Author Topic: Shaking fuel after adding castor or mixing. (Read 2444 times)

Martin Quartim · « **on:** October 06, 2011, 09:21:23 PM »

The other day I add castor oil into a jug of fuel and shaked it good to mix the contents, a friend observed and said that doing so will cause to loose some nitro in the foam bubles and recomend stiring the fuel instead of shaking.

What you guys think about this shake and loose nitro thing?

Martin

Garf · « **Reply #1 on:** October 06, 2011, 09:24:48 PM »

Sounds like BS to me.

Howard Rush · « **Reply #2 on:** October 06, 2011, 09:28:49 PM »

James Bond always specified the converse.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #3 on:** October 06, 2011, 09:42:04 PM »

That will only happen if you shake it with the lid off. Then yes, you will lose nitro when it soaks into your clothing and everything else around you.

Sean McEntee · « **Reply #4 on:** October 06, 2011, 11:06:53 PM »

If youre worried about the foaming, shoot a couple squirts of Armor-all into the jug. Something about the silicone prevents the foaming. It also helps engine runs, preventing foaming in the tank

John Paris · « **Reply #5 on:** October 06, 2011, 11:08:10 PM »

Quote from: Martin Quartim on October 06, 2011, 09:21:23 PM

The other day I add castor oil into a jug of fuel and shaked it good to mix the contents, a friend observed and said that doing so will cause to loose some nitro in the foam bubles and recomend stiring the fuel instead of shaking.

What you guys think about this shake and loose nitro thing?

Martin

Martin,
Long time no see. It seems to me that as long as the cap is on jug when you shake it, the nitromethane would have no place to go. If there is some small release of the nitromethane to the air within the jug from the surface of the bubbles, then I would just add a drop of Armorall to keep the bubbles from forming.
John

Joseph Patterson · « **Reply #6 on:** October 07, 2011, 06:08:50 AM »

After adding castor w/cap back on swirl the can/jug in circular direction instead of shaking vigorously to reduce gas-off in can/jug. I have found that putting Armor-all in a whole gallon of fuel does not stop foaming over the whole life of that particular gallon of fuel. It is best to have a small container of fuel to use for that day's flying with a few drops of Armor-all.
Doug

Brian Hampton · « **Reply #7 on:** October 07, 2011, 07:44:35 AM »

Castor needs some fairly vigorous shaking to get it to dissolve completely but once dissolved it doesn't seperate.

Joseph Patterson · « **Reply #8 on:** October 07, 2011, 05:02:16 PM »

There we have it! Shaking vs swirling! And the winner is......
Doug

john e. holliday · « **Reply #9 on:** October 08, 2011, 08:00:17 AM »

The cure is to get the correct fuel to begin with.

Personally I set the engine according to the fuel I can get. I tried one time to add castor to fuel and wound up mixing it with other fuels in small dosages.

Joseph Patterson · « **Reply #10 on:** October 08, 2011, 08:20:17 AM »

That's what I do too John. I'd rather not have the added expense of buying extra castor and the bother of mixing. If I was a competitive flyer wanting a more custom blend I might mix and blend, but that is far from the case with me.
Doug

Steve Hines · « **Reply #11 on:** October 08, 2011, 08:46:21 AM »

How would they ship it. Have you ever seen boxes that came off a truck. If this was the true there would not be any nitro left when it got where it was going.
It is true that when they make it they do stir it, but have you every tryed to shake 1000 gal tank.

Joseph Patterson · « **Reply #12 on:** October 08, 2011, 10:10:12 AM »

I think you are right Steve. Common sense defeats shaking and swirling, but how about rattling and rolling!?
Doug

jim ivey · « **Reply #13 on:** October 08, 2011, 08:45:34 PM »

where did it go?

PJ Rowland · « **Reply #14 on:** October 09, 2011, 06:02:53 AM »

What would the ratio of loss be ? .05 ?

You loose it all once its in the engine !

Russell Shaffer · « **Reply #15 on:** October 09, 2011, 08:58:57 PM »

To answer Steve - to shake a 24,000 gallon tank, you just put railcar trucks under it and ship it on the nearest railroad. It's even legal.

FLOYD CARTER · « **Reply #16 on:** October 10, 2011, 12:12:59 PM »

Remember that you can buy a nice little paint stirrer that attaches to an electric drill motor. That should stir the heck out of it!

F.C.

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #17 on:** October 10, 2011, 12:17:59 PM »

Quote from: john e. holliday on October 08, 2011, 08:00:17 AM

The cure is to get the correct fuel to begin with. Personally I set the engine according to the fuel I can get. I tried one time to add castor to fuel and wound up mixing it with other fuels in small dosages.

I've been adding castor to the fuel I can get at my LHS, thinking "ha ha! I'm saving so much money".

Then I looked at what I'm paying for castor and did the math

.

jim ivey · « **Reply #18 on:** October 10, 2011, 07:21:43 PM »

shake it but don't bake it. it mite splowd

phil c · « **Reply #19 on:** October 13, 2011, 09:17:37 AM »

Shake it thoroughly. Then let it sit 24 hrs or so and shake it again. It cab take a loooong time for the oil to completely dissolve in the mix. A friend bought a pallet of a well known brand a few years ago. They had terrible trouble with microscopic, nearly invisible globs in it that played hob with getting consistent settings. After letting the fuel sit about 6 months over the winter ir ran just fine, so they didn't have to throw it out.