Charlie wrote:
will let you fill up fuel cans with Avgas.
Do you remember the price?
Charlie wrote:
and added in some lead additive (readily available in Spain):
That means you mixed Avgas 100 LL yourself? What is the name of this additive? Is it only available in Spain?
Standard lead additive, you can get it in petrol stations all over the place.
Two things to note: (1) don’t do this unless you absolutely have to and also your engine is not fuel-injected; (2) double check with an engineer before you do just in case (we did).
I also wouldn’t recommend if you have a long leg over water or mountains. Advantage of a helicopter is you can land in most places if the engine fails.
Basically you’re taking 98 octane fuel (ie super unleaded – close to 100 octane fuel which is Avgas) and adding lead. So in effect it’s 98 leaded fuel.
I also note that this question has been raised before – https://www.euroga.org/forums/flying/4109-can-one-mix-some-mogas-car-petrol-into-avgas-for-emergency-use
Basically you’re taking 98 octane fuel (ie super unleaded – close to 100 octane fuel which is Avgas)
No. Again, this mixes RON and MON. 98 car petrol has a MON of only about 88, versus 100 on 100LL. That‘s quite a difference.
Anyway, octane is not usually a problem in normal operations on non-turbocharged engines. It‘s more the potential for ethanol and other aromatics that could be a problem.
I don’t understand how a carburetor engine is better than an injected one about using car petrol vs Avgas .
Fropm what I have learned the main problem is the compression ratio .
Higher compression ratio and fuel injection are correlated for Lycoming – typically the engines with higher compression also have fuel injection. For example a 160 HP IO-320 has higher compression and requires 100LL while a 150 HP O-320 has lower compression and was certified on 80/87. The O-320 will also run legally on non-alcohol premium auto fuel if you can get it and if the airframe is STC’d.
In your situation of course ok, but I would be very careful with car fuel in Spain. As I know from own – bad – experience, it contains a lot of ethanol and that’s the killer. Eats your fuel lines for breakfast.
