Aspen Fuels FAQs
Aspen is available as a pre-mixed 2-stroke fuel and 4-stroke fuel is suitable for strimmers to model cars and lawnmowers to camping stoves
Alkylate petrol = environmental petrol
What we refer to in everyday language as environmental petrol is alkylate petrol. The name comes from the word alkylation, which is the name of the process used to extract the raw product.
From gas to liquid
The alkylation process takes place at oil refineries through surplus gases from the crude oil distillation and cracking plant being mixed. The result is a liquid (alkylate) which is the purest extractable petroleum product.
The alkylate is then mixed with a number of other components and we now have a finished product – the Aspen alyklate petrol, ready to be used in most small engines.
When you use Aspen environmental petrol, you avoid dangerous substances such as benzene and aromatic hydrocarbons, substances that can cause serious health problems. The engine is also treated more kindly, for example, the spark plug and combustion chamber are kept cleaner. As Aspen is also ethanol free, the petrol can be stored safely and even after long periods of no use, your engine starts without any problems if your tank has been filled with Aspen environmental petrol. Environmentally, there are numerous benefits, e.g. the formation of ground-level ozone (smog) is reduced by more than 50%.
Maximum efficiency
Small engines are often uncomplicated and are technically simple engines with less than optimal combustion rates. This means that much of the fuel escapes unused. This, in turn, has a negative impact on both the environment and you, the user.
The following machines benefit from Aspen environmental petrol: Lawn mowers, grass trimmers, rotavators, outboards, chainsaws, brushcutters, generators and motorcycles.
There are two main variations of our petrol: Aspen 2 and Aspen 4:
Aspen 2 is a ready-mixed petrol with 2 % fully synthetic two-stroke oil. Aspen 2 is used for all two-stroke engines except outboards, which need the addition of a special outboard oil. Aspen 4 is not mixed and is used in four-stroke engines and two-stroke engines with separate lubrication.
No, quite the opposite! Alkylate petrol keeps your engine cleaner and gives better running protection, better performance and a longer service life. The principle is that the cleaner the petrol, the less damage to the engine. Compared to pump fuels, alkylate petrol keeps for approximately 10 times longer and alkylate petrol can be stored for years without losing quality; you don’t have to run your machine dry before winter and it will start much easier after long periods of being stored. Many engine manufacturers now recommend that their engines only be run on alkylate petrol.
Aspen alkylate petrol is available from us here at Revill Mowers along with all good garden machinery stores in the UK.
Aspen alkylate petrol contains 99% less harmful hydrocarbons compared to regular petrol. This means that the exhaust fumes become much cleaner and health risks are dramatically reduced. Compared to regular petrol Aspen alkylate petrol gives out a substantially reduced amount of substances which contribute to acidification, as well as lowering the formation of ground level ozone which is harmful to humans, animals and plants.
In essence alkylate petrol is a much better fuel in all areas – a much purer and up to 99%* cleaner form of petrol. It is an extremely clean and effective motor fuel which compared to regular pump fuel is virtually free from benzene, sulphur or other harmful substances. The availability of alkylate petrol is limited. The actual alkylation process to produce Aspen is a much more advanced and expensive process which only a few refineries in the world can produce. Even if new ways of producing alkylate petrol is developed, regular petrol will still be the dominant type of motor fuel in the world. At the same time, Alkylate petrol has many added advantages apart from the health and environment benefits, these include a better performance, easier starting and last but not least the ability to be stored for years without going “stale”. The process involved in packaging and getting the 5L can to the customer is also higher than the bulk supply costs of pump fuel which is delivered in much larger quantities in bulk tankers and sold through a pump!
Yes, that is correct. Aspen alkylate petrol has a lifespan of approximately 10 times that of regular petrol. Aspen has a storage life of 3-5 years compared to 3-5 months of regular petrol. when you choose alkylate petrol for your machines you can safely put them away over winter without emptying the tank, safely knowing that they will start without a problem come spring.
The availability of alkylate is very limited and should therefore be used where it has the greatest benefits. In small engines where emission control and catalytic convertors haven’t come as far as they have in modern cars.
Alkylate petrol suits most small petrol driven machines such as lawnmowers, hedge trimmers, brush cutter, chainsaws and motorbikes. Sure, even cars would run on alkylate petrol but it would be a waste seeing as modern emission standards mean that modern cars already have effective and advance emission control systems in place.
Aspen 2 contains a 50:1 mix of fully synthetic oil and is suitable for machines such as chainsaws, strimmers, hedge trimmers and other air cooled 2-stroke engines.
Aspen 4 is alkylate petrol without any added oil and is suitable for machines such as lawnmowers, stump grinders and other 4-stroke powered machines. It is also a great alternative fuel for camping stoves and lanterns.
There is nothing stopping you from making a switch to alkylate petrol! If your engine is older than 15 years then we recommend that you check fuel pipes and valves in case they have dried out, been destroyed or clogged up with soot from when you have used regular petrol. It should be noted that alkylate petrol can never do more damage to your machine because in all perspectives it is a cleaner from of petrol.
Yes, mixing the 2 fuels is fine. See above for further information.
