How do you choose a glow fuel?  
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All Forums >> Glow Engines, Gas Engines, Fuel & Mfg Support Forums >> RC Fuels >> How do you choose a glow fuel?
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How do you choose a glow fuel? - 10/13/2004 10:20:46 PM   
IFlySlowPlanes


 

Posts: 317
Joined: 5/11/2004
From: Reading, PA, USA
Status: offline 		What I mean is, there are several brands available out there, some with castor, some synthetic, 5%, 10%, 20%, etc. Assuming all things are equal (let's say we're talking 15% with a nominal amount of castor/synthetic oil content (say 18% since that seems to be a common number for factory recommendations). So all else being equal, is price alone your only remaining consideration or do you take other things into account?

I ask because up til now I've always bought my glow fuel from the LHS at what I consider to be extortionate pricing ($20-30/gal). Since joining a local r/c club, I've discovered that everyone there uses what amounts to a local brew (S&W is the brand I think) which is available at $10/gal or less in quantity. I just ordered a case, mainly because of the price, but also because I'm influenced by the success our many club members have had with the product.

Not trying to open a can of worms, and not recommending any product (I haven't even gotten my case yet, so how would I know?). Just interested in your experiences with regards to buying glow fuel.

Thanks!
       Post #: 1

RE: How do you choose a glow fuel? - 10/14/2004 3:19:22 AM   
FlyNBHappy


 

Posts: 274
Joined: 7/21/2002
From: Peanut Gallery, USA
Status: offline 		When I used to buy my fuel (I homebrew now because it is much cheaper for me), my first consideration was price and availability at LHS was another factor. I've tried Powermaster, Omega, Coolpower, Byrons and they're all good fuel for my engines. So for me, price is the biggest factor because I didn't notice much difference in engine performance between the brands.

(in reply to IFlySlowPlanes)
       Post #: 2

RE: How do you choose a glow fuel? - 10/15/2004 5:39:53 PM   
BigSkyRCFlyer



Posts: 474
Joined: 10/21/2002
From: Power, MT, USA
Status: offline 		I have a tough time in my area with fuel. My LHS only gets in what he can, the next is a 120 or a 150 mile drive, so I have to take what I can get. (Usually Wildcat) When My wife and I travel, I stop at the LHS and buy a few cases. We spend a lot of money on our engines, and I take that into consideration the most when I buy fuel. I do not believe there is a "bad" fuel out there, but you have to make sure you follow what the Factory says for Nitro and Oil Percentage. From there guys go with whatever they like, Castor/Syn, etc. I have had good luck with SIG, Morgan, and Wildcat. My LHS just got in a new Sig fuel, so I'm going to give that a try, I posted about this fuel. Most people would say what I do is wrong, use a few cases of one fuel, then switch because I can't get the same brand always all the time. I always stick with the same Nitro percentage, a given I guess. I have never had a problem with Engines, and I fly almost 7 days a week, so I burn a lot of fuel. I do not have the choice of picking up the same fuel every time. I do not have enough guys around to make my own, to make it worth while, or lower cost. I am only 1 of the 2 active people in my Club. I would say, do what the others are doing and have had great luck with, if it saves you money all the better. Happy Flying!

_____________________________

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(in reply to FlyNBHappy)
       Post #: 3

RE: How do you choose a glow fuel? - 10/22/2004 4:35:57 AM   
JPMacG


 

Posts: 1108
Joined: 1/2/2002
From: Ivyland, PA, USA
Status: offline 		I've been using S&W fuel for 5 years with great results. Our club gets their 10% standard synthetic/castor blend for about $8.50 a gallon. We pick it up at their factory.

As far as I can tell there is a lot of smoke and mirrors in some fuel manufacturers advertising. I have tried several of the more expensive brands that my hobby shop sells and I can't tell the difference.

S&W has a website. www.s-whobby.com

< Message edited by JPMacG -- 10/22/2004 3:59:34 PM >

(in reply to BigSkyRCFlyer)
       Post #: 4

RE: How do you choose a glow fuel? - 12/30/2004 6:30:57 PM   
mdball3


 

Posts: 5
Joined: 8/15/2004
From: , ND, USA
Status: offline 		Hi

Does anyone know were i can get a good 5 to 10% nitro fuel for my .91 OS ducted fan engine.


Thanks.

Anthony

(in reply to JPMacG)
       Post #: 5

RE: How do you choose a glow fuel? - 12/30/2004 10:00:42 PM   
Hobbsy



Posts: 10129
Joined: 12/2/2001
From: Colonial Beach, VA, USA
Status: offline 		I settled on Fox 5% nitro fuel with 20% 50/50 syn. castor blend lube. they will also make it for you in all castor. I have used it in everyting from a Fox .15, LA .46 & .65 to an Irvine 150, SuperTigre 4500 and an MDS 1.48 and 2.18. and approximately 90 others. all run perfect on it. The 4500 was only run about 2 hours to break it in for Diesel operation. I flew my Fox .74 several seasons on it and my Irvine .53 one season and converted it to Diesel.

_____________________________

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(in reply to mdball3)
       Post #: 6

RE: How do you choose a glow fuel? - 1/8/2005 9:09:51 PM   
jkulhanek



Posts: 620
Joined: 8/9/2004
From: LauncestonTASMANIA, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline 		All the fuels my LHS had were reasonable bar one.

This fuel would foam something terrible and stained my tank. In the end I got tired of paying a stupid amount for fuel.

