Aspen Alkylate Fuel .

[68C]

Does anyone know anything about Aspen Alkylate fuel?

 

I was in my local garden machinery shop when the guy tried to sell me the 'latest long life fuel'.

 

He reckons it is the answer to ethanol fuel system damage and does not go off like unleaded fuel, tells me he sells it for garden machinery as it can be left in over winter with no damage and no starting problems.  He also sells it to classic car and bike enthusiasts.

 

Apart from the fact it costs £19.00 for 5 litres as opposed to £6.50 for 5 litres of unleaded in the UK, I wondered if it works.  A scam does not usually cost more than the thing it is replacing so it caught my attention.  He also said there are attempts to get the fuel duty lowered on it as it is less harmful. Can't see that happening.

 

He tells me it is an American product although the leaflet he gave me has a UK website.  

 

At the price it is of no use for a regularly used machine but may useful for that bike you rarely ride.

 

www.aspenfuel.co.uk

[GuzziMoto]

We have brands of fuel like that over here. They are really just Ethanol free fuel here, and come in a four stroke and 2 stroke version. The two stroke version has a couple different pre-mix ratios available.

TruFuel is the main brand available around here, but others offer similar.

I can't imaging using a fuel that expensive for anything. I have used it in my lawn equipment but that was not sustainable, too expensive.

I also saw no advantage to it, other than convenience, but I did not do any scientific tests.

[LowRyter]

I didn't know that ethanol was a fuel additive in the UK.  I thought it was only an American thing to subsidize the domestic corn industry  

[Admin Jaap]

We have it in the Netherlands too. 5% ethanol, but if you want to ruin your fuel system, it's available with 10% too...

[LowRyter]

I've really never had a problem with ethanol + gas.  Given a choice, I try to avoid it, but I've not had a problem (knock wood).

[Chuck]

Every plastic tank I've had has swollen with 10% fuel. I first discovered it with my Centauro. The first time I took it off for service, it wouldn't go back on. I was thinking, "WTF did I screw up this time??"   Literally spent hours with modeling clay to see where it was hitting. Finally realized the tank had "grown" in length. Orthodontia with tie down straps didn't do it. Finally came up with a different way of holding it down. It was still that way several years later. Rosie the Rosso Corsa developed blisters under the decals. The Mighty Scura tank has grown in length, too, but still fits. Barely. (Whew!)

Fortunately, Apoo the local Indian guy has 90 unleaded when his pumps aren't locked down.   Went there tonight, but all the pumps had bags over the nozzles again. Came on home, and will wait until he pays his credit card (or what ever is happening)  so I can get some more.

[GuzziMoto]

I too have experienced tank swelling when using ethanol / gas. We have had it around here for a long time, more then 20 years, so it has become normal to me. The issues I have seen from it include tank swell, which is mainly a problem if you take the tank off and leave it off for a period of time. I have found that if I empty the tank and leave the cap open, however, it isn't a problem. But leaving the tank off with fuel in it for any length of time is a bad idea if the tank is plastic. I have run into it with both the wife's V11 and my Griso. The Griso tank fits down in between the frame rails. I left it off once with gas in it for a few weeks and when I went to put it back on it would not fit all the way back down between the frame rails. The wifes V11 has also had tank swell issues, so I coated that one on the inside with an epoxy. Before the epoxy it also developed blisters, but only under the harness that attaches the tank bag. Interesting.

Oddly, we had two Buells with plastic tanks and I never noticed an issue with them. I have also had plastic tanked dirt bikes without issue.

I also had a snow blower where they used some sort of plain rubber tubing for the fuel line when they built it. The ethanol gas ate that fuel line and turned it into something that looked and acted like taffy. It was funny. But to me, that is what happens when you don't use the right material for the job. If you try to use cheap rubber tubing for fuel line the fuel will eat it up.

