Aviation Gasoline

[Guest]

Has any one used Aviation Gas in their 1200.?
I use it in the Goldwing and the Harley they both run much better on Aviation
Gas 100 Octane is excellent when storing for long periods no need for using
stabilizer.
Both my bikes start up in Spring and don't miss a beat!!

Smokey **==

[wingandaprayer]

I tried 100 avgas in a 77 350 Chev pickup with about 80,000 miles at the time. It seemed to run smoother / pull better. I have no idea why.

[Guest]

Smoky you are right!

100 LL (Low Lead) aviation gas has excellent long term storage ability. I have known it to sit in airplane tanks for over two years and still run an engine. (The engine will need some work, but that is off topic.) It does have a higher octane (100) that the normal 87 that is found at the local pump, but the GL1200 engine does not need the higher octane like a Harley to prevent detonation. I believe that it has a higher lead content than there was in gas before it was band. Do you have any spark plug fouling?

Here aviation fuel is $4.50 a gallon so it is a lot cheaper to just add stabilizer to the tank.

As to the conspiracy theory, I think it is more a simple fact of supply and demand. There is only one factory that makes the additive used in 100LL fuel. And very few refineries that make aviation fuel. This fuel has to be stored and shipped separately to prevent contamination with other gas mixtures. 100LL consumption is less than 1% of the total amount of gas used. So you have a limited supply, high overhead costs, and a limited demand which reduces production, all keeping costs up.

Aircraft engines need the higher octane gas to prevent detonation. For the most part, these are high compression engines with compression ratios close to 10:1. In normal combustion, the gas/air mixture burns with a flame front moving from the spark plug throughout the cylinder at 82 ft/sec or 25 meters/sec. This creates a smooth increase in cylinder/piston pressure which in turn provides us power. Detonation is explosive combustion of the entire gas/air mixture as the result of high temperatures in the cylinder. This explosion causes extreme pressures and temperatures which can destroy engine components in milliseconds.

The octane number for gas is a detonation resistance measurement. A fuel having a 90% resistance to detonation as compared to pure iso-octane (2,2,4 trimethylpentane) is rated as 90 octane fuel. During WWII aircraft engines were needed to have very high power to weight ratios and they required octane fuels up to 145 to prevent detonation. These engines were supercharged, turbocharged, and even water injected to gain the extra horse power.

On the ground the Harley engine like the aircraft engine are high compression air cooled and subject to detonation under load. As the aircraft flies higher the air becomes less dense (fewer air molecules per cubic foot) therefore the amount of fuel must be reduce to maintain the optimum ratio of fuel to air (1:14 by weight). This process is called “Leaning”. If a pilot leans the engine too quickly, they will cause it to detonate.

[Guest]

Hey Owaace! Yes if the only reason you used AV gas was for storage it is cheaper to
use stabilizer. But the Goldwing does run better on 100 Oct, seems to run stronger
gets good mileage but for running I mix it 50-50 with pump gas.
If I run at around 60 to 70 MPH and with 2 up it will make 50 miles per gal!

With the Harley that thing loves AV gas, but it is a whole different beast, It
has Buel heads high performance cams, carb, and a higher rpm limiter module.
I never even have to choke it to start.
no plug fouling on either bike, but when I store them for the winter its 100% AV gas
just thought I would ask if anyone has used it and what results they had.

PS I buy AV gas at about $1.00 a gal more than premium....found a small
airport that don't hold you up.


Smokey **==
86 Aspencade SE

[Guest]

Best watch using av gas too much. It burns a lot hotter than pump gas and can lead to overheating on the piston tops and that can be very bad.

[Guest]

yup, watch that AV Gas usage on our stock wings,, eventually will knock the motor out of it, stick to pump gas,or at least mix it 50-50