Alternate fuel(s) for 100LL by 2017

Kenny Gene · #1 10-20-2009, 07:58 PM

Please post ideas and thoughts for alternate fuel(s) we can use in IO-540's, (premium unlead?) as current guideline call for an end to 100LL by 2017 according to Nov '09 issue AOPA, page 60.

frankh · #2 10-20-2009, 08:10 PM

What I use right now..10percent ethanol laden gas from the corner gas station. As long as you have an experimental registration and a fuel system to cope with it.

Frank

robjohnson · #3 10-20-2009, 08:53 PM

100LL must not be going away for everyone -- page 60 of my November 2009 AOPA magazine shows a really nice shot of a Piper Meridian panel, and a writeup on SimCom. What magazine do you get? I get AOPA Pilot...

Kenny Gene · #4 10-21-2009, 06:58 AM

Sorry Troops, wrong mag,, Flying Mag/November 2009 Page 60.

Yes, this reads to me an END to ALL 100LL by current guidelines by 2017,,

Geico266 · #5 10-21-2009, 07:01 AM

What Frank said. We are lucky to have premium gas and I've been car gas for years.

breister · #6 10-21-2009, 09:08 AM

The options appear to be:

- Run on lower octane fuel, including blended gasoline/alchohol
- Swift Fuel (will require a large investment in facilities, and will run about $6/gal by my personal estimate)
- Run on pure alcohol, taking a 30% hit in range
- Get a new engine running on something else

frankh · #7 10-21-2009, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by breister

The options appear to be:

- Run on lower octane fuel, including blended gasoline/alchohol
- Swift Fuel (will require a large investment in facilities, and will run about $6/gal by my personal estimate)
- Run on pure alcohol, taking a 30% hit in range
- Get a new engine running on something else

This is why whatever engine I used had to be capable of running off what the car runs on. there is so much volume in fueling cars that its always going to be the best deal you can get.

Pretty much our Lycomings really don't care what they run on (the big proviso being they have hardened valve seats, which they have for about 25 years, plus the octane needs to be above 91, although RocketBob runs his on 87 with no problem it seems). Now the fuel system is a different matter, Seal materials and vapour lock tendencies are the real limiting factors as far as using alcohol blends go.

Frank