Hello! Log in or Register   |  Help  |  Donate  |  Buy Shirts See all banner ads | Advertise on TheSamba.com  
TheSamba.com
 
Best fuel for an air cooled engine
Page: Previous  1, 2
Forum Index -> Beetle - 1958-1967 Share: Facebook Twitter
Reply to topic
Print View
Quick sort: Show newest posts on top | Show oldest posts on top View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Zundfolge1432 Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: June 13, 2004
Posts: 12454

Zundfolge1432 is offline 

PostPosted: Sun Oct 22, 2017 5:28 pm    Post subject: Re: Best fuel for an air cooled engine Reply with quote

I think we are noticing different ill effects from the product because of the hundreds of different formulations if you take the entire country into consideration. True enough some may notice no problems at all, but there is a wealth of info from reputable sources on the google. I first noticed problems in this area when business owners doing small engine repair were inundated with small air cooled engines with damaged fuel systems, they quickly figured it out.

So if you have been using this for years with no problems perhaps you are lucky or more likely in an area where the known problems are less pronounced. I am old enough to remember the havoc caused by eliminating lead in the gasoline. It was a great way to get the older cars off the road. I think we are over a barrel ( pun intended) because we need gasoline.... Shocked

The best advice for using ethanol is use it within a reasonable amount of time. Don't let it sit
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
1964SunRoof
Samba Member


Joined: November 03, 2008
Posts: 58
Location: DE, USA
1964SunRoof is offline 

PostPosted: Mon Oct 23, 2017 10:23 am    Post subject: Re: Best fuel for an air cooled engine Reply with quote

I let my VW sit all the time. For months and months it sits (I would drive it more but the body is really badly rusted on the bottom and I don't feel totally safe doing so, and I have no place to do extensive body work on it). So what should I do? I am currently trying to figure out why after I get it running and drive it around a bit, then stop the engine, I can't get it started again. Could the fact I can only get ethanol fuel around here be the problem? If the problem is that water gets into the fuel and it separates from the rest of the fuel, I wonder if just shaking it up would help things. And there is also this stuff called HEET which is supposed to remove the water from your fuel. I wonder if I just have to keep adding that. I had had fuel in my tank that was 3 years old. And I couldn't start it up. But after adding this HEET stuff, I was able to get it to start, finally (but I did discover the little ball valves in the carburetor had become immobilized & stopped working). But after reading about how old gas could ruin things, I finally emptied out the old gas and got some new stuff a few months ago (after trying to see if there was any non-ethanol gas around and finally giving up on that).
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
parker007
Samba Member


Joined: December 21, 2011
Posts: 132
Location: california
parker007 is offline 

PostPosted: Wed Nov 15, 2017 11:12 pm    Post subject: Re: Best fuel for an air cooled engine Reply with quote

Ethanol-free is the preferred fuel choice for most specialty engines:
Aircraft, boats, recreational vehicles, lawn equipment and more.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
turbotype1
Samba Member


Joined: April 30, 2005
Posts: 580
Location: seacoast
turbotype1 is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 7:44 am    Post subject: Re: Best fuel for an air cooled engine Reply with quote

I guess it all comes down to how you use your car. If you use it all the time, Ethanol will work OK.... If it sits around more than being used, Try to find ethanol free.
Here in NH, The Ethanol gas IS a problem..... I'm lucky in that I have a small airport a couple of towns away. The need for Ethanol free in ANYTHING that sits is real. Just ask any small engine repair shop.

Why is it that Airplanes use Ethanol free gas???
_________________
117harv wrote:
This new fad of get it the lowest, or run it with the worst looks, (patina) isn't cool, it's for the hey everyone look at me crowd, i'm driving a beat down ratty, unsafe, VW, how cool am I ???...your not....




Pissing off the purists since 1997

Wanted: Boyd Motors plate frame

57 Turbo Oval Sliding rag
67 13 window delux walk-thru- now 21
64 all original for the misses
83 Sinka m-TDI diesel
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Gallery Classifieds Feedback
flyboy161
Samba Member


Joined: December 26, 2009
Posts: 2091
Location: Perry, GA
flyboy161 is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 9:44 am    Post subject: Re: Best fuel for an air cooled engine Reply with quote

I like Pure gas, ethanol free. My 1200 does not like running ethanol. The valves are noisier, and I get worse miles per gallon. About 2 mpg less in mixed driving. It is also quicker to start, just bump the key, with pure gas. But that is just my observation. Prior to a year ago I ran the cheap stuff from Shell...
_________________
My father's 1970 Beetle-
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=603879

The 1964...Diamond in the rough
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=612776

My 1958 Morocco Bug-
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=611483
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Mark Evans Premium Member
Samba Member


Joined: April 21, 2004
Posts: 1929
Location: Alsea,Oregon
Mark Evans is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 1:20 pm    Post subject: Re: Best fuel for an air cooled engine Reply with quote

I only run non-ethanol premium here in Oregon in my '63 with a stock 1200cc. It sits most of the time, sometimes only starting it once or twice a year. Never a problem, always starts right up. I also only use the same fuel in the mower, chainsaw, weedeater, ect. I don't use Stabil or any other additive. They start up the following season with no issues.
_________________
'63 Ragtop
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Gallery Classifieds Feedback
scrivyscriv Premium Member
Samba Electrician


Joined: October 04, 2011
Posts: 2918
Location: Memphis
scrivyscriv is offline 

PostPosted: Thu Nov 16, 2017 8:19 pm    Post subject: Re: Best fuel for an air cooled engine Reply with quote

turbotype1 wrote:


Why is it that Airplanes use Ethanol free gas???


I can answer that one: because the airplane manuals specify the fuel type. To use regular pump gas (mogas) you have to buy a special type certificate that authorizes the airplane to run it. There are two other fuel alternatives in testing right now designed to replace 100LL but they are not on the market yet.

so the question doesn't have as much to do with ethanol as it does... dah dah dah daaah.. regulations.


Although to answer the practical question, 100LL is a totally different type of gasoline. Mogas presents enough problems of its own, unique to aircraft engine operation... but even with the mogas STC, you don't want to run ethanol gas; it's an unknown factor because engines behave differently at higher altitudes and full power than they do on the ground idling.
_________________
Robert in Memphis
Dünkelgrügen 1967 Java Green bug thread
Engine rebuild thread
If you're ever in the Memphis area, you are welcome to stop by for advice and help.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Gallery Classifieds Feedback
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Forum Index -> Beetle - 1958-1967 All times are Mountain Standard Time/Pacific Daylight Savings Time
Page: Previous  1, 2
Page 2 of 2

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

About | Help! | Advertise | Donate | Premium Membership | Privacy/Terms of Use | Contact Us | Site Map
Copyright © 1996-2023, Everett Barnes. All Rights Reserved.
Not affiliated with or sponsored by Volkswagen of America | Forum powered by phpBB
Links to eBay or other vendor sites may be affiliate links where the site receives compensation.