Auto gas STC for a Cessna 182M question

N2124v

N2124v

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N2124V
Ok, what is the performance difference between avgas and auto gas in an O-470? A quick search didn't find any answers? Problems that could come up? What about the ethanol?
 
None of the Autogas STCs allow fuel with Ethanol in it. You have to find non-ethanol fuel or the STC is worthless.
 
Depends on where you live and whether you have access to non-Ethanol gasoline. We have two places locally but they're not near the airports. You have to figure in transport costs.

One airport also used to carry it. KEIK. I haven't checked in a while to see if they continued stocking the tank.

One of my co-owners is big on it. He goes places there's plenty of access (Dakotas), and uses it when he can. He also has a 100 gallon tank trailer he's playing with along with pump and hose setup, grounding, etc... and we've experimented with military fuel bladders. Those are a pain.

The best setup would be a pickup truck with a proper tank. Autogas doesn't store well, so really big tanks aren't good unless you have multiple aircraft operating from it.

Or a whole fleet of Rotax powered LSAs as the anchor users to keep the fuel changing over in the tank until folks get the STC on their low-compression engines in bigger aircraft. That was KEIK's reason until the majority of the LSA fleet moved to KAPA.
 
Where I am in Texas the nearest ethanol free gas is not to be found.
 
N2124v said:
So in other words, it's basically useless...
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Depends where you live. Ethanol free fuel is still available at many 'racks'. You may need to set up your own fueling station, but you can see considerable cost savings if the majority of your fueling is done at home.
 
Henning, I've been thinking about that today, I'm going to try and see what sources for ethanol free fuel are around here.
 
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Talk to the distributors of fuels in your area. Ethanol is added at the distribution point in your area. It cannot be transported in pipelines. You might have to work a deal to buy 500 gallons at a time.

Here is how I transport and store 100 gallons at a time. We have 91 octane available here, no ethanol.

fuel_tank.JPG
 
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N2124v said:
Geico, great information! Thank you.
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Maybe your airport manager or airport authority would consider buying bulk with no ethanol. This would allow lots of people to burn mogas. FBO's do it all over.
 
I had that thought today. The airport where I will base out of is looking for ways to increase traffic.
 
Maybe a dumb question, but can you mix 100LL with mogas in the tanks?
 
When I started flying I had 5 buddies we all had diverse planes of comparable value we shared as well as a 1600 gallon fuel truck that we had about $1200 in we'd take to the rack about 4 miles away if that and get 100LL for $0.79 gal, Corona was $1.25 (cheapest in the valley) and LGB was $1.49-$1.79. A lot of times the fuel company will deliver >500 gallons direct to your parking spot depending on the condition of your truck lol. You might have to build a cinder block levee around it anymore anyway lol.
 
N2124v said:
I had that thought today. The airport where I will base out of is looking for ways to increase traffic.
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Mogas is the fuel of choice for LSAs, Experimentals, and jealous certified plane pilots. ;)

Once you get it make sure you go to AirNav and add it to your airports information as lots of pilots search for mogas on CC trips. I certainly do.


Yes, you can mix 100ll and mogas. People do it all the time.
 
Anyone have a mogas STC handy? I need to know what octane is called for. I've found a supplier, just trying to fill in some blanks.
 
N2124v said:
Anyone have a mogas STC handy? I need to know what octane is called for. I've found a supplier, just trying to fill in some blanks.
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I've got one but I'm in Michigan and the STC is back home in MN. I'm pretty certain the requirement is 91 "pump" octane i.e. (R+M)/2 and no alcohol.
 
gismo said:
I've got one but I'm in Michigan and the STC is back home in MN. I'm pretty certain the requirement is 91 "pump" octane i.e. (R+M)/2 and no alcohol.
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I'm hoping it's in your aircraft ?? because that is what it says in the directions of the STC. and you are not near the aircraft. :)
 
Tom-D said:
I'm hoping it's in your aircraft ?? because that is what it says in the directions of the STC. and you are not near the aircraft. :)
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Actually the STC is for my Porterfield which was sitting in the hangar last time I looked. I flew here in a Baron and it's running on 100LL (for that matter so is the Porterfield cause autofuel is too much hassle for something that burns 3-4 gph).
 
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