JIMARRINGTON

I started trying to read the gas/glow thread but it took me several hours just to get to page 16. Looks like the final agreed upon mix was a 10/10 glow fuel mixed 1 gallon to 2 gallons of premium gas. I do not have a local hobby shop so would have to order the fuel from Tower. If it costs 9 dollars a quart, it will then cost more to go gas/glow than just gas.

I can get my usual glow fuel from a club member for 11 dollars a gallon. It is a 10/20 fuel. Could it be substituted for the 10/10? I know that it would make the oil ratio go up but seems like it would be negligable when mixed with the gas.

Thanks
Jim

av8tor1977

My Feedback: (6)

The Gas/Glow mix, at 1 part 10/10 glow fuel to 2 parts high test gas, ends up with an oil ratio of about 32:1, which is a touch heavy on oil, but ok. Trying to use a glow fuel with 20% oil will double the oil. This is far too much oil for a gas engine, and will carbon it up and cause all kinds of problems, including eventual seizure when the rings freeze due to the carbon.

The best way to do it for those who absolutely cannot find the proper glow fuel, and can't bribe their hobby shop to get it for them, is to buy 20/20 glow fuel, and cut it in half with pure methanol. Then mix that with the gasoline for the proper Gas/Glow fuel. Methanol can be found at automotive speed shops, sometimes race tracks, and go kart racing shops.

AV8TOR

av8tor1977

My Feedback: (6)

I forgot to mention that besides all the above, that extra 10% of oil is cutting into the methanol percentage in the overall mix. This can cause operational problems because if there isn't enough methanol to sustain the catalytic reaction with the glow plug, the engine won't run well with the glow plug battery power removed.

Sorry if I react somewhat sternly, but many people ask this very question, and I have to answer it the same way every time to keep them out of trouble. All the major fuel manufacturers make the 10/10 blend of glow fuel. It is just a matter of figuring out how to order it. Thank the EPA and the "HAZMAT" shipping charge for the problems and some of the reason for the high price of glow fuel. As mentioned, the only other way is to source pure methanol, and mix it with 20/20 glow fuel to get what you want.

AV8TOR

JIMARRINGTON

Thanks Av8tor.

If that is the case, then ordering the fuel from Tower will end up making the fuel cost over $18.00 per gallon plus the shipping. Not an economical alternative. I do not have a local source for methanol so looks like for me I will have to look at electronic ignition. Thanks for your help.

Jim

av8tor1977

My Feedback: (6)

I believe someone said that Tower Hobbies has some car fuel in quart sizes that has 10% oil. You might look into that. (The quart sizes don't carry the HAZMAT fee.)

Good luck,
AV8TOR

plasticmaster

Jimarrington, I see that you are located in New Boston, TX. A quick Google search revealed a go-kart race track in New Boston at the intersection of I-30 and Hwy. 992. It’s called the 201 Go-Kart Speedway. Chances are, these go-karts are running on methanol. Perhaps you could contact this track and see where these folks get their fuel. This is the route I had to take because my local hobby shop refused to order the 10/10 fuel. I found a local go-kart shop and bought a gallon of straight methanol for $5.00. I used this to cut my normal glow fuel down to 10% oil. I then added 30/10 car fuel to arrive at the final 10/10 mix. I just added a new post here in the forum describing this in greater detail.

JIMARRINGTON

Thanks Plasticmaster.

The race track is just around the block from where I work but I have never seen anyone there. Did some calling around and it looks like I will be able to get some methanol locally. Would I mix the methanol 1 gallon to 2 gallons gas just like the glow fuel then add some oil? How much oil in onces?

Thanks
Jim

plasticmaster

If I were you, I'd take 3 ounces of the 10/20 fuel that you already have and mix with it 3 ounces of straight methanol. This will give you 6 ounces of 5/10 glow fuel (5%nitro, 10%oil). Then add 12 ounces of straight high test gasoline for a total of 18 ounces, which will be plenty for a good test run. The nitro would be rather low, but it may run just fine. If you don't get good results, then you need to locate a quart of RC car or boat fuel with a high nitro content and 10% oil content such as 30/10. I think you can order a quart from Tower and not pay the high HAZMAT fees. Anyhow, if you go this route, you would mix 3 ounces of 10/20, 3 ounces of straight methanol, and 1.5 ounces of 30/10 to get 7.5 ounces of 10/10 glow. Then add 15 ounces of high test gasoline for a total of 22.5 ounces which will again be plenty for a test run. I typically don't mix more than about a half gallon of fuel at a time so that it won't go bad before I use it. Send me a PM and I can e-mail you a spreadsheet that would help you with your mix.

av8tor1977

My Feedback: (6)

It should work fine to just cut your 10/20 glow fuel in half. Then use THAT to mix with 2 parts of high test gas. I usually mix up three quarts at a time.

