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rotorwrench · 06-09-2012, 03:32 PM

The most readily available AVGAS is 100LL (LL = Low Lead). Don't let the LL fool you it just means that there is a controlled amount of tetraethyl lead content. This fuel is the best quality fuel in the gasolene family that is available today. It is very stable. I've run the stuff in motorcycles after it has set in a tank for several years and it still functions normally as a motor fuel.

The big problem is cost and availability. It ain't cheep and you have to find an airport with fuel sales to buy the stuff unless you have a large containment tank and can afford to have a 3000 gallon load delivered to you from a bulk dealer. You might be able to split a 1500 gallon load with some aviation buff but they don't like to sell at much less than a tanker full.

I would guess that Sonny was using JP-4 jet fuel for a Zippo. I'm not brave enough to put high test gasolene in a Zippo. It might blow your hand off. JP-4 or Jet A would work well though. Military JP-4 is mostly unleaded benzene/gasolene with a 20% amount of kerosene and Jet A is mostly kerosene with 20% amount of unleaded benzene/gasolene or somewhere there abouts. You can run Jet A in a diesel truck with no ill effects.

06-09-2012, 03:32 PM	#3
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,440	Re: Use of avgas? The most readily available AVGAS is 100LL (LL = Low Lead). Don't let the LL fool you it just means that there is a controlled amount of tetraethyl lead content. This fuel is the best quality fuel in the gasolene family that is available today. It is very stable. I've run the stuff in motorcycles after it has set in a tank for several years and it still functions normally as a motor fuel. The big problem is cost and availability. It ain't cheep and you have to find an airport with fuel sales to buy the stuff unless you have a large containment tank and can afford to have a 3000 gallon load delivered to you from a bulk dealer. You might be able to split a 1500 gallon load with some aviation buff but they don't like to sell at much less than a tanker full. I would guess that Sonny was using JP-4 jet fuel for a Zippo. I'm not brave enough to put high test gasolene in a Zippo. It might blow your hand off. JP-4 or Jet A would work well though. Military JP-4 is mostly unleaded benzene/gasolene with a 20% amount of kerosene and Jet A is mostly kerosene with 20% amount of unleaded benzene/gasolene or somewhere there abouts. You can run Jet A in a diesel truck with no ill effects. Last edited by rotorwrench; 06-09-2012 at 03:41 PM.