It all becomes clear.....well, at least, less hazy.  Guess I'll go back to
my original pursuit of a Mercedes gas can that fits my spare and just use
good ol' gasoline!  (Amazing how tangential we can get, no?)
bmc  :)
"Faith will move mountains, but you'd better bring a shovel...."

> From: Chris Smith <chris.smith@AQUILA.NET>
> Reply-To: Chris Smith <chris.smith@AQUILA.NET>
> Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 14:35:49 -0600
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Cheap emergency gas can for INSIDE your van (Was: Mercedes gas
> can for spare tire)
>
> Ouch.. there are a few misconceptions floating around here:
>
> Octane rating of pump gas is the speed of the flame-front as measured using
> a rather hard to explain method.  a slower flame front equals a higher
> octane rating.
>
> The amount of "UMPFH" of a particular fuel is not tied to the octane number.
>
> "But professor Bum, why do sports cars go faster with high octane fuels?"
>
> Simple, the higher octane allows the fuel to burn at a more controlled
> rate, thereby allowing the cylinder to compress it more before
> ignition.  In other words it won't 'go-off' on its own as easily.  The
> modern high performance car uses a very high compression engine that
> requires a high octane rated fuel.  If a lower octane fuel is used the car
> will actually hear the knocking and retard the spark to keep the engine
> from going "BOOM".
>
> It only seems like the high octane fuel has more power, when really it's
> the car that is cutting it's power instead.
>
> "So what is white gas or camp fuel"
>
> White gas is not available today in it's original  definition.  White gas
> was highly refined auto fuel.  It was often used as the basis for WWII
> aviation fuel.  Today the old B-25s and such can't run their engines at
> 100% due to a lack of proper fuel.  Camp fuel or Coleman Fuel is really
> just a mixture of toluene and benzine.  They are both found in gasoline and
> are naturally clear thus the confusion.
>
> "so what about my car?"
>
> I have used a wide variety of fuels in my vehicles over the years with
> mixed results.  Camp fuel works ok in emergencies but has so much crap
> floating around in it that it always leads to injector or carb
> troubles.  The "Emergency Fuel" sold by penzoil and others is ok for a
> short distance, but if your plugs were marginal before you put it in, they
> may need replacement after using it.  Alcohol is great for very high
> compression engines, but use gas to start the motor.  Methanol is even
> better, but again, use gas to start or kiss the motor good-by.  The stuff
> you see drag racers squirting into the blower is actually good old
> fashioned pump gas.  LP is really great, but the motor will need to be
> built for it to get any sort of performance.  The stuff has only 65% the
> power of gasoline, but has an octane number off the charts.  A well built
> LP motor may have a compression ration of 15:1 or higer.
>
> Of course this is all from memory, as prone to failure as it is, and may
> contain a few factual errors..
>
> Your results will very
> Serving suggestion shown
> contents may settle during shipping
> if this is not what you expected, please alter your expectations
>
> Chris Smith
> Unemployed Bum
>