My understanding, though I've been known to be wrong once or twice, is that
Coleman is simply one brand of white gas.  I'll check labia next time I'm at
the store.

Karl

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Beierl" <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2002 11:12 AM
Subject: Re: Cheap emergency gas can for INSIDE your van (Was: Mercedes gas
can for spare tire)

> At 12:00 PM 2/27/2002, Ben McCafferty wrote:
> >Well, ok, Karl seems to be the only response who actually has first-hand
> >experience, and he says it doesn't knock.  What I'm trying to figure out,
is
> >whether it is SAFE for the engine, i.e. won't cause damage.  I'm not
trying
> >to decide if I can run into the mountains at 70mph or not.
>
> I believe Karl was speaking of "white gas" -- as he described it ,
gasoline
> without additives.  Different animal from Coleman fuel.
>
> Here's some fuel experience re model engines, quoted from
> http://www.jerry-howell.com/Fuel.html (be sure to go to his home page and
> check out the engines he's talking about!).
>
> david
>
> >Model Stationary Engine Fuels
> >Fuel selection for our engines can be a problem. Some use the same
> >gasoline that is used in their cars. My friends and I have tried this,
but
> >for some reason it really stinks when burned in our hit-and-miss engines.
> >This is probably due to the low temperature that these engines operate at
> >and the somewhat rich mixture required by small engines. We came to the
> >conclusion that it also carbons up the valves and spark plugs worse than
> >the camp fuel we had been using.
> >
> >Most engine owners are using Coleman Camp fuel with good results. My
> >Plunket Jr. engine has higher compression than most model engines and I
> >noticed that it made some strange knocking sounds that were not
> >mechanical, so I decided it must be detonation. Wondering what the octane
> >rating is, a friend called Coleman and was informed that the octane
rating
> >is only 53. No wonder that it knocks! Knowing that methanol (used in may
> >race cars) has a very high octane rating and burns clean, I went looking
> >for a source and found it at an automotive speed shop. My Plunket Jr. and
> >PowerHouse engines love running on alcohol! Valves and plugs stay clean,
> >and there is no more knocking, but cold starting can be somewhat
difficult.
> >I continued using the Coleman fuel in my hit-and-miss engines because
they
> >are harder to start on cool days when using alcohol. Over time, I finally
> >became disgusted at the fine lint particles in the fuel which was causing
> >all maner of problems maintaining a proper needle setting over a period
of
> >time. I began filtering the fuel and installing in line fuel filters on
my
> >engines. One day while at a Walmart store several years ago, I noticed
> >they had camp fuel called Ozark Trails on the shelf next to the Coleman
> >fuel. I decided to try a can and see how it compared to the Coleman fuel.
> >Upon checking, I discovered that it was clear as water and had no trace
of
> >lint particles. It ran just fine in all my hit-and-miss engines. I told
my
> >friends about the Ozark Trails fuel and they gave it a try. Now they use
> >it too and we all agree that it even has a better exhaust smell than the
> >Coleman.
> >
> >One day I got to thinking about the fuels I was using. The camp fuel is
> >easy starting but carbons the valves and plugs, while the alcohol burns
> >clean but can be hard starting when the engine is cold. I wondered if I
> >could blend the two together and get the best of both. I discovered that
> >up to 30 parts Ozark Trails camp fuel will blend with 70 parts of
> >methanol. Any amount of camp fuel over 30 percent will not mix and will
> >stay seperate. An engine will start just as easily with this blend as
with
> >straight camp fuel. After running the 70/30 methanol/Ozark Trails fuel
for
> >more than 100 hours, I found that the valves and plugs stay really clean.
> >The spark plugs in my Plunket Jr. and PowerHouse engines run almost a
> >frosty white, no carbon deposits at all! The fuel needle setting needs to
> >be a little richer and a tank of fuel will not run quite as long as camp
> >fuel, but this could hardly be of concern. I can't find anything negative
> >with using this fuel blend, only positives. I think it is the best of
both
> >worlds, as they say. If you try it, please let me know what you think of
> >it. Don't use these fuels in your lawn mower or car, models only!
>
>
>
> --
> David Beierl - Providence, RI
>   http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
> '84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
> '85 GL "Poor Relation"