Tru-Fuel and smell?

[supton]

I might be nuts...

So I fired up my new inverter on 4 cycle tru-fuel for break-in. Dumped in a half gallon, ran it out by accident. Decided it was cheaper (by a lot!) to finish break-in on E10 and I can dump in tru-fuel later for storage (drain down, refill, whatever).

I swear, tru-fuel smells much sweeter & obnoxious than E10? I'm not saying roses come out, and maybe it was running rich initially / poorly at first, but I swear, it and my 2 stroke stuff just has this sweet smell to it.

Is it just me?

 

[Brian123]

I might be nuts...

So I fired up my new inverter on 4 cycle tru-fuel for break-in. Dumped in a half gallon, ran it out by accident. Decided it was cheaper (by a lot!) to finish break-in on E10 and I can dump in tru-fuel later for storage (drain down, refill, whatever).

I swear, tru-fuel smells much sweeter & obnoxious than E10? I'm not saying roses come out, and maybe it was running rich initially / poorly at first, but I swear, it and my 2 stroke stuff just has this sweet smell to it.

Is it just me?

I have heard that the VP Racing fuel is better

 

[supton]

I have heard that the VP Racing fuel is better

I did see my local hardware store had, but it was $26 or so for 32oz. Home Depot had Tru-Fuel for $23 or so for same 32oz. Kinda hesitant to run any more than necessary, like just power down with the stuff (I honestly have no idea how much I plan to go through per year, will run tru-fuel in weedwacker and chainsaw no issue, don't use enough to care, but an inverter, that might be different).

 

[#18FAN]

 

[Brian123]

I might be nuts...

So I fired up my new inverter on 4 cycle tru-fuel for break-in. Dumped in a half gallon, ran it out by accident. Decided it was cheaper (by a lot!) to finish break-in on E10 and I can dump in tru-fuel later for storage (drain down, refill, whatever).

I swear, tru-fuel smells much sweeter & obnoxious than E10? I'm not saying roses come out, and maybe it was running rich initially / poorly at first, but I swear, it and my 2 stroke stuff just has this sweet smell to it.

Is it just me?

I do want to help you out here, what engine do you have for this Inverter?

 

[sgtrockjoe]

Having used Tru-Fuel in the past I never noticed what you described.

 

[Skippy722]

I have heard that the VP Racing fuel is better

Can confirm it smells slightly better.

But yes, VP and TruFuel exhaust smell different than pump gas in my chainsaw and weed whacker, I prefer the VP/TruFuel smell.

 

[supton]

I do want to help you out here, what engine do you have for this Inverter?

Champion 80cc 4 stroke, looks like OHV, no idea past that.

 

[tmorris1]

I did see my local hardware store had, but it was $26 or so for 32oz. Home Depot had Tru-Fuel for $23 or so for same 32oz. Kinda hesitant to run any more than necessary, like just power down with the stuff (I honestly have no idea how much I plan to go through per year, will run tru-fuel in weedwacker and chainsaw no issue, don't use enough to care, but an inverter, that might be different)

That is over $100 a gallon! I wouldn't buy any.

 

[supton]

That is over $100 a gallon! I wouldn't buy any.

Which is why I wouldn't run any more than necessary. Like, end of season, drain off the tank in the generator, put in 6 oz or whatever of trufuel, let it run for 5, then shutdown. If it has to suddenly be pressed into service, dump in some E10. End of emergency... lather rinse repeat.

On my weedwacker and chainsaw, items that see usage like twice a year, they only get this stuff, and I don't bother with draining (really should use them more, but that's a different problem).

 

[mk378]

That doesn't seem right. The quarts of fuel are about $6-$8 in most stores, and the "gallons" around $22. Note that the rectangular can of Trufuel is not actually a full gallon, but one of VP is.

 

[tmorris1]

Which is why I wouldn't run any more than necessary. Like, end of season, drain off the tank in the generator, put in 6 oz or whatever of trufuel, let it run for 5, then shutdown. If it has to suddenly be pressed into service, dump in some E10. End of emergency... lather rinse repeat.

On my weedwacker and chainsaw, items that see usage like twice a year, they only get this stuff, and I don't bother with draining (really should use them more, but that's a different problem).

I wouldn't buy any for $100 a gallon. Maybe it is different in other parts of the country, but it isn't hard to find E0 around here and we are in the corn belt. You could buy VP race fuel for cheaper.

 

[jeepman3071]

I wouldn't buy any for $100 a gallon. Maybe it is different in other parts of the country, but it isn't hard to find E0 around here and we are in the corn belt. You could buy VP race fuel for cheaper.

E0 is basically impossible to find in New England.

OP have you tried the VP racing canned fuel?

 

[supton]

OP have you tried the VP racing canned fuel?

Not yet. I ran a bit of trufuel during break-in, then realized, this was a waste of expensive gas, switched to the E10 that I keep around. At some point I'll drain and put in some trufuel, then put the generator up into storage (whatever and wherever that might be). Try to remember to break it out every 3 months or so, drop in a few ounces of "the good stuff", let it run for a bit (half hour under load?), then back into storage.

With any luck, I'll keep it to a gallon of expensive stuff per year, barring actually needing the generator (and when I need it, it'll be fed E10).

 

[Astro_Guy]

There is a new 2.1 gallon keg of Tru-Fuel selling for $48 in my neck of the woods. My last E0 purchase was at $4.069 / gallon, or roughly one sixth the cost. See https://www.pure-gas.org/maps/NH for locations selling E0 in New Hampshire. Availability seems weak all around Laconia and north of Keene, but not to bad aside from that.

E0 is basically impossible to find in New England.

OP have you tried the VP racing canned fuel?

 

[jeepman3071]

There is a new 2.1 gallon keg of Tru-Fuel selling for $48 in my neck of the woods. My last E0 purchase was at $4.069 / gallon, or roughly one sixth the cost. See https://www.pure-gas.org/maps/NH for locations selling E0 in New Hampshire. Availability seems weak all around Laconia and north of Keene, but not to bad aside from that.

Yeah I've used that site, but funny enough in CT it is either small engine dealers selling canned fuel, or stations/racetracks that sell race fuel.

 

[Astro_Guy]

Yeah I've used that site, but funny enough in CT it is either small engine dealers selling canned fuel, or stations/racetracks that sell race fuel.

Got you there. Been running the C-Max Energi and Prius V on E0 since early December using data from that site. I think it's safe when using big chain store names. Stewart's Shops in New York and western New England come to mind. Here where I live it is Wawa outside of the counties touching on Philadelphia. I wouldn't risk a drive to a little one-off local station.

I have no data on the C-Max Energi, but the Prius V is getting 10% better fuel economy on the E0. I take a five gallon jug with me anytime I visit a nearby station selling E0 and use it for the OPE.