100LL stor life

dell30rb

dell30rb

Final Approach
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Ren
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KTTA, NC81
Can I get a few opinions on the storage life of 100LL? I have heard its longevity touted by many folks but would like to quantify it. I'm about to get nailed by sandy and have been cleaning fuel systems and carbs of my neighbors generators all day. The local airport sells 100LL self serv and i'm about to reccomend they fill their **** up with 100LL after this.

Thanks
 
I've had it in the tank at the farm as long as 6 years before using it up, during the period I was in-between pawnees. No issues.
 
I have had similar results... 100LL keeps for a LONG time..:yes:
 
dell30rb said:
Can I get a few opinions on the storage life of 100LL? I have heard its longevity touted by many folks but would like to quantify it. I'm about to get nailed by sandy and have been cleaning fuel systems and carbs of my neighbors generators all day. The local airport sells 100LL self serv and i'm about to reccomend they fill their **** up with 100LL after this.

Thanks
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Drain the fuel, drain the carb, and give it squirt of WD 40 in the carb fuel inlet. and keep good fuel on hand.
save the 100LL for flying.
 
Tom-D said:
Drain the fuel, drain the carb, and give it squirt of WD 40 in the carb fuel inlet. and keep good fuel on hand.
save the 100LL for flying.
Click to expand...

If i had a nickel for every float bowl i've removed..


I'm really looking for how much an average dumbass can get through with 100ll in the tank and zero preventative maintenance :)

I'm guessing for our place and neighbors we run the generators thru a tank every 2-3yrs
 
dell30rb said:
If i had a nickel for every float bowl i've removed..


I'm really looking for how much an average dumbass can get through with 100ll in the tank and zero preventative maintenance :)

I'm guessing for our place and neighbors we run the generators thru a tank every 2-3yrs
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What is your time worth ?:dunno:..

The difference in cost between auto fuel and 100LL quickly diminishes when the split is 2 bucks a gallon versus a couple of hours of labor to clean out the gunk of mogas...
Unless you will work for 70 cents an hour...

Not me. :nonod::no:
 
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I have never seen 100LL go bad, but as previously posted I'm not sure I'd run my equipment on it. Expensive and inconvenient.

But if I would you I would recommend it over doing all their maintenance!
 
Remember the generators and such aren't designed for leaded fuel. So it's not only illegal to run them on 100LL, they may not be able to scavenge the lead properly.

That said, that's all theory. So I don't know how it'd work in practice.

As far as the fuel itself, it'll last for years.
 
N801BH said:
The difference in cost between auto fuel and 100LL quickly diminishes when the split is 2 bucks a gallon versus a couple of hours of labor to clean out the gunk of mogas...
Click to expand...

I have noticed that the varnish that the new fuels are leaving isn't the problem. I helped My Son in Law to get his gen set started last Saturday, What we found was the alcohol had attacked the white pot metal and the resulting corrosion in the carb had the inlet needle frozen closed, so the fresh fuel could not get into the carb.

This is why we should not allow the fuel to set in the carbs very long. Drain the fuel out of the tank, by removing the line into the carb, drain the carb by removing the float bowl drain plug, and preserve the carb with a squirt of WD 40, and replace the line and the plug.
 
Tom-D said:
.... What we found was the alcohol had attacked the white pot metal and the resulting corrosion in the carb had the inlet needle frozen closed, so the fresh fuel could not get into the carb.

.
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Yup..... Just another reason to hate alcohol in fuel..:yes:
 
Tom-D said:
Wouldn't it be a EPA mandate, rather than a law?
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one and the same in this case. But unless you're operating under a site license the emissions requirements go with the equipment. If the equipment was built emissions certified to a standard then that applies. If it was built prior to a standard then that standard does not apply. For example, new diesels require ULSD. If you have an older diesel and you can still find high sulfur fuel, you are still free to burn it.
 
JHW said:
one and the same in this case. But unless you're operating under a site license the emissions requirements go with the equipment. If the equipment was built emissions certified to a standard then that applies. If it was built prior to a standard then that standard does not apply. For example, new diesels require ULSD. If you have an older diesel and you can still find high sulfur fuel, you are still free to burn it.
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Do you have any old fuel that your equipment was certified on?

If not you are forced into compliance with the new fuels, thus suffer the same problems we all do, because using 100LL you will suffer different but more serious problems with the lead in the fuel.
 
Tom-D said:
Do you have any old fuel that your equipment was certified on?

If not you are forced into compliance with the new fuels, thus suffer the same problems we all do, because using 100LL you will suffer different but more serious problems with the lead in the fuel.
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It wasn't certified on anything. If it's a non-regulated engine then there are no fuel requirement, nor any other requirements. Use any fuel you like, make any modifications you like. Non-regulated engines are exactly as the name implies.
 
JHW said:
Please reference a statute. My generator pre-dates any non-road emissions standards.
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Valid point. My assumption was the generator was new enough to restrict the use of 100LL.

But the laws of physics do apply, and I wouldn't want leaded fuels in my vehicles not so designed for that reason. Actually, I'd rather not use 100LL in the 310 but that's pretty much the limit of my choices.
 
JHW said:
Exactly. And that's why I use 100LL exclusively in my infrequently-used engines.
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Suit yourself, glad it works for you. :)

As for me, I just use normal regular unleaded. Don't do anything special - never had a problem.
 
Tom-D said:
I have noticed that the varnish that the new fuels are leaving isn't the problem. I helped My Son in Law to get his gen set started last Saturday, What we found was the alcohol had attacked the white pot metal and the resulting corrosion in the carb had the inlet needle frozen closed, so the fresh fuel could not get into the carb.
Click to expand...

I've had that issue, and I've had the issue of a "jelly like" substance forming in the carb after it's sat for a while.

Easier to drain the gas than to tear down the carb every time one wants to use the genset or mower.

A couple of folks are producing propane-fired portable generators now, which solves one problem but at the same time creates a supply problem as gasoline is easier than propane to get in most places.
 
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