Fuel Question...Age?

[jim ivey]

 My experience with bad fuel was on a 2 stroke K&B 61. All of a sudden the engine would not idle and would not run at full throttle very well. The fuel was 3 years old and immediately a suspect, because I had just changed to it. I don't know if it was sour or had excess moisture in it. It had been stored in the basement. Anyway it was used to kill the weeds at the flying field.

Jim Ivey

----- Original Message -----
From: John Ferrell
Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2003 7:46 PM
To: discussion at nsrca.org
Subject: Re: Fuel Question...Age?

I keep 0%-all Synthetic oil,  Red Max in jugs for quite a while(2-3 years). I mix it down to 10 or 15% using the same 20% fuel with no problem. The Red Max red dye goes clear the first summer in the fuel shed.  
If you think it is losing methanol or nitro that would just make it oil rich, not usually a big problem.

I never have got around to the matter of water testing. I have sometimes thought about testing with controlled amounts of water in the fuel just to see how much makes a difference.

It has been my experience that when an otherwise good engine starts getting picky about the fuel, it is running warmer than it used to. In my case it was bearings...
That is, as I recall...

John Ferrell  
6241 Phillippi Rd
Julian NC 27283
Phone: (336)685-9606   
johnferrell at earthlink.net
Dixie Competition Products
NSRCA 479 AMA 4190  W8CCW
"My Competition is Not My Enemy"

----- Original Message -----  
From: Bob Pastorello  
To: NSRCAMail  
Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2003 5:50 PM
Subject: Fuel Question...Age?


I know this is a newbie kind of question...but I've never run into this before.  Sealed (good caps, tight) jugs in the dark, Mag 1/10% mix that I use all the time.
    Ran my 1.60 fine on the ground, but couldn't get a needle, and sounded lean at high end in flight; even dead sticked a couple times.
    Changed to a jug of fresh Ritch's Brew 15% (should have been about the same nitro) and it ran a lot better, had needle range, didn't try to overheat.

What can happen to sealed jugs, kept in temp.controlled, dark box....??

Bob Pastorello, Oklahoma
NSRCA 199, IMAC 1320, AMA 46373
rcaerobob at cox.net
www.rcaerobats.net
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