Gasahol Update

Denny wrote:
Jim,
Those recommendations are based on the alcohol being wood alcohol -
METHANOL (highly corrosive to brass, rubber, cork, etc.)... Where the
alky is ETHANOL (corn whiskey) you can be more relaxed about alky
remaining in the tank even at the 5% level... So, while your
assumption that if you dilute sufficiently you can leave it is right
on, you will have a bigger margin of safety if you can find ethanol
based gasahol...

denny - in Michigan where we can get alky free mogas...

First off, methanol is not corrosive to brass. Second I do not think
there is much differance between ethanol and methanol as for as
corrosive effects on synthetic rubber. Third, the alcohol in mogas is
a lot less corrosive to rubber than the toulene in 100LL. Any plastic
floats left out there?

There is a whole new line of excellent plastic floats called Aerocets.
Although I don't know how that is relevant.

One thing about mogas, it is best to get the mogas that airports have
..They typically get car gas that does not have the car gas additives.
No one really knows what these car gas additives will do to an aircraft
engine. Also, keep in mind car gas is NO LEAD. Lead has lubrication and
cushioning properties. I know people complain about the lead deposits
on their spark plugs, but lead has beneficial side effects also. Then
there is octane. The gas you use needs to have enough octane so your
engine doesn't knock. This depends on your engines compression ratio
and altitude you fly at. Lastly, avgas has stabilizers so it doesn't
gell when it sits for long periods of time, mogas doesn't.

Doug wrote:
There is a whole new line of excellent plastic floats called Aerocets.
Although I don't know how that is relevant.

Because the toulene in 100LL melted the plastic floats in many carbs.
Big STC to replace them about two decades ago.


One thing about mogas, it is best to get the mogas that airports have
.They typically get car gas that does not have the car gas additives.

Total BS, most FBO's that sell mo gas are either small mom and pop
operations that do not have a very large tank to ask the local
distributer to eliminate the aditive package, or they only offer it
because they are also using it for their ground equipment. Besides the
additives are only detergents which would only help to get rid of
carbon and lead deposits. The alcohol is added at the refienery not
the distributer.

No one really knows what these car gas additives will do to an aircraft
engine. Also, keep in mind car gas is NO LEAD. Lead has lubrication and
cushioning properties. BS! A myth created by the gas companies to discorage the government from eliminating lead, and an excuse for car companies to explain their valve failures. Aircraft engines are tested for compatibility before issuing the STC. My old Cessna had less problems on mogas than 100LL. No stuck valves on mogas.

Well it is not TOTAL BS. I know for a fact that one mogas seller in
Colorado (where I get mine), gets his mogas the way I described. But
you bring up a good point. How does one tell just what you are getting
when you put in mogas or avgas?

But
you bring up a good point. How does one tell just what you are getting
when you put in mogas or avgas?

If there are no visible contaminants, there is no water evident, and it
smells like gasoline, I run with it -- and unless you have some sort of
a chemical laboratory in your hangar, there's not much else you can do.

Like so many other things in this world, it's really not worth the
effort to worry about.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
But
you bring up a good point. How does one tell just what you are getting
when you put in mogas or avgas?


If there are no visible contaminants, there is no water evident, and it
smells like gasoline, I run with it -- and unless you have some sort of
a chemical laboratory in your hangar, there's not much else you can do.

Like so many other things in this world, it's really not worth the
effort to worry about.

Me too. If it smells like it might burn I'll use it.

"Newps" wrote in message
...


Jay Honeck wrote:
But
you bring up a good point. How does one tell just what you are getting
when you put in mogas or avgas?


If there are no visible contaminants, there is no water evident, and it
smells like gasoline, I run with it -- and unless you have some sort of
a chemical laboratory in your hangar, there's not much else you can do.

Like so many other things in this world, it's really not worth the
effort to worry about.

Me too. If it smells like it might burn I'll use it.

And that's more than enough of a scientific test for the older low
compression engines They were designed for fuel without lead and octanes in
the mid to low 70s.

On 31 May 2005 09:09:03 -0700, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

If there are no visible contaminants, there is no water evident, and it
smells like gasoline, I run with it -- and unless you have some sort of
a chemical laboratory in your hangar, there's not much else you can do.

Like so many other things in this world, it's really not worth the
effort to worry about.

Thought there was some kind of easy test you could do by adding water
to a sample of your fuel.

Corky Scott

There is. You can get a graduated tube from eaa or make one yourself. You
add water to the lower line, gas to the upper line and shake for 30 seconds.
After the water settles down to the bottom, you check to see if the line is
in the same place. If it's higher, you have alcohol. The EAA tube will tell
you the precentage.

mike regish

"Corky Scott" wrote in message
Thought there was some kind of easy test you could do by adding water
to a sample of your fuel.

Corky Scott

Thought there was some kind of easy test you could do by adding water
to a sample of your fuel.

Well, Corky, as you can see by the debate raging in this thread, there
really is no "easy" test to check for alcohol.

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"