ERAU-944

i know this has been gone over a ton. i'm interested not about the octane, but about the lead content. i'm getting some 100LL for free for my car, but i dont know if the lead will be ok for the motor or not. 100 (low lead) actually has a lead content thats not exactly low. however, i've got no cat, so thats not an issue. i hate having to be a cheap college student, but this will help me tremendously, as maybe now i won't have to buy any gas this weekend.

thanks!
-Michael-

Alan C.

The specific gravity of AvGas is lower than pump gas. The car will run on the lean side. If your DME has an adjustment for fuel enrichment that might help. Depending on how much leaded you run the o2 sensor could become an issue.

I wouldn't take the car to the track on AvGas.

Alan C.

Rich Sandor

It's not a good idea man.

Paul T.

I gotta agree with Rich, its not a good idea. 100LL actually burns a little hotter than pump gas.

instigator

avgas is also leaded, would foul your plugs in no time. would clog up the cat as well, not to mention the blue dye they use, it is a pain in the *** to remove when you have a leak go undetectedn for a while

sharky47

As an aircraft mechanic, I'm telling you don't use it in a modern car. You could get away with it in a 50-something vintage, but cars with DMEs and O2 sensors and stuff like that, it's bad news.

ERAU-944

ok i'm just looking at this from the standpoint of i dont want to pay for gas. i'm doubting the O2 sensor would be an issue, i'm just thinking of running it this one time (and only part of a tank) because its free. the car would only be getting highway useage, and i'd definitely not gonna flog it. when i take the car to the track(february - the ll should be burned off by then ) i will only run mid-grade.

instigator: maybe you should read my post before you reply. i know avgas is leaded: i said it in my post. for one: i'm a pilot, and for two: even the title of the fuel (100 Low Lead) means that there's lead in there. also, not only does it say i have no cat in my post, but also in my signature... talk about dense!

any other advice? i still haven't put any in, but am going this afternoon to pick some up for the kart club... and i'd like to capitalize if i know it wont hurt just for a bit and only for highway use this one time.

-Michael-

ttwirz

How much does 1/2 tank of normal gas cost. From the replies it doesn't sound like a good idea.

ERAU-944

anything more than $0 is more than i'd like to spend. i'm going to dilute it anyway, just wanted to get some takes on whats up. avgas is expensive! and i wondered about running it awhile ago. but now, i have no cat, and i am poor, so anything free is good right now

-Michael-

Rich Sandor

Mike - been in your shoes, I know excatly where you sit. (I'm a pilot too..)

But let me re-iterate: If you value the long term reliability and health of your car - don't use avgas.

IceShark

Michael, don't do it.

I spend time in Alaska out in the sticks hunting and fishing. The only way you get around over long distances is via small plane so everyone has a depot of AvGas that they use for generators, ATVs and the planes that need fuel at the base camp. This got my interest peaked so I asked a girl I was dating that was a chemist for Amoco if I could use it in my car. She loved my 951S and launched into a 10 minute tirade why I never should do such a stoopit thing. She is a smart girl and I took her word on it (well there were a few more words than one ). No AvGas.

Water944t

No, let him do what he wants. He obviously is a highly trained person, being both a pilot and capable of determining that LL means low lead!

Plus he has a great eye for a bargain, since he is getting it free! (Don't swallow after the first pull, just a tip.)

What, are you guys dense?

ERAU-944

Ice: what did that tirade include? if you have a catalyst still thats probably why... under normal circumstances i'd never use avgas (far too expensive for no return).

water: thanks for your input, i'll be sure to 'log that away'.

-Michael- goin' kart racing tomorrow! i'll post pictures

Jonas Goldsmith

As soon as i saw this i remembered my mistakes with my former car... I tried running AvGas on my mustang Gt, (i am a pilot, so it was easy to get) yeah i burned out my cats really really fast... and cats are expensive...

Ken D

Michael, aside from the cats issue is how Avgas is formulated. Due to the lead content (even in 100LL form), a bromine compound is added to the mixture to scavenge lead residue from the engine. When the lead/bromine compound is burned there will be a small amount that remains in the engine. Lead bromide, when mixed with water, metals, and oil, will produce a corrosive liquid. That is why aviation oil is different from auto oil. At a minimum I would do an oil & filter change after you've run the car. Of course, the cost of the oil change would probably be equal to 3/4 tank of 89 octane.

This was probably covered in Dan's friend's lecture.

At this point, you know the potential problems. Everyone's told you not to do it. If you still want to use Avgas, you've been forewarned.