Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 15:23:19 -0700
Reply-To: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>
Subject: Re: Cheap emergency gas can for INSIDE your van (Was: Mercedes
gas can for spare tire)
My understanding, though I've been known to be wrong once or twice, is that
Coleman is simply one brand of white gas. I'll check labia next time I'm at
the store.
Karl
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Beierl" <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2002 11:12 AM
Subject: Re: Cheap emergency gas can for INSIDE your van (Was: Mercedes gas
can for spare tire)
> At 12:00 PM 2/27/2002, Ben McCafferty wrote:
> >Well, ok, Karl seems to be the only response who actually has first-hand
> >experience, and he says it doesn't knock. What I'm trying to figure out,
is
> >whether it is SAFE for the engine, i.e. won't cause damage. I'm not
trying
> >to decide if I can run into the mountains at 70mph or not.
>
> I believe Karl was speaking of "white gas" -- as he described it ,
gasoline
> without additives. Different animal from Coleman fuel.
>
> Here's some fuel experience re model engines, quoted from
> http://www.jerry-howell.com/Fuel.html (be sure to go to his home page and
> check out the engines he's talking about!).
>
> david
>
> >Model Stationary Engine Fuels
> >Fuel selection for our engines can be a problem. Some use the same
> >gasoline that is used in their cars. My friends and I have tried this,
but
> >for some reason it really stinks when burned in our hit-and-miss engines.
> >This is probably due to the low temperature that these engines operate at
> >and the somewhat rich mixture required by small engines. We came to the
> >conclusion that it also carbons up the valves and spark plugs worse than
> >the camp fuel we had been using.
> >
> >Most engine owners are using Coleman Camp fuel with good results. My
> >Plunket Jr. engine has higher compression than most model engines and I
> >noticed that it made some strange knocking sounds that were not
> >mechanical, so I decided it must be detonation. Wondering what the octane
> >rating is, a friend called Coleman and was informed that the octane
rating
> >is only 53. No wonder that it knocks! Knowing that methanol (used in may
> >race cars) has a very high octane rating and burns clean, I went looking
> >for a source and found it at an automotive speed shop. My Plunket Jr. and
> >PowerHouse engines love running on alcohol! Valves and plugs stay clean,
> >and there is no more knocking, but cold starting can be somewhat
difficult.
> >I continued using the Coleman fuel in my hit-and-miss engines because
they
> >are harder to start on cool days when using alcohol. Over time, I finally
> >became disgusted at the fine lint particles in the fuel which was causing
> >all maner of problems maintaining a proper needle setting over a period
of
> >time. I began filtering the fuel and installing in line fuel filters on
my
> >engines. One day while at a Walmart store several years ago, I noticed
> >they had camp fuel called Ozark Trails on the shelf next to the Coleman
> >fuel. I decided to try a can and see how it compared to the Coleman fuel.
> >Upon checking, I discovered that it was clear as water and had no trace
of
> >lint particles. It ran just fine in all my hit-and-miss engines. I told
my
> >friends about the Ozark Trails fuel and they gave it a try. Now they use
> >it too and we all agree that it even has a better exhaust smell than the
> >Coleman.
> >
> >One day I got to thinking about the fuels I was using. The camp fuel is
> >easy starting but carbons the valves and plugs, while the alcohol burns
> >clean but can be hard starting when the engine is cold. I wondered if I
> >could blend the two together and get the best of both. I discovered that
> >up to 30 parts Ozark Trails camp fuel will blend with 70 parts of
> >methanol. Any amount of camp fuel over 30 percent will not mix and will
> >stay seperate. An engine will start just as easily with this blend as
with
> >straight camp fuel. After running the 70/30 methanol/Ozark Trails fuel
for
> >more than 100 hours, I found that the valves and plugs stay really clean.
> >The spark plugs in my Plunket Jr. and PowerHouse engines run almost a
> >frosty white, no carbon deposits at all! The fuel needle setting needs to
> >be a little richer and a tank of fuel will not run quite as long as camp
> >fuel, but this could hardly be of concern. I can't find anything negative
> >with using this fuel blend, only positives. I think it is the best of
both
> >worlds, as they say. If you try it, please let me know what you think of
> >it. Don't use these fuels in your lawn mower or car, models only!
>
>
>
> --
> David Beierl - Providence, RI
> http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
> '84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
> '85 GL "Poor Relation"
| 
