Aspen fuel

[Andrew Calcutt]

has anyone on here tried Aspen Alkylate fuel for their petrol engines?Just bought some,comes ready mixed at 50.1,so I have added some more oil.It does not smell and lasts a long time without going off.Will let you know how I get on

[Jon H]

I have used it in all the Laser petrol development. Works a treat, the oil is excellent, and it would always get my vote over normal stinky petrol.

[Ron Gray]

I use it and find it good. I'm not concerned about the niff of petrol but my wife does complain if I've been flying one of my gassers and I've used petrol as she can smell it in the car!

[Peter Jenkins]

How much does it cost?

[Andrew Dunn 1]

We're a stockist and it goes out the door at £19.95 for a five litre can , its also a higher octane that standard pump fuel and is so much better for you and the environment.

[Alan Hilton]

I use it in my model engines and garden machines .Its expensive but you get what you pay for ,and it doesn’t stink the car and hangar out

Alan

[Peter Jenkins]

So roughly 4 times the cost of normal petrol and into glow territory. As I don't use more than 2 gals per year, I mostly fly electric, it won't make a big difference in overall model costs so might give it a try. If I were driving a long way after flying my petrol bird it would make a difference but not having the petrol smell hang around my shed for a couple of days would be a plus.

[ColdLazerus]

I have use Aspen Red that comes premixed 50:1 ( with no extra oil added) in a DLE 20 about 3 Gallons so far no problems.

Before I used it I consulted Aspen tech dept regarding the low oil content, basically they said that the quality of the oil used plays a significant part in the quantity needed.

I understand DLEs and the like use needle roller bearings this may make a difference to your decision on what engine to use ( I am willing to be corrected on this)

I understand that this may seem a risk but it’s the only way I can tolerate a petrol aeroplane in the car so its Aspen or nowt as far as I’m concerned.

Here is the an email I got from them

“Hi Richard,

It’s not the quantity of oil it’s the quality and lower priced engines normally spec higher oil ratios because the manufactures feel the user with buy low grade cheap oil. So they cover themselves by doubled the oil quantity in most cases.

The castor oils don’t mix very well with Aspen but all other types are fine.

Please be aware you will not get the same life (5 years) from mixing your own as we can’t guarantee the oil used.

If you do mix your own please use Aspen4.

Do not add extra oil to aspen2 as the two types of oil might not mix correctly and this also makes the mix ratio harder to work out.

Please see our website for testimonials from model engine users running on aspen.

Kind regards

Eddie”

[Richard Clark 2]

It's crazy expensive.

Remember half the price of 'road vehicle' petrol from a petrol station is the duty and the VAT on that duty.

Aspen isn't sold as a 'road vehicle' fuel so there's no duty and therefore no VAT on the duty.

And basically it's just 'low sulphur' petrol with almost no additives so it's no big deal.

A total ripoff.

[flight1]

Posted by Richard Clark 2 on 06/07/2020 20:31:49:

It's crazy expensive.

Remember half the price of 'road vehicle' petrol from a petrol station is the duty and the VAT on that duty.

Aspen isn't sold as a 'road vehicle' fuel so there's no duty and therefore no VAT on the duty.

And basically it's just 'low sulphur' petrol with almost no additives so it's no big deal.

A total ripoff.

Not quite aspen is subject to 20% vat but no duty, and the actual usage cost compared to glow fuel is a lot less as the petrol engines use a lot less hence the cost per flight is much cheeper than a glow equivalent , plus you got to pay for quality you never now what you a re getting from the pump these days!!

ohh1 and there is little or no mess bonus

[Jon H]

Posted by Richard Clark 2 on 06/07/2020 20:31:49:

It's crazy expensive.

Remember half the price of 'road vehicle' petrol from a petrol station is the duty and the VAT on that duty.

Aspen isn't sold as a 'road vehicle' fuel so there's no duty and therefore no VAT on the duty.

And basically it's just 'low sulphur' petrol with almost no additives so it's no big deal.

A total ripoff.

You might want to do a little more research as there is quite a bit more too it than that.

