Use of 100 LL with 912 ULS

[Dorsal]

Agreed, only two airports off UL94 in Mass and I'm in the middle of them (~hour west or east). I have encouraged some more local but so far no joy
After cleaning all the lead oxide out of my exhaust ports (and the rest of the heads) I am really looking forward to UL fuel! Doesn't seem to be much progress on the UL94 map.

[Dave S]

Thanks, Dorsal. I sure wish Swift Fuel or some other lead-free avgas would become more available around the country, faster.

I don't know how the Swift Fuels thing has been working around other parts of the country. In my aeronautical neighborhood I am finding that some airports which had 91 autogas on the field are simply replacing it with Swift in the same tank, deleting the autogas. Swift in=autogas out. Adding another tank and pump is likely not in the cards economically at most small airports.

Another observation is Swift was fairly competitive with 91 autogas when it was first changed to at certain airports - now that it has been around a bit the price of Swift went up compared to autogas.

We have several 91 (R+M/2) autogas locations at local filling stations. The facility I use has a dedicated pump and tank that is not used for anything else. One of the other stations switched from a dedicated pump to a high tech single delivery hose, complete with a "Betty" (so you get to listen to that); and, the single hose is used for regular, premium and 91 corn free. Aside from potential valve leakage, malfunction or nefarious interference by the station management, when a person fills a 5 gallon can off this pump you are probably getting the 91 corn free diluted with up to a gallon of the other stuff from what was last delivered through the hose - inconsequential to today's cars; but, not good for a ULS.

[Paul Z]

I use 100LL almost exclusively when I had my 912 Kitfox. In Texas all you can get is Ethanol. I used 3 tanks of ethanol, the ethanol stripped something out of my tanks. I contended it was stripping epoxy out of my tanks, John says it was mold release. Regardless what is stripped out, it caused all kind problems. I only know of 2 places that sold MoGas, no where near by. I started running 100LL with Decalin from then on. I did oil changes every 25 hours, replaced the oil filter every 25 hours, Religiously used Decalin, cleaned the Oil Tank out at every oil change. However, at about 475 hours I had to send the engine in to have the heads, valves, cylinders cleaned of the lead build up. I was pulling it through after an oil change, and it felt like the cylinders hit a hard stop. I pulled the engine crated it back up for a second time, and sent it to California Power Systems (Aircraft Spruce), they said the lead build up flaked off and jammed up under a valve.

[Flybyjim]

I have called Swift but have not received the quote yet. I will post ASAP

[Flybyjim]

I will let you know on the prices next week as I am ordering a new shipment on Tuesday.

Jim

[aviator79]

Any update on the price for 55 gal drums?

[jrevens]

Yep, it’s Sam Hill.

[jiott]

Price/gal. in the 55 gallon drums? Also in 350 gallon tote?

[Flybyjim]

It is disappointing as I really like the fuel but the price is about $2.00 more per gal than the last delivery of 350gal. I talked with Lockwood and it is all they use in the Rotax engines at their flight school. For me, I will not use auto gas for several reasons, mixes vary and when I had to use it my 100 Rotax did not run as smooth and temps were not consistent. With 100LL using Decland or similar I had smoother runs more constant temps. With Swift once again a smoother run, better startups, and temps did not vary from day to day.

I will probably bite the bullet and order their fuel.

[Meyer]

I believe fuel loses its octane fairly quickly. How would you store that much and keep the octane up?