was just reading Pierre's story and thinking to myself that is all well and good but the grade of fuel that is left behind will be sub-par. That is the very reason they use the ethanol in the first place, apart from greenie givernment subsidised stealling food crops from the poor campaigns

You guys need to get onto the FAA and whoever else over there to get the GAMI G100UL fuel approved. It is about the only good news in years for aviation and its going nowhere fast.
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  #9  
Old 04-20-2011, 10:27 PM
Bavafa Bavafa is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sacramento, CA
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Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by RV10inOz View Post
I am glad you posted this Mr Hawk

I was just reading Pierre's story and thinking to myself that is all well and good but the grade of fuel that is left behind will be sub-par. That is the very reason they use the ethanol in the first place, apart from greenie givernment subsidised stealling food crops from the poor campaigns

You guys need to get onto the FAA and whoever else over there to get the GAMI G100UL fuel approved. It is about the only good news in years for aviation and its going nowhere fast.
Another reason would be that you are pooring 10% of that saving into drain, so not much saving by buying auto gas when you consider the added transportation to the airport, hassle and danger of adding gas from a container and all.

It really sucks that AVGas has gone up so much. I put over 300 hours in my new RV and now try to limit my flying as much as I can when I see the cost of fuel
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  #10  
Old 04-22-2011, 02:43 AM
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RV10inOz RV10inOz is offline
 
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Location: Brisbane Qld. Aust.
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Default

Quote:
I put over 300 hours in my new RV and now try to limit my flying as much as I can when I see the cost of fuel
Not sure that is really a wise idea. Flying less is bad on a number of fronts, engine corrossion will cost you way more long term, being less current (unless you fly for a living) will possibly increase your chances of an incident that may cost you. Your fixed costs will remain and make your desire to sell it easier.

Things you can do, find the best suitable fuel sources (not always the cheapest at the pump), if you smoke...give up and put the money into Avgas, a few less beers, take your wife / girlfriend to somewhere for a picnic lunch instead of dinner out somewhere. Take lunch from home to work instead of buying lunch. Steal back the kids pocket money

All the above will plug the fuel cost increases and then some. Even if only half of them apply to you. Less flying NO WAY!

If your engine is injected get the injectors tuned and learn how to run LOP, this will save you heaps in fuel and maintenance.

DB
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