So, once again, mix one gallon of your 10/20 glow fuel with one gallon of methanol.
Then pour one quart of that into a fresh jug, and then add two quarts of high test gas. Let it sit for a while to be sure there is no separation, then go for it.

If the rpms drops significantly when the engine is warmed up and you remove the glow plug power, you will know your mix is a touch light on nitro. The next time then, you can mix up some fuel with the methanol and 20/20 glow fuel.

Good luck Jim,
AV8TOR

JIMARRINGTON

Thanks for the info.

I would like to get away from glow fuel alltogether as my source will be drying up soon. When that happens, mail order will be the only way to get it. I made some phone calls this afternoon and found a source that was willing to sell me methanol for $5.00 per gallon. Is nitro necessary to run the engine?
What I was hoping for was to mix the methanol, gas, and 2 stroke oil if it will work.

Jim

Ralphbf

My Feedback: (27)

If you have a strong engine that was designed as a high compression engine then nitro isn't nessessary.
The weaker the engine then the more nitro helps.

When Nitro burns it creates oxygen.

ROOSTERLEW

So would shaving the head on an engine to increase compressioin enable a mix without nitro?

clocknut

My Feedback: (6)

Do the weedies run ok inverted on the glo/gas? Would you need to run a glow plug for low rpms ? I have a 1/4 scale tigermoth and I would like to use the cowling so the engine needs to be inverted.
Thanks
clocknut

Ralphbf

My Feedback: (27)

In short yes.

If you have an engine that has a removable head yes.

If you have to remove material from the bottom of the cylinder then you have to raise the ports
to at least keep them in the same place.
The compression ratio you are shooting for should be no more than 10 to 1 with 9 to 1 being real good.

Figuring compression ratios is a little tricky.
You need a squish band of 15 to 20 thousands.

There are people here that can help with the details better than I am.

But it is complicated but not hard.

And worth the effort on the right engine.

Ralphbf

My Feedback: (27)

Some do some can't.

Echo conversions are great. Ryobi I believe can't run upside down.
I may be wrong on the Ryobi, but I believe I read they need to be up right.

What are you running?

This is a Toro on my Tigermoth.
It is a spark ignition, but I have ran a 28cc Mac inverted on Gas-Glow with no problems.

ROOSTERLEW

Why won't they run upside down?

BTW Jim, To read the entire Gas Glow thread only takes 3 weeks of nights and weekends, but that was a year ago, might take 4 now....where's your dedication?......You fly them spads, don't you?!

JIMARRINGTON

Rooster,

Being a full time Dad and working man, I would rather be working on a plane. But I will keep at that thread. Like I said, I am up to page 16 of 80 something.

I prefer scale models. WWII fighters the most. But also golden age and WWI. Working on a Midwest Texan and Dynaflite SE5 with a Top Flite FW190 in the box. I have a Quadra 35 slated for the Texan, a Ryobi conversion for the SE5 and am going to experiment with a Poulan 18cc for the 190. Hence the point of this thread. Gonna try out porting and gas/glow to see what will happen.

Jim

clocknut

My Feedback: (6)

I have a 28cc mac for it now but i'm looking for something a little bigger.I also have a 28cc weedeater/poulan that has the reed valve in the back and the exhaust in the back thought that might be good because it would be long and thin and if it would run up side down ok it would fit under the cowl pretty good.

JIMARRINGTON

Yea, I got a couple of those rear carb reed valve Poulans laying around for later. I agree that they look like they might be good for some narrow fuse planes.

Right now, I am messing with an 18cc Poulan to see if I can port it and glow it to make it work in a 60 size warbird. Cause I have a couple of those warbirds and would prefer to go gas with them.

Jim

Ralphbf

My Feedback: (27)

Jim

How far along are you with the SE5A?

Purchased on from Tower on Thursday night, but it hasn't yet.
I was wondering about how much weight it would take to balance it.

The way the cowl is made could make it tougher to stuff a gas engine into it.
Could one make the cowl easily removable?

Any building tips?

Once I know the balance weight I can start focusing in on the right engine
and placement of the electronics.

rangerfredbob

My Feedback: (13)

most (if not all) of the ryobi trimmers are ran inverted their whole life, I don't see why they couldn't be ran inverted in a plane...

clocknut

My Feedback: (6)

I'm talking about running them on gas /glow and if the gas will puddle at low rpm and cool the glow?

Ralphbf

My Feedback: (27)

I believe av8tor said no to run them inverted, I'm not sure though.
Inverted and gas-glow works well together.

av8tor1977

My Feedback: (6)

I have several Gas/Glow engines running inverted with no problems at all.

AV8TOR

Ralphbf

My Feedback: (27)

I had it in my head that the Ryobi didn't do well inverted.

So much for the clear mind and a pure heart thing.