If we have to use Autogas with Ethanol...

[mhorowit]

Re: If we have to use Autogas with Ethanol...

Water mixes with the alcohol and it can/will cause corrosion in aluminium tanks and fuel lines. If you find some white stuff in your Gas samples watch out! Len

Recall I mentioned cleaning a caked on white deposit out of my gasalator and the filter screen. There had been a lot of water mixed with the 100LL gasoline (standing 3 years). Could what I have seen been the result of having water in the aluminum tank? - Mike

[high time cub]

Re: If we have to use Autogas with Ethanol...

Mike,
If your gascolator is aluminum, most likely the corrosion originated there. Remember, it's job is to collect water!
Jim

[Chet Peek]

Re: If we have to use Autogas with Ethanol...

I make trips to Iowa and Minn several times a year, where you are almost forced to use the 10% ethanol blend, (in my car). One little secret that everyone there knows, but they don't advertize, is that this mixture cuts your gas mileage by about 10%. I've checked this myself and found it to be the case.
Chet Peek

[M Towsley]

Re: If we have to use Autogas with Ethanol...

Hi Chet,

You are definitely right regarding mileage. The folks who burn E-85 discover a reduction in mileage. Sort of offsets the small cost savings you get over regular unleaded.

[M Jones]

Re: If we have to use Autogas with Ethanol...

Mike, I spoke to a guy by phone who had a very nice looking white T-Craft at Poplar Grove. His plane was featured in an older issue of Vintage Airplane and I wanted to ask him about his wheel pants .

Was that Don Claude? He's got a real nice cream with brown stripe Taylorcraft.

you may be interested to know there is a breakfast every month at Hartenbower Airport just south of LaSalle/Peru. Nice North/South grass strip where everyone parks paralleling the strip. Some fairly nice old airplanes show up.

I've been there, but not for the breakfast yet. Keep your eye out for a Aircommand Gyro next time you go. My buddy that lives close to El Paso (IL) goes pretty offen. Mark and Cathy if you see them. They both "fly" it, or whatever you do in a gyro... (That should get a response from Forest too...)

[M Towsley]

Re: If we have to use Autogas with Ethanol...

Mike,

In the pictures it looked white with black stripe, but it was a very, very old article. And it was Don, now that you mention his name. Nice guy and invited my wife and I to visit his airport home.

[taylorcraftbc65]

Re: If we have to use Autogas with Ethanol...

This fellow also assured me that 100LL is probably worse for an A-65 than anything else, because of the lead and the problems the lead causes.

It has been said that a mixture of 3/4 car gas and 1/4 100LL will approximate the old 80 octane fuel the engines were designed for. After having several conflicting opinions myself on the car gas situation, I am starting to think that this mixture and much more frequent checking for water may be the ideal.

Car gas in Los Angeles is now 3.13 or so, and I paid 3.75 for 100LL yesterday, so the cost difference is not a life or death issue at 4 GPH. Either way it's expensive now even to fly a Taylorcraft.

Thanks for the info Bill. I have often wondered if it would be OK to mix 100LL with autogas to get close to the original fuel that Manu Sina was designed for, and you gave me the proportions. Brie