Well, there is no 'aviation unleaded' fuel. Airports that support
General Aviation--aka 'small planes'--usually offer 100LL, for
100-octane 'Low Lead.'Â 'Low Lead' is relative; it has approximately
one-third less tetra-ethyl lead than the previous de facto standard
110-octane avgas (I think it's 2 grams/gal for LL vs. 3grams/gal for the
110; may be liters instead of gallons). Put it in a clear container, it
should be pale blue in color; the 110 I believe was red/orange-colored,
but I never saw it anywhere in my 30 years or so of piloting and owning
light aircraft.
Some aircraft, typically with relatively low-power (less than 200HP)
engines, can run on automotive gas, but the aircraft MUST have Technical
Service Bulletin ('TSB') approval from the FAA--which can cost a couple
thousand dollars--and their owners have to follow strict fueling
procedures. These include assuring the fuel has no contaminants--I
believe ethanol is considered a 'contaminant'--and the Reid Vapor
Pressure ('RVP') must fall in an acceptable range. Some airports,
precious few I think, do offer acceptable auto gas, but for most it's
too much trouble to support for the small number of aircraft that can
use it, and the liability is large.
The FAA and industry is trying to come up with an unleaded aircraft
fuel, but it's been a years-long process and we're still a couple/few
years out, and it may never happen. I'm a Commercial licensed pilot,
but haven't flown in a few years but keep up on the industry. I think
Shell and GAMI are the only two contenders last I checked.
I've gone all pedantic on you because, if you're getting avgas from a
pump on the field it's likely 100LL--should say so on the truck or pump
island--but don't be fooled; it's loaded with lead and if you're
breathing the exhaust fumes you are harming your health. All the
gas-engined equipment I have save one will run fine on 87-octane; the
4-stroke Stilh string trimmer I have requires 89-octane (didn't know
that before I bought it). I keep my fuel in 5-gal cans, so to avoid
some hassle I buy 89-octane only, but you're not doing an engine that
can run on 87 any favors by using higher octane (goes for auto engines
as well).
Bob
On 8/26/2019 7:20 AM, Karl Vacek via Shop-talk wrote:
> Brian, you're right. THANK YOU !!! Tru-Fuel seems to be the real deal. And
> I've been scoffing at canned gasoline sold for wine prices.
>
> I've brought aviation unleaded home from the airport and added Sta-Bil for
> all the 4-cycle lawn equipment (lawn tractor, mower, snow blower) for a
> couple of years. Runs much better, though to be honest the tractor doesn't
> care what gas is in it or how old. 17.5 HP Kohler, about 1999. I don't need
> Tru-Fuel for the 4-cycle stuff.
>
> I've recently been mixing that same gas with high-quality chemical lubricant
> for the 2-cycle stuff and it's seemed mostly OK. For sure better than pump
> gas (gasohol only here). With pump gas every new batch of fuel requires carb
> adjustments. And I had a can of starting fluid sitting around for decades,
> unused. Now I seem to use starting fluid every month or two.
>
> My (1970) Echo blower hadn't run in years. Probably a fuel issue. That was
> why I tried the EGO blower. When the EGO wasn't up to the taks, I bought a
> diaphragm kit for the old Echo's carb and put it in. Filled the tank with
> Tru-Fuel and a couple of pulls and it runs. That ancient Kioritz engine is
> still strong. And it blows far stronger than that top-model EGO battery toy.
>
> Little 2-cycle equipment uses so little fuel that there's nothing to save
> even at $6 a quart for Tru-Fuel. It works. No more mixing for me.
>
> I may even buy a gas string trimmer now. Not sure if Echo is still what it
> was though -- I got screwed on an Echo ES-230 vacuum/shredder/mulcher some
> years back because of the warning about using only 89+ octane fuel less than
> 90 days old. Where is that warning? In a paragraph on page 17 of the
> manual, after pages of lawyer advice about not licking the muffler while the
> engine is running. Who reads that?
>
> My "Pro" Echo dealer told me NOTHING other than to buy Echo oil - and I
> bought a case from him along with the ES-230. When the engine overheated I
> took it back to him and he said it was fine, just use it. It ran less than
> 45 minutes more and finally shot fire out of the head gasket. Then he
> refused to even ask Echo to warrantee it. Bottom line, I got a lemon from a
> lemon of a dealer. I called Echo and they gave me a short block as long as I
> had (another) dealer install it. And it's still running. That huge
> landscaper supply dealer has a sign in his service area about the Echo fuel
> requirement.
>
> I shipped the EGO electric blower back - not sure how much that experiment
> will cost me, but it wasn't worth it. I'm an engine guy.
>
> Thanks to all !!!
> Karl
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Brian Kemp [mailto:bk13@earthlink.net]
> Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] Electric String Trimmers
>
> Regarding your "lower hassle factor" comment, if you stay gas, give the
> canned fuel like Tru-Fuel a try. My blower, string trimmer, and chain
> saw always start right up, even after months or 2 years for the chain
> saw. Yes it costs more, but it makes it super easy not having to keep
> fresh gas, especially with the mess they have in California.
>
> I had problems starting my Echo string trimmer and went back to the
> dealer and the first thing they wanted to blame was my gas. I said that
> I never used anything other than Tru-Fuel and he became super helpful.
> Turns out I shouldn't have followed the starting directions as written
> and was flooding the engine. No problems in the 6 years since and it
> gets worked very hard 4-5 times a year.
>
> My previous string trimmer was a Ryobi and when the engine died at 3
> years and 2 month, all the service places blamed my gas and said to just
> toss it. Have not bought a Ryobi product since and never will. The
> semi-pro Echo is far superior. Especially like the easy loading string
> in the Speed-Feed head - Just take a 20' length of .095 line, stick it
> through the hole and twist the head to wind it up. No more trying to
> wrap a spool then install it in the head. This alone is worth most of
> the price difference from a home center product to a real outdoor
> products dealer.
>
> Also like my Sthil low noise backpack blower. I have a corded electric
> Toro, but it seems louder and has much less power. It too always starts
> right up on Tru-Fuel. When I use it, I'm running it 30-45 minutes.
> Could never expect a battery product to work for me.
>
> Battery products may work for some, but for my situation, I don't
> consider them an option and I have zero issues with gas products since I
> stopped mixing with pump gas.
>
> Brian
>
>
> On 8/20/2019 3:26 PM, Karl Vacek via Shop-talk wrote:
>> Related topic. I recently went through this consideration (still don't have
>> a new string trimmer or edger) and became convinced that the EGO stuff was
>> the best. Based on reviews and videos - never touched one till I ordered it.
>>
>> I started with their biggest blower, which came with the 5-AH battery and a
>> charger. It's fine, I guess, but unless you push the "Turbo" button it's
>> not close to the power of my 50 year old Echo gas blower. A fast clean-up
>> after mowing, using full trigger but not any time in Turbo mode, and I'm
>> down to half battery. If it was leaf season I'd be taking a 1-1/2 hour
>> break every 45 minutes. And I swear it slows down as the battery runs down,
>> though maybe that's just my disappointment kicking in.
>>
>> It was an Amazon purchase and it's going back. Now I'm not sure the lower
>> hassle factor of a battery tool is worth it. I still need a string trimmer
>> and an edger.
>>
>> Going to the Stihl dealer next, and probably resigning myself to putting up
>> with 2-cycle engines for a while more.
>>
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