Questions for the fuel experts

[Lightning Performance]

Yes, stuff like gen sets and the like are fine.

How long do think it will go in sealed steel tank in the generator?

Nothing is really sealed as you know. In the chainsaws under decent storage condition in NJ I get about two years before the varnished smell of dead fuel rears it's ugly head in a none controlled environment. Smells like an old airplane wing that sat on the tarmac for years or an old tractor tank. Then I know to swap it out and dump it in my truck. Curious how long it last on the west coast.

 

[bwalker]

How long do think it will go in sealed steel tank in the generator?

Nothing is really sealed as you know. In the chainsaws under decent storage condition in NJ I get about two years before the varnished smell of dead fuel rears it's ugly head in a none controlled environment. Smells like an old airplane wing that sat on the tarmac for years or an old tractor tank. Then I know to swap it out and dump it in my truck. Curious how long it last on the west coast.

It depends. A year easily, two years probably.
The only thing I can say is had an outboard that set for 4 or more years with avgas in it and it fired right up. This was back when I owned my fishing lodge and we ran everything on avgas.

 

[J.Noss]

It depends. A year easily, two years probably.
The only thing I can say is had an outboard that set for 4 or more years with avgas in it and it fired right up. This was back when I owned my fishing lodge and we ran everything on avgas.

I'd love you ask: would you think it is a better idea for my chainsaws to store them overwinter with a full tank of canned fuel (used VP SEF 94oct mixed 40:1 with Husqvarna XP+ last winter) or to just dump the fuel out and store 'em empty? I'm running 550xp 572xp 592xp so it's not a good idea to run the tank dry as it messes up the autotune setting.. I only run a 90 octane ethanol free fuel and 40:1 XP+ throughout the typical spring/summer/fall cutting season as it's available locally at a Rutters and a hundreds of people are there each day so it definitely isn't sitting in the tanks overmuch.
Oh, and is using water to extract/separate the ethanol out of E-10 fuel a viable option? Or is that going to possibly degrade the good fuel or some other negative effect? There's lots of videos of that process on YT and it looks pretty straightforward but I was thinking about what else it may be doing besides just causing the ethanol to separate from the gasoline.

 

[muddy42]

I'd love you ask: would you think it is a better idea for my chainsaws to store them overwinter with a full tank of canned fuel (used VP SEF 94oct mixed 40:1 with Husqvarna XP+ last winter) or to just dump the fuel out and store 'em empty? I'm running 550xp 572xp 592xp so it's not a good idea to run the tank dry as it messes up the autotune setting.. I only run a 90 octane ethanol free fuel and 40:1 XP+ throughout the typical spring/summer/fall cutting season as it's available locally at a Rutters and a hundreds of people are there each day so it definitely isn't sitting in the tanks overmuch.
Oh, and is using water to extract/separate the ethanol out of E-10 fuel a viable option? Or is that going to possibly degrade the good fuel or some other negative effect? There's lots of videos of that process on YT and it looks pretty straightforward but I was thinking about what else it may be doing besides just causing the ethanol to separate from the gasoline.

In the UK, Ive used aspen alkylate fuel for years now and have had no issues storing them with fuel in the tank over winter. I presume you are from the US (although you name suggests Scottish roots, where I hail from)! I understand some US canned fuels are not as good as the UK. If so can you get non-ethanol or watch youtube videos on how to remove ethanol?

Ultimately quite a good policy is just to run your saws every month or so to pump through any residue. And buy fresh fuel!

 

[Lightning Performance]

It depends. A year easily, two years probably.
The only thing I can say is had an outboard that set for 4 or more years with avgas in it and it fired right up. This was back when I owned my fishing lodge and we ran everything on avgas.

Interesting.

We still run av gas in speed boats on the creeks here. Once you shave the heads and add Wisco slugs it was the only way to avoid detonation on holeshots with 1970s outboards. We were lucky to get 25-6° total timing advance. This was long before we could afford power jack plates and four blade SS props. The clean burn was a nice advantage with considerable sparkplug issues back then with weak ignition systems. They always winter over just fine. Most of us went backwards to distributor ignition systems with added MSD or drag racing coils. Still limited things to 6,000 or so. Fuel wasn't the limiting factors. Now you can run fuel injection and build serious compression with little issues. The knock sensor eliminated the need for high octane fuel in the 90s for boating. Still ran av gas in the 500/468 mag roller engines through the 2000s like Dana's BBC CA ski boat. They were done at about 6500. Stupid fast with a Jacuzzi 9 to 5 or maybe a 4. The one like it all white on LBI was called Sudden Impact with blown 455 Olds on av gas and a big pump.

Av gas smells alway bring back memories of fun times.

 

[bwalker]

I'd love you ask: would you think it is a better idea for my chainsaws to store them overwinter with a full tank of canned fuel (used VP SEF 94oct mixed 40:1 with Husqvarna XP+ last winter) or to just dump the fuel out and store 'em empty? I'm running 550xp 572xp 592xp so it's not a good idea to run the tank dry as it messes up the autotune setting.. I only run a 90 octane ethanol free fuel and 40:1 XP+ throughout the typical spring/summer/fall cutting season as it's available locally at a Rutters and a hundreds of people are there each day so it definitely isn't sitting in the tanks overmuch.
Oh, and is using water to extract/separate the ethanol out of E-10 fuel a viable option? Or is that going to possibly degrade the good fuel or some other negative effect? There's lots of videos of that process on YT and it looks pretty straightforward but I was thinking about what else it may be doing besides just causing the ethanol to separate from the gasoline.

I don't think that matters much with canned fuel.

 

[bwalker]

In the UK, Ive used aspen alkylate fuel for years now and have had no issues storing them with fuel in the tank over winter. I presume you are from the US (although you name suggests Scottish roots, where I hail from)! I understand some US canned fuels are not as good as the UK. If so can you get non-ethanol or watch youtube videos on how to remove ethanol?

Ultimately quite a good policy is just to run your saws every month or so to pump through any residue. And buy fresh fuel!

I am not sure how people arrived at the idea that Aspen is superiority any other alkykate fuel? In fact ai believe it's inferior based on the oil blended with it. It's not FD certified as many canned fuels here are and it's ashless oil to boot, which isn't suited to air cooled motors.

 

[lone wolf]

Yes it does. they call it 100LL, low lead. max of 2.12 grams per gallon.
quick poke of calculator, by weight, .00078
it ain't much.
they leave just enough tetra ethyl lead in there to keep the valves alive in the older engines.

In ancient (50 years ago?) history it was used as a octane boost, and at a MUCH higher concentration.
That stuff could not have been good for us, at that level.

However, outside, with a small engine, at this low level, it won't bother you.
I have been running avgas for years, no problems (expensive tho)

Well for one it burns the hell out of my eyes.

 

[bwalker]

Well for one it burns the hell out of my eyes.

Besides having lots of lead. 100LL containes lots of aromatics. Hence the burning eyes.

 

[lone wolf]

Besides having lots of lead. 100LL containes lots of aromatics. Hence the burning eyes.

I dont like it.

 

[Chevboy0167]

 

[Tomos770]

I am not sure how people arrived at the idea that Aspen is superiority any other alkykate fuel? In fact ai believe it's inferior based on the oil blended with it. It's not FD certified as many canned fuels here are and it's ashless oil to boot, which isn't suited to air cooled motors.

I blend my own mix!