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Running PA38 on Mogas

Sorry to pull your leg AnthonyQ. I only own a basic mobile ‘phone, perhaps your model has ’spell check’ ? This is a hazard to any trusting soul, let alone suffering the preponderance of USA ‘English’ without the choice. Constant exposure to ‘meter’ for ‘metre’ is even more confusing when writing, as one has to recall the old fashioned gas meter, before proceeding ! With the freedom to drive the car up to the hangar doors at the airstrip I can manage my 80 l load and fill the Rans wing tanks standing on a milk crate – it only holds 2 × 35 l (for max. ~5 hrs without reserve). I agree significantly greater quantities would be a pain. Interestingly Rotax don’t like one using leaded fuel as that’s not good for the engine, whereas unleaded Mo-gas is O.K. by them; however I’m concerned that ‘melting tanks’ or fuel feed lines could yet become a problem. mike hallam.

  1. & 28

Peter, the aircraft in question was a LAA permit aircraft which was quite popular a few years ago but I would prefer not identify it by naming it specifically and you’re right it had wet wings.

I never realised that the PA28 which I assume was a Dakota or Pathfinder with the tip tanks suffered from the same problem. Good to know!

jxk
EGHI, United Kingdom

I didn’t mean to suggest Pa38 was more prone to carb ice – but that mogas use leads to more carb ice. Today I set carb air hot, opened throttle, the put carb air cold on the take-off run. Lots of carb icing in a 1.5 hour flight. The O200 is much worse than the Pa38’s Lycoming for carb ice, and ices-up on start, before the exhaust is hot. I set carb air hot for startup today.
We use avgas when landing away – occasional avgas is recomended. We only used avgas for 25? or 50? hours after fitting new cylinders.

Maoraigh
EGPE, United Kingdom

Ah I see Maoraigh! That’s good to know. Especially with winter round the corner!

Anyone any ideas/tips on maybe mixing some Av + Mo together?

Cheers.

> We only used avgas for 25? or 50? hours after fitting new cylinders.

I meant: We used only avgas for 25? or 50? hours after fitting new cylinders.

[quote fixed up – use just the one > before the para to be quoted, not another one after it also ]

Maoraigh
EGPE, United Kingdom

I am in Sicily going through the usual agony of trying to find AvGas. I’m probably going to have to fly to Malta to fill up but I’m surrounded by grass strips with MoGas.

I see there is an FAA STC for PA28-181’s to run on MoGas where you change the fuel pump. After the modification you can run it on both. If you run on MoGas, you have to put in a tank of 100LL every 75 hours to lubricate the valve guides. I would still normally run on 100LL but if I did the modification then I’d be “Italy/ Sicily” compatible which would be good as I’m coming back in September.

https://www.autofuelstc.com/piper_airplanes.phtml

I am so confused about EASA accepting STC’s – could this mod be done on a G reg plane in EASA land?

United Kingdom

Archer-181 wrote:

If you run on MoGas, you have to put in a tank of 100LL every 75 hours to lubricate the valve guides.

As far as I understand from the Autofuel STC website, they recommend a tank of 100LL every 75 hours.

When you run a Lycoming engine on unleaded AVGAS UL91 or 91/96UL you have to use an oil additive (or an oil which already had additive, like the Aeroshell “plus” oils) to provide the additional lubrication. I would expect that to work with unleaded Mogas as well.

ESKC (Uppsala/Sundbro), Sweden

Archer-181 wrote:

I am so confused about EASA accepting STC’s – could this mod be done on a G reg plane in EASA land?

Yes, its accepted by EASA , not sure about G-reg, but I did it under OY reg.

EETU, Estonia

@Archer-181
AVGAS should be available both at the Aeroclub in Palermo Boca di Falco (LICP) and at Catania (LICC).

I would love to fly with MOGAS in my Rallye, but there is no STC, so I stay away from it. I am too often over rough terrain and water to take the chance. The engine works with AVGAS in high wing planes, but low wing are a problem. If the airframe/engine together had an FAA STC, I wouldn’t worry what EASA thought, especially in a situation where AVGAS was hard to come by.

I would use MOGAS in Cruise in one tank if I were really stuck, but take off on my AVGAS wing.

Last Edited by WhiskeyPapa at 30 Jun 20:34
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