Now i just homebrew, much cheaper and is quite pleasing knowing that your home brew works just as good as brand name stuff for half the price.


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Kyosho Ultima RB, Ported O.S. .12 CV-X Hyper, CVEC Pipe.

(in reply to Hobbsy)
       Post #: 7

RE: How do you choose a glow fuel? - 1/12/2005 8:02:36 PM   
Bax


 

Posts: 11559
Joined: 4/26/2002
From: Champaign, IL, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: mdball3

Hi

Does anyone know were i can get a good 5 to 10% nitro fuel for my .91 OS ducted fan engine.


Thanks.

Anthony


Wildcat Fuels makes an excellent ducted-fan fuel. It has 23% oil which is needed for those high-RPM engines.

_____________________________

Bill Baxter, Manager Hobby Services/Futaba Service/North America
3002 N. Apollo Dr. Ste. 1 Champaign, IL 61822 USA
Service Phone: 217 398-0007
Email: hobbyservices@hobbico.com

(in reply to mdball3)
       Post #: 8

RE: How do you choose a glow fuel? - 1/14/2005 8:09:06 PM   
tripp3d


 

Posts: 234
Joined: 12/3/2004
From: Memphis, TN, USA
Status: offline 		Non related question, I know some people are using 30% heli fuel in their 4strokes, but what about 2strokes? I have an Evo 100 mounted inverted and thought about higher nitro content to help in starting and idling. Anyone?

(in reply to Bax)
       Post #: 9

RE: How do you choose a glow fuel? - 1/16/2005 1:57:57 PM   
Jim Thomerson



Posts: 2718
Joined: 10/9/2002
From: Austin, TX, USA
Status: offline 		I have run a particular brand of glow fuel for many years. It is not readily available in my area and other well-thought-of brands are. However, I have tried the other brands, in what is said to be the identical nitro-oil mix to my regular fuel. I found that I needed to make radical changes in needle setting (which I do not like ) and still did not get the same performance. So I am sticking with my brand. My friends run the other brands with good results so it is not that they are bad fuel.

Jim

(in reply to tripp3d)
       Post #: 10

RE: How do you choose a glow fuel? - 1/27/2005 3:12:59 PM   
DesertHucker



Posts: 280
Joined: 9/23/2004
From: BoulderWest Australia, AUSTRALIA
Status: offline 		have any of you tried a program Home Brew Buddy it will calculate the mix by weight or volume and calculates temperature variance it is 1.2mb in size contact me if you would like to try it

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Lawrie Goldfields Aeromodellers
www.gam.asn.au

(in reply to Jim Thomerson)
       Post #: 11

RE: How do you choose a glow fuel? - 3/17/2005 1:42:58 AM   
bdtsr


 

Posts: 1444
Joined: 9/3/2002
From: Egg Harbor Twp., NJ, USA
Status: offline 		I know Reading is a little bit of a ride, but over in Buck (outside Quaryville) is Musser's. LOTs of stuff and always has different brands and %'s in stock. Prices are good too. Mach 7 Fuels in Alabama is where I get mine. Have it shipped by truck to work (no hazmat on truck). Really like their fuels. FYI, this is Morgan Fuels direct sell brand.

(in reply to DesertHucker)
       Post #: 12

RE: How do you choose a glow fuel? - 6/29/2005 3:51:12 AM   
Heli Guy


 

Posts: 1
Joined: 6/20/2005
From: CozumelQ. Roo, MEXICO
Status: offline 		Hi, I´m new to this. Can anyone tell me the percentage of fuel blend (nitro content) for a .30 size Raptor?



Thanks


Al

(in reply to bdtsr)
       Post #: 13

RE: How do you choose a glow fuel? - 6/29/2005 7:15:20 PM   
RaceCity



Posts: 1842
Joined: 7/10/2002
From: NotUpNorth, USA
Status: offline 		Slowplanes...Good Thread!

S&W is pretty good fuel....even more so since Stan will mix fuel to your specification. I've run a LOT of S&W and never had a complaint yet...then too, Stan made the fuel the way I wanted it.

Unfortunately, I live far enough away from PA nowadays to make an S&W run impractical.

What considerations do I use when choosing a fuel? Surely, price is important but even more so is what is in the fuel. In almost 30 years of struggling with this r/c addiction I've become set in my ways where fuel is concerned and I don't aim to change now.

Oil is my gripe with many (not all) of the commercially available fuels. Everybody has a preference, and I'm no different. If you consider what the most expensive ingredient is in a gallon of "sport" fuel...you'll find that it's not the nitro, but the OIL. The fuel mfrs are keenly aware that a large percentage of the "hobbyists" are very price conscious, and a dollar difference can decide which gallon the customer chooses. It makes perfect sense to spend hundreds on a motor...hundreds more on a radio, hundreds more still on a model, then quibble over a dollar price difference on a gallon of fuel does it not? I digress...

I'm convinced that this is what has lead many mfrs to reduce the quantity of oil in a gallon, as well as make more use of "secret & proprietary" (read: cheap & obscure) lubricants all in order to gain a small price advantage at the checkout. Cheap ingredients kill motors, so....I prefer fuels that sort of mirror my own recipe, and are made with simple, yet trusted oils.

That's how I choose a fuel. Once I find one I like...I do my best to stick with it. Now...I'm starting to make my own and life is sweet.

I feel better now.

'Race

< Message edited by RaceCity -- 6/29/2005 7:20:31 PM >

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AMA 63990

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       Post #: 14