Question on winter storage and Onan 5500

mr_andyj wrote:
AV gas...
Jet fuel is half kerosine, this keeps the fuel from freezing at 35 below, so is it the kerosine that is the key component in the AV gas or the gas itself? does AV gas have kerosine?
Can you just mix half with kerosine?

I think you are confusing AVGAS (or 100LL) with jet fuel (Jet A or JP-4). AVGAS is for spark ignited piston powered aircraft where Jet A/JP-4 is for turbine engines (jets) and has high kerosene content. AVGAS generally has little/no kerosene content because kerosene has a very low octane rating. AVGAS is much more highly refined than automotive gasoline. AVGAS has very low olefinic content and little/no ethanol. Olefins are straight/branched chain hydrocarbons with one or more double bonds between the carbon atoms. Although they have high octane ratings, they are very reactive, unstable, and, over time, tend to form gums/varnish in the fuel and what it touches. AVGAS generally has a much higher aromatic (benzene, toluene, xylene) content and is very stable over long periods of time. Aromatics have very high octane ratings. That's why they are used.

Unless you want your spark ignited piston engine(s) to knock like crazy, (and potentially destroy themselves) do not add kerosene to your spark ignited piston engine fuel. Diesel is a different story.

Chum lee

AV gas...
Jet fuel is half kerosine, this keeps the fuel from freezing at 35 below, so is it the kerosine that is the key component in the AV gas or the gas itself? does AV gas have kerosine?
Can you just mix half with kerosine?

Solving the gas problem is easy. I go to my local small airport in town and fill me up a couple of gas cans with av gas. Then when I get home I take my other gas cans and fill them half full with av gas. Then go to the gas station and fill the rest with unleaded gas. I run this in my generators. My chain saw engine is a two cycle. So I use pure av gas in it. You have to go 50/50 on a 4 cycle engine. But I never have a problem with the gas going bad. Years ago I had problems with my 140hp outboard carbs jets getting plugged from sitting from labor day to easter. It didn't make any difference if you ran the gas out of it our used a additive. I started keeping a 6 gallon outboard tank filled with av gas. And I would run the engine on that tank when the motor would be sitting for a while. Never had to pull the carbs again to unstop a jet. If you run your generator on the 50/50 mix.You won't have a problem with the generator when winter is over

honestly, i have heard that you should "exercise" the generator head by running it, but I cannot give a reason for this other than maybe it helps blow out some dust before it accumulates too much. The generator head is just an electric motor in reverse. Do you "exercise" your home ceiling fans during the winter? No. Do you pull out your electric appliances and exercise them monthly? No, that would be really dumb. I do not know what component on the generator head would need to be exercised, so cannot say for sure, do not exercise it, but I have never exercised some gens and never ever had any issues.

Does a gas motor need to be exercised? No. Motors can sit for years and years and still function exactly the same. Metal parts will not age, at best change the oil.
What will age is any gas left in the system (carb or fuel tank). In all the times I have taken apart I never see any seals that need to be kept wet with oil either, most seals are paper. None of my motors need to be run.

Running a motor will run clean gas through the carb and keep it clean just from use. That is about all I see that running would help with.

If you can protect the carb for storage (choose your method) then that is it. Done.

Lwiddis wrote:
Regular exercise is essential IMO.

There’s a big marina near here, almost all the boats are small to medium size cabin cruisers. All those boats are wrapped up and on the hard from mid-October until mid-April.

None of those Onan’s are exercised over the winter, there’s no mention of failures either.

I fogged mine when winter came. I emptied the carb via the drain plug. Never exercised it in off season. Worked great when camping season started up.

I"d run it once a month under 1/2 load for 1/2 hour or more.

But that's me.

I stored my Class A at home and often found a reason to run the Generator thanks to Detroit Edison and a Generator transfer panel and inlet on the house and special outlet on the RV to match..
Lights (Well not all of them one specific was left on EDISON only
Televison/radio/Computers/Internet
Kitchen
Furnace
Fridge and freezer

all that wire and added stuff $$$$
Warm wife Priceless

I don't know specifically about your genny carb. Most of my small engines have a drain plug on the carb. If so the drain plug will allow for complete drainage of the carb as opposed to letting the motor starve out for gas. JMHO

google is your friend

"Oxygenated gasoline contains an additive derived from natural gas or grain alcohol that increases the fuel's oxygen content, causing more complete combustion in the engine and reducing emissions of toxic carbon monoxide"

ajriding wrote:
I don't know what non-oxygenated gas is, but if it contains ethanol then that is the problem.

In the USA, oxygenated gas refers to the addition of ethanol. In some other countries oxygenated gas may still contain MTBE or (methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether) in place of ethanol.

Chum lee