2019 test2 productsFuel & Additives
Which Engine Fuel Brand Wins?
We compared 2 engine fuel options head to head. Unleaded gasoline came out on top. See the measured results, the runner-up, the budget pick, and a link to the full test video.
Winner
Unleaded gasoline
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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 | Lead buildup and combustion chamber inspection | Lead buildup on spark plug and combustion chamber, small engine | Predator 212 running characteristics | Fuel injected generator under load | Wankel rotary engine, see through cover | Go kart engine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Unleaded gasoline | used as the clean baseline, combustion chamber cleaned before switching to aviation fuel, no lead deposits reported | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 2100LL Avgas 100 octane low lead aviation fuel | not tested | spark plug showed a much lighter color than typical from visible lead, clumps of lead build up found near the spark plug, intake valve, and exhaust valve inside the cylinder head | engine initially ran very rich to the point it would not idle until the air fuel ratio was adjusted leaner, after which it ran a lot better; target was to beat a baseline top speed of 29 mph but the resulting top speed on avgas is not stated in the transcript | tested under an applied load per the video chapters, over 4,000 watts, outcome not detailed in the transcript | engine ran successfully on the aviation fuel, host called it really cool to see it run on avgas | ran too rich on aviation fuel and had to be leaned out |
How it was tested
- visual lead buildup inspection on spark plug and combustion chamber
- compression test
- running characteristics and top speed test in a Predator 212 engine
- load test in a fuel injected generator
- running a Wankel rotary engine with a see through cover
- flame color comparison in a see through cylinder head engine
“Now, I definitely don't recommend using aviation fuel in your car just because it's going to cause problems for the catalytic converter and probably the sensors as well.”
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