After several years of running the piston crown on my 180 petrol prototype is still almost completely clean. I have even used aspen in my lawn mower and the piston is cleaner now than it was a year ago when i made the switch.

With the low odour and other advantages its a no brainer in my eyes.

[Richard Clark 2]

Posted by flight1 on 06/07/2020 21:04:00:

Posted by Richard Clark 2 on 06/07/2020 20:31:49:

It's crazy expensive.

Remember half the price of 'road vehicle' petrol from a petrol station is the duty and the VAT on that duty.

Aspen isn't sold as a 'road vehicle' fuel so there's no duty and therefore no VAT on the duty.

And basically it's just 'low sulphur' petrol with almost no additives so it's no big deal.

A total ripoff.

Not quite aspen is subject to 20% vat but no duty, and the actual usage cost compared to glow fuel is a lot less as the petrol engines use a lot less hence the cost per flight is much cheeper than a glow equivalent , plus you got to pay for quality you never now what you a re getting from the pump these days!!

ohh1 and there is little or no mess bonus

I know it's subject to 20% VAT on the 'end' price but my point is that the the end price doesn't have the approx 50% fuel duty in it.

My local petrol station is ALL low sulphur fuel and the price is much the same as everyone elses (I've never heard of the name on the sign and the pumps but it all comes from the Esso refinery twelve miles down the road).

This Aspen stuff is three times the price of road DUTIED fuel but has zero duty. . So six times the price of undutied fuel.

If you are prepared to pay that price, fine, it's not as if we use much. I was just pointing out how high the price is.

[flight1]

Posted by Richard Clark 2 on 06/07/2020 21:40:47:

Posted by flight1 on 06/07/2020 21:04:00:

Posted by Richard Clark 2 on 06/07/2020 20:31:49:

It's crazy expensive.

Remember half the price of 'road vehicle' petrol from a petrol station is the duty and the VAT on that duty.

Aspen isn't sold as a 'road vehicle' fuel so there's no duty and therefore no VAT on the duty.

And basically it's just 'low sulphur' petrol with almost no additives so it's no big deal.

A total ripoff.

Not quite aspen is subject to 20% vat but no duty, and the actual usage cost compared to glow fuel is a lot less as the petrol engines use a lot less hence the cost per flight is much cheeper than a glow equivalent , plus you got to pay for quality you never now what you a re getting from the pump these days!!

ohh1 and there is little or no mess bonus

I know it's subject to 20% VAT on the 'end' price but my point is that the the end price doesn't have the approx 50% fuel duty in it.

My local petrol station is ALL low sulphur fuel and the price is much the same as everyone elses (I've never heard of the name on the sign and the pumps but it all comes from the Esso refinery twelve miles down the road).

This Aspen stuff is three times the price of road DUTIED fuel but has zero duty. . So six times the price of undutied fuel.

If you are prepared to pay that price, fine, it's not as if we use much. I was just pointing out how high the price is.

yes i agree should be cheaper but supply and demand dictates

Edited By flight1 on 06/07/2020 21:49:34

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Tim Flyer]

Pump fuel can certainly cause problems as it ages . The long life factor is Aspen is particularly useful. Flaky varnish deposits like this in my photo below can happen when pump fuel is left in a carburettor float chamber for long periods. The varnish wrecks the fuel metering and can block the jets. I had to rebuild the carburettor to fix it. Fuel in a vented tanks changes its chemical properties over time as various parts evaporate. I understand stale fuel also can attack or stiffen soft fuel metering diaphragms and plastics in some carburettors.

[Richard Clark 2]

Posted by Doc Marten on 06/07/2020 22:05:31:

Actually, the duty on regular petrol is more like 80% not 50.

It's 57.95 pence per litre. and there is 20% VAT on that. - a tax on a tax.

I don't 'commute' and I've never noticed the actual price of petrol. I just put about 50 quid's worth in, which makes the needle go from red to about half full or fill it up if I'm going a long way. How far my car goes on that I haven't noticed either, it's just one of the many trials of life