Avgas

nice_lady, Oct 15, 3:26am
Hubby has access to this stuff - he's doesn't know what it's worth but is *slightly* interested. anyone know ?
stevo2, Oct 15, 3:29am
I used to pay about the same as 95 or even slightly less for Avgas years ago when I was a jetboater.
nice_lady, Oct 15, 3:35am
ok ta
nice_lady, Oct 15, 3:36am
He reckons he might chuck some in the lawnmower and see if it mows the lawn all by itself !
purple666, Oct 15, 3:38am
Only if he covers both the mower and the lawn with it then strikes a match.
intrade, Oct 15, 3:45am
you can f--k your catalisator real quick with av gas who has lead in it as far as i know. lawnmower no cat be fine.
snoopy221, Oct 15, 3:48am
2.40/L at the airport.
Pretty sure it is a bit dearer at the pump
[Mind you last time i saw an avgas pump at a gas station was around manfield]
mber2, Oct 15, 4:13am
Works fine in high performance engines
stevo2, Oct 15, 4:25am
Intrade is correct. Put it in a car with a catalytic convertor and it will kill it.
Still used on the track although racing fuel is more popular. Its used on planes where damage can be done to valves if unleaded is used. Planes aren't very forgiving if the engine dies mid flight.
sr2, Oct 15, 4:38am
It will take out the lambda sensor on an injected car well before the cat!

The main reason it's still used in planes is for running higher compression ratio's to compensate for the lower air pressure at altitude.
morrisman1, Oct 15, 5:36am
Avgas wont make any more power. Its got lead in it which will ruin sensors and catalytic converters on basically anything newer than 1990.

Your exhaust will be very corrosive so if its not stainless expect it to last a couple years at the max.

Planes run it because its a safe fuel to run, its stable and with the high octane they run non-intercooled turbos etc on engines with fixed timing so need a fuel tolerant of these simple systems, and also tolerant of poor leaning techniques (the pilot manually sets the air fuel ratio, and some are better than others)

Avgas is expensive, if you get it at cost its similar to 95 octane, but most places that sell it will put their margin on too.

I would only run Avgas out of need and for a performance situation Id go an ethanol blend long before Avgas
nice_lady, Oct 15, 5:38am
Cool. Interesting. Ta guys.
sr2, Oct 15, 7:28am
Forgot to add that with the number of elderly Lycoming engines still in use out there a little lead goes a long way!
m16d, Oct 15, 8:04am
Like they said. it's full of lead and will stuff up things in modern cars.
Interesting you say he has access to it.
just remember, if you use it the car, the exhaust will run white. a dead give away if your flogging the stuff. always keep a spray can of matt black and shove it up the tail pipe occasionally.
tmenz, Oct 15, 9:11am
Only if it's a Flymo.
sw20, Oct 15, 9:11am
Challenge out at Waimak has it on pump, handy location for the jet boaters. Haven't bought any for a few years. My old MR2 turbos used to love it, could wind in lots more boost without det, after you removed the cat converter of course.
socram, Oct 15, 10:19am
Older cars don't like Ethanol.
nice_lady, Oct 15, 6:09pm
He works somewhere where they collect about 20 litres per week 'slops' from aeroplanes. Currently someone takes it for their own use but hubby could easily have some if he wanted to.
martin11, Oct 15, 6:50pm
Had 2 engine failures in planes and landed without problems both times , you are trained for engine failures .
the-lada-dude, Oct 15, 8:06pm
Are well . third time we'll get lucky
the-lada-dude, Oct 15, 8:24pm
where did you dig this ' fact ' up from ?

This high octane crap is a hang over from WW2, when most frontline aircraft were heavily supercharged the fuel grade for most was 110/130 and many of the big radials had water injection as well on take off power . boost pressure was the engine killer . the RR merlins Mk 66 > had 2 stage and 2 speed centrifugal superchargers. it was mandatory NOT to run the higher blower speed below 11'000 ft as even the high octane fuel couldn't cope with the combustion pressures. and you end up with a LOTUS situation ( lot's of trouble, usually serious ) lol
gsimpson, Dec 24, 5:00am
You are sort of agreeing. The 2 stage super charger is to compensate for the lower pressure at altitude.