Pine wrote on 07/01/13 at 07:39:18:Avgas: I tired to buy some once.. just out at the airport. They said it was not legal for use in automobiles (I wanted it for my '65 tbird).
Avgas is not legal for use in street driven cars.....as there is no Road Use Tax included in the sales. Also leaded fuel is not legal for use in any car with a catalytic converter....the lead fouls the converter and makes it non-functional.
I had a horrible time trying to buy it for use in an antique car once when I went to a major Cincinatti airport. I was buying it to use in a 1906 car as the new ethanol fuel does not vaporize well in updraft carbs and Avgas does a better job. Since then I found a small county airport that is not staffed and they have a fuel pump at the airport that uses your credit card....you just pump you own fuel without any problems or hassles.
Avgas does not run all that well in an engine that is not jetted to run it. I used it in my chainsaws for a year and the carbs all had to be set to run leaner.....without adjustment to the carbs they ran richer than on pump gas. You can't use it in fuel injected motors as it will foul the oxygen sensor. Avgas 100LL is not made the same way as auto fuels. Instead of refining crude oil......Avgas is made by blending refined petroleum chemicals back together to make fuel. Avgas 100LL is 70% Alkylate, 15% Isopentane, 15% Toluene...the rest is additives that include dye and antioxidant.
Avgas 100LL is not low lead compared to auto fuels.....it has 2 grams per gallon which is equal to the most lead that High Test automotive fuels used. The Low Lead name for this fuel relates to the fact that some of the higher grade Aviation fuels used to have 4 and 6 grams per gallon. There is no need to run lead or Avgas in the Savage.
I do keep a small amount of Avgas 100LL in my emergency generator. The fuel never goes bad and does not leave any varnish behind. When the fuel evaporates it leaves nothing behind, and it does not corrode anything. When I need the generator I know that it will start.....if I need to run it for a long period until the power is restored I just use pump gas. Before I put the generator away I make sure it has Avgas in the tank and the fuel is shut off and the float bowl is empty.
For our Savage pump gas does jst fine:
Regular if the bike has the stock piston.
Premium if you have installed a Wiseco.