Which Engine Fuel Brand Wins?
We compared 2 engine fuel options head to head. Gasoline came out on top. See the measured results, the runner-up, the budget pick, and a link to the full test video.
Gasoline
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Coleman Camp Fuel
Price shown in test: around $10 per can
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The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Scroll sideways to see all measurements. Products are listed in the order they finished.
| Product | Chemical composition, safety data sheet | Physical properties | Small engine brake load test | Generator test, Harbor Freight 4,000 watt generator under two 1,500 watt space heaters | Overall assessment | Generator test baseline | Octane and knock risk comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Coleman Camp Fuel white gasaround $10 per can | 100 percent light hydrotreated distillate, made up of cyclohexane, nonane, octane, heptane, and pentane | boiling point 38 degrees Celsius, about 100 degrees Fahrenheit, flash point negative 18 Celsius, about 0 degrees Fahrenheit | engine brake was disconnected to apply a heavy load and listen for knock or ping indicating too low an octane rating, the specific pass or fail outcome of this test is not stated in the available transcript | run after gasoline to see if it could keep up with gasoline on performance, specific measured results are not stated in the available transcript | described by the host as the best alternative to gasoline among similar products he has tested, burns extremely well, has a very long shelf life, and has qualities very similar to gasoline | not tested | not tested |
| 2Gasoline | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | run first in the generator before switching to Coleman fuel for comparison | preferred over Coleman fuel for regular use because of its higher octane rating and lower risk of engine ping or spark knock |
How it was tested
- safety data sheet chemical composition review
- small engine brake load test listening for knock or ping
- generator performance test under a heavy space heater load, gasoline then Coleman fuel
“however it's not recommended to use in a gas engine mainly because it has a lower octane rating and there is a risk of having an engine that pings or knocks spark knocks and that of course will cause significant engine issues in the long run”
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