Fuel for Model Engines

[nx06563]

I have been building model engines for several years now and am always looking for a cheap readily available fuel. I have run camp stove fuel and straight methanol. Methanol is hard to find in small quantities and a 55 gal. drum might be excessive for my needs. Camp stove fuel was my go to when I ran out of methanol but one of my engines knocked pretty bad because of the low Octane. I tried mixing the two but they like to separate.

I have finally settled on good old denatured alcohol solvent. I buy gallon cans of Sunnyside denatured alcohol at Menards. The MSDS says it is a mix of ethyl and methyl alcohols in some trade secret ratio. Don't care what the ratio is cause it seems to run well.

What is everybody else out there using.

 

[SmithDoor]

They use methanol for race cars. Typically they sell in 5 gallon cans.

Dave

I have been building model engines for several years now and am always looking for a cheap readily available fuel. I have run camp stove fuel and straight methanol. Methanol is hard to find in small quantities and a 55 gal. drum might be excessive for my needs. Camp stove fuel was my go to when I ran out of methanol but one of my engines knocked pretty bad because of the low Octane. I tried mixing the two but they like to separate.

I have finally settled on good old denatured alcohol solvent. I buy gallon cans of Sunnyside denatured alcohol at Menards. The MSDS says it is a mix of ethyl and methyl alcohols in some trade secret ratio. Don't care what the ratio is cause it seems to run well.

What is everybody else out there using.

 

[SmithDoor]

Some gas station have Ethanol Alcohol by gallon it is cheap $2.99 or gallon.

Dave

 

[Diversion900]

Methanol, which is often labeled paint thinners in AUS, and Castrol M, which is a mixing caster base oil.
5:1 mix. Used it for years in RC glow plug engines.

now days I use a commercial synthetic mixing oil.

 

[tornitore45]

For 4 strokes ignition engines I use Coleman Camp Stove Fuel, is saver than gasoline.

For Glow Plug Ignition I buy on line in one gallon container.
By the time one acquire all the components assuming one can ever source them he ends up with leftover in quantities not suitable to mix a new batch and the cost is much higher than buying a commercially premix fuel.
I have gone through that process and found buying online is the best solution.

 

[stevehuckss396]

I run high octane racing fuel. Most of the time i'm indoors when running so i would rather smell the race fuel. It is also half the price of coleman fuel.

 

[Mark-V]

I have been building model engines for several years now and am always looking for a cheap readily available fuel. I have run camp stove fuel and straight methanol. Methanol is hard to find in small quantities and a 55 gal. drum might be excessive for my needs. Camp stove fuel was my go to when I ran out of methanol but one of my engines knocked pretty bad because of the low Octane. I tried mixing the two but they like to separate.

I have finally settled on good old denatured alcohol solvent. I buy gallon cans of Sunnyside denatured alcohol at Menards. The MSDS says it is a mix of ethyl and methyl alcohols in some trade secret ratio. Don't care what the ratio is cause it seems to run well.

What is everybody else out there using.

Contact your local aeromodel club - they will be able to point you to the nearest and best source for Methanol.
Most probably your local hobbyshop who will have ready mixed Methanol fuel in various ratios etc.
Mark

 

[tornitore45]

I run high octane racing fuel.

Where do you buy that? Cn you get less than a drum?

 

[SmithDoor]

Find someone that has race cars. Most are happy to sell some fuel
Note you will need to bring you own can.
Today I see it being sold at gas station. It smog friendly and cheeper in California. It was call white lighting in 1920's and 1930's

Dave

Where do you buy that? Cn you get less than a drum?

 

[Bentwings]

Find someone that has race cars. Most are happy to sell some fuel
Note you will need to bring you own can.
Today I see it being sold at gas station. It smog friendly and cheeper in California. It was call white lighting in 1920's and 1930's

Dave

If you can get friendly with either kart racers or sprint car racers, you can usually make a deal on larger quantities. We ran alcohol in our funny car for a number of years. I f I remember right it was about $2 per gallon in 55 gallon drums. Home land security now regulates the quantities you can have on hand. If you like playing with fire you may be able to purchase limited quantity of nitromethane. Some times the top fuel guys will sell 80% or lower from miss mixed or left over fuel. They can test the percentage for you. Normally this goes for around $18 per gallon. Usually a bit more in small amounts. I made my own fuel for my glow engine models as I had ready access to both but nitro is much harder to get. As just aren’t as many nitro racers today. It can kill your engine in a heart beat done wrong.you will need about 4 times as much as gas just for starters. Alternate high alcohol fuel is E85 from the service stations. Be aware that this stuff soaks up water like a sponge then can be equally corrosive. There are many stations that sell E85 but it’s loosing favor except fo the auto racers. There are still cars that can use it but read the owner manual first. I think it’s best to design around non oxy premium as you don’t get fuel separation. There are lots of videos on this. Use this in your garden mowers and tools. Especially if you tend to leave gas in the tanks. Most marinas sell only non oxy premium not fo the slightly higher octane but you don’t have the moisture issues with it.

 

[SmithDoor]

Alcohol is about 100 octane so run at higher compression
Most gasoline is 80 to 90
Aviation fuel is 80 and 100 octane there was 120 octane (it may be still around).
In California USA you buy Alcohol at the gas station for $2.99 per gallon but most cars and trucks can use the fuel as it take out all fuel lines.

Dave

 

[Bentwings]

The nice thing about running on alcohol is that air fuel rations are not particularly critical. Basically if you have enough compression, fuel and spark it will run.. as with any fuel there is a range it works best in but no where as critical as gasoline.its hard on parts in the fuel system especially if it absorbs water. It works well as anti detonate mixed 50/50 with water in high boost motors or extremely high compression motors. All the big radial engines ran this mix as standard operations.

 

[mu38&Bg#]

E85 is about 100 octane but requires alcohol blending two stroke oils like methanol. If you live in an area that switches to winter blend, ask the attendant what's in the tank. Winter "E85" can be 50% gasoline. You should be able to find methanol locally. Try the race tracks, biodiesel supply, and propane dealers. Most lawncare sections now have packaged gasoline substitutes, with and without premixed oil. Trufuel, VP Small Engine Fuel, etc., it's fairly expensive. You can track down race gas pump on suppliers sites, but call to make sure it's actually available. As for avgas, local airports won't sell fuel into containers, and you don't want the lead.