I still recall the thread we had about ethanol in gas and the idea that you can remove it by adding water to the fuel. At some point the ethanol will separate from the gas, then remove the water and the ethanol and you should have ethanol free gas. If I had more time I would love to test that. Start with ethanol free gas, add a specific amount of ethanol, then add a specific amount of water. After separating, see if the water and ethanol add up to the water / ethanol you removed from the gas. I am curious if you will actually end up with the right amount of water and ethanol in the end.Not saying you won't, just curious how it would fare in a real test. But I am so used to ethanol in my gas that I can't get worked up enough to put that much effort into it.

[wreathy]

Aspen is a swedish fuel company specializing in cleaner fuel for forestry.

I run my 1983 Yamaha XT 400 on alkylate petrol (Aspen 4)

It took a couple of oil and filter changes the first 10000km, but it cleaned out all gunk in my engine.

I would only use it in an older carb bike with new seals though, since it most likely would void your warranty on a new bike(ask your manufacturer).

The thing is, you can't go back and forth between it and regular fuel unless you want to seize your engine.

I pay around £1.50 per liter when buying 200 liter drums (in sweden), but since it burns cleaner and wastes less fuel i end up paying about the same as regular petrol(with a bit more effort though).

But in return I pass the MOT emissions tests with flying colours, barely any smell when riding or in the garage, long storage capacity (left it for 3 years in cold storage and it started instantly)

[gstallons]

How did this fuel clean the crankcase and how could swapping back and forth seize the engine ?

 I run straight gas in everything air cooled I have . I want it to start and I don't want expanded rubber parts in my fuel system(s) . Expensive , yes . I don't even look at the price . There is a website pure-gas.org is a site that has a list of stations offering this fuel . Google this site and look around . 

[GuzziMoto]

8 hours ago, wreathy said:

Aspen is a swedish fuel company specializing in cleaner fuel for forestry......

 

Swedish gas.....

Is it blonde with big knockers?

Nice first post, an advertisement for some fuel company with zero Guzzi content.

[68C]

1 hour ago, GuzziMoto said:

Swedish gas.....

Is it blonde with big knockers?

Nice first post, an advertisement for some fuel company with zero Guzzi content.

Bit harsh.

[Lucky Phil]

6 hours ago, 68C said:

Bit harsh.

Not really. It's a "Green" 2 stroke fuel originally developed for OH&S reasons for Scandinavian forestry workers that used chainsaws and cutters all day and needed some reduced exposure to the exhaust fumes. Seems it morphed and expanded into 4 stroke fuel as well and as is the norm for a relatively small bespoke manufacturer they want to expand their market reach with all sorts of claims for everyday users. The usual marketing dross you get these days.

Ciao

[footgoose]

1 hour ago, Lucky Phil said:

Not really. It's a "Green" 2 stroke fuel originally developed for OH&S reasons for Scandinavian forestry workers that used chainsaws and cutters all day and needed some reduced exposure to the exhaust fumes. Seems it morphed and expanded into 4 stroke fuel as well and as is the norm for a relatively small bespoke manufacturer they want to expand their market reach with all sorts of claims for everyday users. The usual marketing dross you get these days.

Ciao

I don't think he was referring to the gas

[Lucky Phil]

59 minutes ago, footgoose said:

I don't think he was referring to the gas

I think he is. Actually, I know he is.

Ciao

[footgoose]

22 hours ago, wreathy said:

Aspen is a swedish fuel company specializing in cleaner fuel for forestry.

I run my 1983 Yamaha XT 400 on alkylate petrol (Aspen 4)

It took a couple of oil and filter changes the first 10000km, but it cleaned out all gunk in my engine.

I would only use it in an older carb bike with new seals though, since it most likely would void your warranty on a new bike(ask your manufacturer).

The thing is, you can't go back and forth between it and regular fuel unless you want to seize your engine.

I pay around £1.50 per liter when buying 200 liter drums (in sweden), but since it burns cleaner and wastes less fuel i end up paying about the same as regular petrol(with a bit more effort though).

But in return I pass the MOT emissions tests with flying colours, barely any smell when riding or in the garage, long storage capacity (left it for 3 years in cold storage and it started instantly)

Welcome to the forum wreathy. Thanks for the input. How did you get here? Got a Guzzi? looking for one?