Mark “Prigs” Priglmeier, an officer of EAA Chapter 551 in St. Cloud, Minn., contacted us recently on the use of autogas in his C-150F:
“I started using autogas in my 1966 C-150 at about 500 or so hours prior to my engine rebuild at just over 2300 smoh. I have had no issues. The engine actually ran better…no hiccups or burps that I used to get with 100LL. I built a new engine (w/new Continental cylinders) this past January. I have used only autogas, except during break-in. It’s been running great!”
“I figure I save about 800 bucks a year using autogas. That could eventually pay for my next engine rebuild. I have convinced a number of persons at STC to switch over to autogas.
“I do not recommend it though for those flyers who don’t get their planes out but a couple of times a year. I counter that if their flying is too expensive, burn autogas and fly more — it’s a no brainer.”
The GAfuels Blog is written by two private pilots concerned about the future availability of fuels for piston-engine aircraft: Dean Billing, Sisters, Ore., a pilot, homebuilder and expert on autogas and ethanol, and Kent Misegades, Cary, N.C., an aerospace engineer, aviation sales rep for U-Fuel, and president of EAA1114.
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I am an absolute advocate of autofuel in aircraft. I also feel that with proper attention, ethenol blends of fuel can be safely used in aircraft with no adverse effects. I have 600 hours of cessna 150 time using various grades and brands of auto fuel and I have never had a single problem. After 500 hours of flying I never had to clean a plug.
On my experimental helicopter I run an HIO360B1A engine that gets a steady diet of ethenol blended 93 octane. I have ran this engine at least 200 hours over the past year and a half with no problems. I typically find between 4 and 9% ethenol from my local budget fuel station.
I have an auto fuel STC and am still able to purchase non-ethanol fuel locally from two stations, albeit at a premium price. I also know at least one pilot who is burning ethanol laced fuel in his bird. I wouldn’t choose to do that, but what do we do when the regular gas is not available? That’s the coming fact of the business, I fear.
I’ve used auto gas with the STC for YEARS in my 150 – couldn’t be happier. Unfortunately, the STC isn’t good for autogas containing ethanol and that’s all we can get around here. Ethanol creates real problems and does not belong in your airplane’s fuel tanks (or in your boat, or lawn equipment, or motorcycle). The only source of ethanol-free gasoline is a marina, and they charge more than the airport gets for 100LL! Well, it was sure nice while it lasted.
Granted there are problems with ethanol in aircraft. But considering cars have been running it for years your conclusion of not using it in your boat, lawn equipment or motorcycle seems a bit extreme – unless you’re referring to engines built before ethanol became mandatory in auto fuels. For one thing ethanol fuels keep water in solution so that it can be burned instead of plugging up fuel filters and carburetors.
I also suspect that the ethanol problem in aircraft is simply because no one is trying to solve the problems.
http://www.eaa.org/autofuel/faqs/ethanol_blends.pdf Read the answers to question 6 and 11 in the Q&A section to find out why “… no one is trying to solve the problems.”
Of course you already recognized that there is a problem which should have given you a hint. Â The modern cars closed fuel system is a lot different than the open fuel systems of boats, airplanes, motorcycles and small engines. Â That should also have been a clue.
“auto gas + Cessna 150 = divorce application withdrawn”