AvGas Question

[glasspilot]

I have a problem with all of my yard / home equipment that run on gas. Turns out they put corn in the gas these days. Up to 10% ethanol. It's screwing up my stuff. Pressure washer, lawn mower, generator etc. I have taken two of them in to get the carburetors rebuilt due to the corn gas we now have to buy.

I was just on a turn last tour and a guy showed up at the FBO to buy avgas. There is a drag strip where local guys race and he buys the 100LL to run in he car to get a boost at the track.

So I'm thinking, could this work for me and my yard equipment? What do you guys think? Could 100LL be used safely? Is the octane too high or could the lead screw something up?

Thanks in advance for suggestions or experience in this.

Gp

 

[Lynxman]

We ran avgas in our tugs at work. The only way I know the lead will screw up anything is if you have a cat converter then it will clog that up but you shouldnt have those on yard equipment.

 

[brokeflyer]

We ran avgas in our tugs at work. The only way I know the lead will screw up anything is if you have a cat converter then it will clog that up but you shouldnt have those on yard equipment.

this is the correct answer. I have '68 Chevelle and I run it on 100LL.....it runs really nice, keeps the engine nice and clean.

 

[Geronimo4497]

It will run hotter and burn a touch more fuel. I clean my plugs every 5th run just to be safe. Get a good plug cleaner and/or set of picks to scrape the lead out. More MX but the smell is worth it.

 

[kf4amu]

It burns slower so you can add more timing. It's not a cure-all to make more power. You have to understand your engine setup and what it's telling you to determine if 100 octane will help.

The lead in it doesnt matter unless you're engine requires it (not likely if you've been running unleaded so far) or has a catalytic converter (can't use it).

 

[glasspilot]

I don't need more power (not that the Tim Taylor in me doesn't think it would be nice), but the motivation is just to get the corn out. I just don't want to do more harm by using 100 octane with lead.

 

[mainiac]

You selling shares of your lawn mower? Is that why this thread is posted in the Frac section?
Sign me up for a sixteenth, repo it to Maine by Sunday please.

 

[glasspilot]

Yeah, I know it's not aviation or fraction related. It does involve 100LL though so there's a loose aviation tie in.

In the end I posted here cause I know the posters here more than any other section and can better evaluate the responses.

 

[BoilerUP]

Its not hard for anyone at least a little mechanically inclined to disassemble, clean, and rebuild the carburetor on a small engine.

It takes me about an hour to remove/clean/reinstall the carb on my Honda push mower...and costs less than $5 for an old toothbrush and a can of solvent you can use for two-three years.

 

[mainiac]

Yeah, I know it's not aviation or fraction related. It does involve 100LL though so there's a loose aviation tie in.

In the end I posted here cause I know the posters here more than any other section and can better evaluate the responses.

So you'll be there by Sunday, right? And, by the way, I'm not interested in wet-lease, I want that thing crewed!