Gas Thread

[Nutball]

Lets talk gas.

I want to start by asking what people think of Stihl moto mix, and Aspen alkylate fuel, and what the cost and availability is, performance, engine cleanliness...fume breathability.

From what I've read the Stihl stuff might be $30gal?

 

[ammoaddict]

If you use very little fuel, it's definitely worth it. There are other brands that are a little cheaper. I have a Stihl polesaw that I use a few hours a year to trim limbs over my driveway, yard, and a small field. I use trufuel in it. It's about $6 a quart with a shelf life of 5 years. I left ethonol fuel in it the first year I owned it and it gummed up the carb and wouldn't run. After I got it cleaned out and running again, I have only used trufuel in it and it fires right up after sitting for a year. The stuff I use more often get non ethonol which I have to drive a ways to get.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[Nutball]

Aspen Alkylate is supposedly much cleaner burning than normal gas, so it doesn't build up much carbon or have as much health risk from the burned fumes.

I wonder if there'd be a tuning difference? It looks like dealers of the Aspen are mostly in Canada, so maybe some of you have used it?

 

[BonScott46]

I pay about 160kr for 5 liters of aspen here in sweden. Clean burning for sure. Seems to leave a nice film of oil on the piston as well. I usually throw in a little extra mobil 1 racing although not really sure it is necessary.

 

[Nutball]

Like $15/gal

 

[Simondo]

Lets talk gas.

I want to start by asking what people think of Stihl moto mix, and Aspen alkylate fuel, and what the cost and availability is, performance, engine cleanliness...fume breathability.

From what I've read the Stihl stuff might be $30gal?

Aspen is readily available here in the UK and Europe along with Moto mix.
Moto mix I have not used, but have looked at the data sheet .
I use Aspen 2 along with Aspen 4 personally as well and having customers who use it in machines.
The Aspen 4 is useful for me when doing a service on a mower at the end of the season as it will then sit for a long time before being used . After the usual carb and tank flush I put a small amount of Aspen 4 in the tank and run for a final check over. Aspen will not degrade (has 3-5 yr shelf life) and will not attack rubber plus it is not "Hydroscopic".
I have saws in lay up with Aspen 2 if there not likely to be used within 1-2 yrs.
Tune wise...saws mostly need a small adjustment as they run a tiny bit rich if tuned to normal 50:1 petrol /synthetic fuel mix. Now and again swapping over to Aspen 2 on a machine that is on a "old carb kit" prompts a fresh one, but mostly just a tune check is needed.
If someone wants to run other than 50:1 as per standard Aspen 2 then you can make your own mix from Aspen 4 and synthetic oil.

 

[Benjo]

Lets talk gas.

I want to start by asking what people think of Stihl moto mix, and Aspen alkylate fuel, and what the cost and availability is, performance, engine cleanliness...fume breathability.

From what I've read the Stihl stuff might be $30gal?

All of the "non-pump" fuels I've seen info on are alkylate-based, and as far as I can tell there's not a lot of difference between them in terms of performance in a chainsaw or stability/shelf life. Different canned fuels do smell quite a bit different, oddly.

I wanted to simplify things fuel-wise and found that Swift makes UL94, an unleaded alkylate-based aviation fuel that checks all the boxes (good stability, octane is 98 by road standard testing so not so high you lose power, costs about $5/gal currently). Of course it's only available at small airports, but one of them is on Cape Cod where I usually end up once or twice a year with the family, and I gave it a shot. You can drive right to about 20' from the pump, put in a credit card and tada. Most small airports seem to be similar, but only a few have this fuel currently.

It's been 3 years now, and I've purchased something like 60 gallons in total. No issues, the hedge trimmer I packed up in fall 2016 fired up great last weekend. You can see the locations where it's available here:

https://swiftfuels.com/fuel/unleaded-ul94-avgas/

 

[Mastermind]

Why yes. Yes, I do have gas. Thanks for caring.

 

[Nutball]

You farm gas?

 

[Mastermind]

You farm gas?
View attachment 196752

Wow. Just WOW.

 

[Nutball]

That's what the EPA will do to your cows soon enough

 

[Mastermind]

That's what the EPA will do to your cows soon enough

I'm not too certain about that......but if you want to be afraid, be my guest. LOL

 

[Brush Ape]

Why yes. Yes, I do have gas. Thanks for caring.

That's immature as hell but let's just say you beat me and about five others to it.

When I fart at WalMart and sneak over to the next aisle, my wife says the kids call that crop dusting. I like to think of it as cloud seeding to see what might precipitate.

 

[Bilge Rat]

If you fart next to a running chainsaw does the RPM increase?
We have 90 octane 0 ethanol here. It is branded at the pump as Blue Fuel. It is clear so the name is a mystery.

 

[MinnWeekendCutter]

All of the "non-pump" fuels I've seen info on are alkylate-based, and as far as I can tell there's not a lot of difference between them in terms of performance in a chainsaw or stability/shelf life. Different canned fuels do smell quite a bit different, oddly.

I wanted to simplify things fuel-wise and found that Swift makes UL94, an unleaded alkylate-based aviation fuel that checks all the boxes (good stability, octane is 98 by road standard testing so not so high you lose power, costs about $5/gal currently). Of course it's only available at small airports, but one of them is on Cape Cod where I usually end up once or twice a year with the family, and I gave it a shot. You can drive right to about 20' from the pump, put in a credit card and tada. Most small airports seem to be similar, but only a few have this fuel currently.

It's been 3 years now, and I've purchased something like 60 gallons in total. No issues, the hedge trimmer I packed up in fall 2016 fired up great last weekend. You can see the locations where it's available here:

https://swiftfuels.com/fuel/unleaded-ul94-avgas/

View attachment 196747

Old thread revival but just a bump for the Swift Fuel UL94 if it is attainable where you are, all the advantages of the canned fuel but much lower cost. 100LL avgas has great shelf life as well but a person operating a chainsaw will be inhaling much of the lead in the exhaust fumes. That's up to you if that's something you are okay with.

 

[stihl livin]

Old thread revival but just a bump for the Swift Fuel UL94 if it is attainable where you are, all the advantages of the canned fuel but much lower cost. 100LL avgas has great shelf life as well but a person operating a chainsaw will be inhaling much of the lead in the exhaust fumes. That's up to you if that's something you are okay with.

Did you find this in Minnesota? If so I’d like to know where. I’m just south of the cities

 

[MinnWeekendCutter]

South St. Paul Fleming Field has UL94. It's on the airport ops area though so you gotta do a bit of pilot talk to the folks in charge so they let a person out there. I see Stanton is also listed on the Swift Fuels site as a location for UL94. That's the next town east of Northfield, I haven't been there but from the looks of it the pump may be accessible without having to be on the inside of a fence. https://stantonairfield.com/ is the website for that airport.