‘Italian Tune’………….died after 45mins

[M_Anker]

Deiseldog was kidding about the aircraft fuel...I think (grin), I actually asked recently and was told the stuff was just too likely to scorch the engine's innards and not recommended. Don't know for sure the truth of that, but why chance it, otherwise I'm glad my advice has supporters.

I still really don't know the truth in that. I seem to have been the one to bring that discussion up the last time, and I've been asking several other people about that. The issue was about my car, a 1970 280SEL running AVGAS 100LL. As far as the lead oxide scratching up the engine, logic would tend to disagree. A 1970 Mercedes would have been designed to run on leaded fuel because, quite simply, unleaded wasn't available in that era. Also, it seems to me that steel is a lot harder than lead oxide since lead oxide only has a hardness of 2.5 to 3. Furthermore, aircraft engines run for a minimum of 2000 hours between FAA mandated overhauls, and the mechanicals are hardly worn out. You should also consider that 2000 hours is quite a bit of flying in a small airplane. If an aircraft engine, that is made out of both steel and aluminum can run of leaded fuel, than why can't a 33 year old car?

Yes, lead would tend to build up on the spark plugs, but by no means should anyone run pure AVGAS because its lead content is much higher than auto fuel ever was. I only run about a 10 to 20% mixture in my car, and I get a much smoother running engine over 94 octane unleaded.

Also, AVGAS is not 100 octane, it is 110 octane. Ask a general avaition mechanic about that one. You will also find that AVGAS is stored in much cleaner tanks and operators are much more concerned with the purity than your auto gas retailer is.

Until I find some scientific backing to the assertion that AVGAS is bad for an engine, I'm going to keep using it. After all, Textron Lycoming, Continental, and Pratt & Whitney can't be wrong?