One reason I use Aspen

[Rigger Mortis]

Ran my saw [550XP] last week on Aspen after having previously put pump fuel through it. Autotune sorted the running out and saw ran beautifully. I had no head ache etc and saw can be put away until next time.

 

Converted.

[geoff]

Very welcome comments Morten.

 

I was visiting Sweden along with 6 other UK dealers for 2 days as a guest of Aspen. Our purpose was to see, first hand, how Aspen is used in Sweden and to find ideas to boost its sales in the UK.

 

We found that the 5 litre cans do in fact sell in large volume at the price shown. When you consider the extra costs involved in getting the product into the UK, and the extra "fuel duty" it is quite amazing that our UK prices are as low as they are.

 

Seeing the production line in the Aspen plant also makes you appreciate the extra costs in production that Aspen has over pump fuel.

 

But what I found most amazing was the universal acceptance of Aspen as the fuel of choice. We met with 3 different sales outlets as well as a service centre.

 

When we asked the dealer personnel the question "why do people buy Aspen?", the reply was along the lines of "why would they not buy it?" "why would anyone want to use pump fuel?"

 

We spotted a pro user buying some Aspen and we took the chance to interview him. He was amazed that we should have to ask why he used it, and was totally shocked when we asked if he would ever consider using petrol and gave a very firm NO. Their health is foremost in their mind.

 

We asked users, and dealers alike, if there were any mechanical problems with using Aspen, and once again the answer was a very positive NO.

 

The Swedish users (as well as other Northern European countries) are very much converted to Alkylate fuels, and have been so for over 20 years.

 

I am confident that in a few years we will have the same acceptance in the UK.

 

Were I asked the 'why question' my answers would be the same, health implications, I fail to understand why people reject the option on price grounds, or any other.

I run a small tree care business, & the cost is something I honestly dont notice short or long term.

[Treespotter]

Same here geoff. Even my small chipper (with Honda petrol engine) runs on Aspen.

Up in the tree all day I hated the headache when stuck in the fumes. But on the gound while chipping with a little rental chipper in the small confined spaces of city back gardens it was really really bad. So when I bought my own wee little chipper the first and only fuel that went into the tank was Aspen 4.

[aesmith]

Do Aspen have a high carriage charge, or minimum carriage-pad order value? That might be why the local dealers are selling at over £25.00.

[AHPP]

Aspen is 95 RON and Stihl MotoMix is 92 RON.

Carb tune needed when going between the two?

[morten]

Aspen is 95 RON and Stihl MotoMix is 92 RON.

Carb tune needed when going between the two?

 

As long as the octane level is above 89, you should be OK. Lower octane levels may cause "knocking" (premature detonation prior to ignition timing).

Different octane levels do NOT (by itself) require carb adjustment.

 

STIHL USA has an informative page on fuel in their equipment, including the potential harmful consequences of using ethanol mixed fuels: Gasoline Guidelines for STIHL Outdoor Power Equipment | STIHL USA Mobile

 

Much of the gasoline sold throughout the United States contains ethanol. The maximum ethanol content allowed by law for use in outdoor power equipment is limited to 10% (E10). Make sure the gasoline you purchase for your outdoor power equipment contains no more than 10% ethanol. If the filling station pump is not labeled with the ethanol content, ask the station attendant what percentage of ethanol is in the gasoline.

 

Ethanol can dissolve varnish and gum deposits that have previously formed inside fuel storage cans or the equipment's engine. When these deposits become dislodged, they can mix with the fuel and plug small openings and filters within the fuel system.

 

Ethanol attracts and mixes with moisture in the air, causing corrosion to metal components in the fuel system. If enough water is absorbed, the ethanol and water will settle out of the gasoline blend and settle to the bottom of the equipment's tank. The layer of gasoline left floating on top has a lower octane level than the original ethanol gasoline blend, which can result in unstable engine operation, power loss and major engine failures.

 

Since the fuel is often drawn from the bottom of the fuel tank, the engine is drawing in a mixture of ethanol and water with no gasoline and no lubricating oil. This ethanol/water mix is thicker than gasoline and cannot easily pass through the fuel system. This can result in hard starting, unsafe high idle speeds, stalling, and can ultimately lead to engine damage or fuel system failure.

 

Use a minimum of 89 octane gasoline and always use fresh fuel. Only buy enough gasoline that you can easily use up within a two-month period or use a specially formulated fuel mixture like STIHL MotoMix® Premixed Fuel. STIHL MotoMix® is a high-grade, high-octane, ethanol-free premixed fuel containing STIHL HP Ultra synthetic oil. It is a pure and stable fuel mixture that can be stored for up to two years in the original container and is ideal for machines that are used infrequently.

 

For air-cooled, two-cycle engines, use a quality mix oil that meets the engine manufacturer's recommendations. All STIHL oils are designed to readily mix with gasoline containing 10% ethanol.

 

Properly store your equipment. If your equipment is not going to be used for a couple of months, the remaining gasoline in the machine should be drained from the tank and disposed of properly. To ensure that any remaining ethanol is removed from your equipment, STIHL recommends adding a small amount of STIHL MotoMix® Premixed Fuel to the tank and running the engine for a few minutes to circulate the fuel through the carburetor.

 

Obviously, STIHL MotoMix may be substituted by any other Alkylate fuel such as Aspen.

[AHPP]

Thank you very much.

[GardenKit]

Do Aspen have a high carriage charge, or minimum carriage-pad order value? That might be why the local dealers are selling at over £25.00.

Dealers would never buy any less than a pallet, and they (just like you) would pay no carriage on that quantity, (except for highlands and islands)

 

And all dealers, no matter what their turnover, all buy at the same price from AAoil.

 

So its a level playing field.

 

But some dealers are not happy with the relatively low profit margin, so mark up the price. They are perfectly within their rights to do this.

 

I sell at the RRP and accept the profit margin for what it is.

[GardenKit]

As long as the octane level is above 89, you should be OK. Lower octane levels may cause "knocking" (premature detonation prior to ignition timing).

Different octane levels do NOT (by itself) require carb adjustment.

 

STIHL USA has an informative page on fuel in their equipment, including the potential harmful consequences of using ethanol mixed fuels: Gasoline Guidelines for STIHL Outdoor Power Equipment | STIHL USA Mobile

 

 

 

Obviously, STIHL MotoMix may be substituted by any other Alkylate fuel such as Aspen.

The american testing method for octane is different to the UK. Its a little daft but the american 89 ron is higher than a UK 89 ron would be.

 

But our minimum Ron is 95 for pump fuel.

Aspen is also 95 Ron

 

But there is another octane rating scale called MON, this is a more appropriate scale to use in high revving air cooled engines.

 

Pump unleaded 95ron is only 85 MON, whereas Aspen is in fact 93 MON , so much more suited to our type of engine.

[AHPP]

Aspen and Stihl MotoMix.

Carb tune needed when going between the two?