# Coleman Fuel ?



## skyline1 (Oct 11, 2013)

Not quite sure where to post this one so I've posted it here.

What is Coleman Fuel

I've heard it mentioned many times as a fuel for I.C. engines but what is it ?

Perhaps as a Brit I might know it by another name 

Please excuse my ignorance but I'm mainly a steam man.

Regards Mark


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## Swifty (Oct 11, 2013)

In Australia it's known as shellite, readily available at hardware stores. I think that it might also be known as white spirit, but not sure.

Paul.


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## Jasonb (Oct 11, 2013)

Don't quite know the makeup , its lower octaine than pump petrol but its used for camping stoves, should be able to get it from any decent camping shop or I got mine online. I does not smell anywhere near as much as petrol so you won't stink the workshop out.

Definately not "white spirit" but in the US its often called "white gas" as its a clear gasoline.

Aspen is another similar fuel worth looking at for hit & miss type engines


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## Swifty (Oct 11, 2013)

Jasonb is right, white spirit is what we know here as turpentine. Must have been getting confused with white gas.

Paul.


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## Tin Falcon (Oct 11, 2013)

Coleman fuel is a gasoline type mixture. It is a trade name of the WC Coleman company. 

In 1905 Coleman invented a gasoline powered light for farms, cabins and outdoorsmen.  
During WWII he invented and sold compact potable backpack stoves to the US army. 

After the war he made stoves and lanterns for the american public. 
Over the years coleman has added such products as tents and canoes, camp chairs, cots etc to the coleman family. 
Here in the states the coleman name means camping gear. 
Tin


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## Maxx (Oct 11, 2013)

*Coleman fuel* is a petroleum naphtha product marketed by The Coleman Company. Historically called white gas (not white spirit), it is a liquid petroleum fuel (100% light hydrotreated distillate) usually sold in one gallon cans. It is used primarily for fueling lanterns and camp stoves.
Though Coleman fuel has an octane rating of 50 to 55 and a flammability similar to gasoline, it has none of the additives found in modern gasoline.


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## jgedde (Oct 11, 2013)

Maxx said:


> *Coleman fuel* is a petroleum naphtha product marketed by The Coleman Company. Historically called white gas (not white spirit), it is a liquid petroleum fuel (100% light hydrotreated distillate) usually sold in one gallon cans. It is used primarily for fueling lanterns and camp stoves.
> Though Coleman fuel has an octane rating of 50 to 55 and a flammability similar to gasoline, it has none of the additives found in modern gasoline.


 
Maxx said it all... Coleman fuel is naptha. Naptha is also available from paint stores as a fast evaporating thinner.

The nice thing about Coleman fuel is it's easy to ignite and doesn't have excessively noxious exhaust fumes. Alcohol is a good fuel but tends to make an engine a bit hard to start and run poorly until it warms up (which most model engines really don't do to the extent a full size engine does).

I find my engines run very well on a blend of Coleman fuel and either alcohol (ethanol or methanol) or Acetone. Diluting the Coleman fuel seems to make the engine run cleaner with less soot on the plug (and raises the octance FWIW) and alleviates the hard starting issues with just plain alcohol.

Acetone instantly dissolves into the naptha, buit alcohol does not. It needs a good shake. The amount of alcohol you can dissovle into naptha is limited to about 50% before it separates out. The Coleman fuel remains clear whern mixed with acetone, but becomes cloudy when mixed with alcohol. It looks crummy, but it works.

I've heard reports that Coleman fuel sometimes has small particles looking like lint suspended in it which can clog carburetor orifices. Other brands, from what I've heard can be cleaner. Nonetheless, I usually run my fuel through a coffee filter first.

Getting back the exhaust...  I've run my engines on plain gasoline and they run really well, but the exhaust fumes are awful.  Eyes tearing, layer of smoke up near the ceiling, etc.

John


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## fpravenscroft (Oct 11, 2013)

i live in england and i also wondered what coleman fuel was i did a web search and found that the outdoor stores stock it hope it helps


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## mu38&Bg# (Oct 11, 2013)

http://fuel.papo-art.com/


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## skyline1 (Oct 13, 2013)

Thanks for the info fellas

I mistakenly thought it was some kind of nitro whatever fuel for little low flying wasp engines about the size of your thumbnail, well perhaps not THAT small !

Nowt or 80,000 R.P.M. jobs, nothing wrong with them BTW amazing little machines and guys who can built and run 'em have my admiration, needs very good, precise, craftsmanship

It seems Coleman fuel is a somewhat more gentle Naptha based fuel and available in the U.K. 

I asked the fount of all knowledge that is HMEM and you answered me

thanks Guys

Regards Mark


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## lohring (Oct 13, 2013)

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/f26/coleman-fuel-zippo-lighter-gas-21732/


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## goldstar31 (Oct 13, 2013)

I'm wondering whether this is quite right. I seem to recall earlier Coleman stoves being used in WW2 and just later-- and run on paraffin/kerosene. The rule seemed to be if it had a pump, it was for paraffin whilst if it hadn't, it was for petrol/gasoline. I'm quite with 'light solvent naptha' but only in paints/varnishes etc- but not in stoves. 

I also recall someone filling a paraffin Primus with petrol. But that is a story not for the telling here.


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## Tin Falcon (Oct 13, 2013)

> The rule seemed to be if it had a pump, it was for paraffin whilst if it hadn't, it was for petrol/gasoline.


Every Coleman liquid fuel appliance I have ever seen and used had a pump. the main difference with paraffin /kerosene is it needs a preheat of usually an alcohol gell or some other heat source to vaporize enough fuel to get the thing going. 
with Coleman fuel you burn vapor until there is enough heat to vaporize the liquid fuel. 
I have only owned the white gas type devised and a propane one No pump. I do remember a CO having and using a kero fueled Coleman lantern. Kero lanterns are still available from Coleman but more expensive by about 50% than a dual fuel (White gas/Unleaded fuel) model.  

This info from the coleman web page::


> WHAT TYPE OF FUEL IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
> How do you know if you should buy a propane stove or a Dual Fuel&#8482; model? A liquid fuel lantern or a canister style? The first question that you have to answer is what type of fuel to use. There are differences in cost, convenience and performance with each fuel type. We'll walk you through the respective advantages so that you can make an educated purchase decision. But the most important consideration is how you'll be using the appliance you're thinking of buying. Will you be heading into remote high country? Pitching a tent at a campground in a national park? Or just heading out for the weekend on a local trail? To a certain extent, how you'll use the appliance will dictate which you should buy.
> 
> PROPANE
> ...



The original WWII military stoves by necessity had to be able to burn any liquid fuel. 

I think we should not lose the main point here.  Camp fuel is a purer cleaner form of gasoline and as such  performs better with less fouling in camp appliances and model engines. 2) Idenitfying  availability and alternate trade names of this product in UK and Europe. 
I think the key here may be to look for camp fuel and look in camping stores.

A google search for Camp fuel here comes up with the Crown trade name. 
I expect camp fuel is available in most parts of the developed world. The key is knowing where to look and what label to look for. Again the point of his thread.  
so as a test I typed camp fuel uk. then coleman fuel in the GO outdoors web page and lo and behold. 





http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/coleman-liquid-fuel-p175327
So one can find this product in the UK. 



Tin


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