tazzzz

I have a G-26 and a G38 Zenoah engine. Ive been running straight 87 octane,,,Is there any benefit to running a higher octane gas?

jetmech05

Some guys do ....I don't.... I run 87 octane with 40:1 mix of Red Line oil...and a little Stabil to hopefully off set the ethonol effects...that will soon go to 15%

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

I recently heard that some guys like to fill a jug at their local airports with aviation gas. It contains no ethanol which can deteriorate the seals in gas engines.

Top_Gunn

My Feedback: (6)

The higher the octane, the better the gas is for engines that have trouble digesting ethanol. If you want gas without ethanol and can't get aviation gas, you can get ethanol-free gas at some hardware stores. It's very expensive. Some small engines will run on white gas, such as Coleman lantern fuel, which is not gasoline; whether this works for model airplane engines I don't know.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

White gas is about 67 octane but it works very well in the small engines. I just went into my local small engine repair shop and bought the new carb kit for alcohol laced gas. Takes about 5 minutes to install the new diaphragm. I think the kits are about $5.00. All I use is standard old regular gas from my local station. 32:1 Klotz mix for me. The Red Line is the most popular oil used where I fly.

Rodney

If I remember correctly, Clarence Lee (a recognized engine expert) says that octane ratings for small engines has no importance, low octane works as well as a higher octane. While I have not made any exact measurements with a tack or torque meter, I can not tell the difference in how different octane ratings work. In my engines (mostly Quadras of 35 to 72 cc) , for the last three years (since the addition of ethanol to regular gasoline) I have been running Colman fuel in mine with no detrimental effects or noticeable change in performance. I have had no more carb problems since going to Colman fuel while I was constantly repairing them when using fuel with alcohol in it.

scooterinvegas

My Feedback: (1)

Buy meth free gas. It's a couple of bucks more, but will keep for a very long time and smells good. Today's pump gas starts going bad quick.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Scoot, you can just go to that big gardener/small engine shop on Annie Oakley and buy the kit with the new type of diaphragm that doesn't care what type of gas goes through it.
For about $5.00 why dink around.
TOMORROW?????

scooterinvegas

My Feedback: (1)

Its not about the carb, its the quality of todays gas. It sucks. Plus I think it smells bad. The 100 octane smells good and I dont have to worry about it if it gets a little old.

Yes! Tomorrow!! [8D]

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

The nasty smell is that crap they put in it for the winter. I think they just gave up on taking it out during the summer. See you there!!