:-) (you definitely like cooking!)

Unleaded in a Coleman 533. No problems. The smell doesn't seem to taint the food and the convenience of being able to fill up from the tank is fantastic.

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*Disclaimer* - I am not saying my bike is better than your bike. I am not saying my way is better than your way. I am not mocking your religion/politics/other belief system. When reading my post imagine me sitting behind a frothing pint of ale, smiling and offering you a bag of peanuts. This is the sentiment in which my post is made. Please accept it as such!

sooty on Benzin at start up, but burns ANYTHING

I just unhook carb hose at tank and fill up bottle, no need to carry any other fuel... I have 6 gallons on board

Zig

I have a 22 year old Coleman Multifuel stove and have only ever used unleaded fuel/Coleman Fuel(Basically kerosene). I have never had to do anything to it, apart from sticking some cooking oil down the pump to lube it now and again. I always carry a spare litre of unleaded for the bike in a Sigg bottle anyway, so why not use in a stove as well.

Just a little correction to avoid confusion; Coleman Fuel isn't kerosene, it's naptha which is really just very refined petrol with without any additives. It burns really cleanly in petrol stoves with hardly any smell but is stupid expensive at around £5.00 a litre. If you're lucky, the panel wipe that your local auto-paint supplier stocks is the same thing for about £10.00 for 5 litres. (some aren't 100% naptha)

I run my stoves on panel wipe once in a while to give them a clean through and also if I'm camping without my bike.

Well, there have been a few more posts on here and a stack more votes. This is great. However, I'd just like to draw attention to the main aim of the thread. This is not supposed to be a "My stove is a..." thread.

The idea was to see if there was a consensus on which fuel would make a multifuel stove most efficient either for the shop-lacking or funds-lacking overlander.

In other words, if resources/shops are scarce what would be the best fuel to use. In this case, unleaded seems a logical favourite. My only concern is about any health implications.

The other perspective is, if fuel is scarce, and camping suppliers also, which fuel will give you the best economy: ie cook the most per litre, if you are far from the next space and evey cc of fuel counts....

Those were the sorts of perspectives I was trying to get from other users.

Assuming voters have read the poll question it looks like unleaded is a clear winner.

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And as I have lowered compression and retarded timing on my airhead...I vote unleaded regular the cheapest...I can run 82 octane now.



Zig

Some info on fuels for those that are interested .
Zen Backpacking Stoves - Backpacking Stove Fuels

Gasoline would be the most economical alternative for many as it can be siphoned from the bike tank.
But diesel for farm tractors is not taxed at such a high rate as diesel for road vehicles .Therefore ,if you ask nicely, many farmers will fill up your 1 litre fuel bottle for you for a much reduced price ,in fact most would just give it to you for free .Consequently, farm diesel is by far the most economical fuel for your multi fuel stove .

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Found this on the MSR Site for the DragonFly. I've been curious about this sort of stuff. As far as the economics, it will vary a lot by where you are. Gasoline and Diesel in Turkey are ridiculously expensive, in Turkmenistan...not so much.

Burn time (white gas) per 600ml / 20 oz. of fuel 126 minutes
Burn time (kerosene) per 600ml / 20 oz. of fuel 153 minutes
Burn time (diesel) per 600ml / 20 oz. of fuel 136 minutes
Boil time (white gas), 1 liter 3.5 minutes
Boil time (kerosene), 1 liter 3.9 minutes
Boil time (diesel), 1 liter 3.5 minutes
Water boiled (white gas) per 100 ml of fuel 5.3 liters
Water boiled (white gas) per 1 oz. of fuel 1.6 liters
Water boiled (kerosene) per 100 ml of fuel 5.7 liters
Water boiled (kerosene) per 1 oz. of fuel 1.7 liters
Water boiled (diesel) per 100 ml of fuel 5.7 liters
Water boiled (diesel) per 1 oz. of fuel 1.7 liters

I know it is off topic. But beware of burning Euro Unleaded long term. IT has all sorts of pollutants in. Your Fine out of Europe though.

I Used Diesel in my Primus Omnifuel for 3 months and it wasnt a problem. Little Sutty though.

If you can, use kerosene, it seems to burn better with this than any other fuel. Leastwise mine does.. wont lower down to a slow simmer though ( on any fuel).

by euro unleaded I expect you mean E10 fuel. that is crap and even my bike does significantly less mpg using it. the non E10 is fine.

Do you refer to the effects on the stove (less efficient burning/clogging it?) or the the people using it / meal cooked? (I got confused with "pollutants" like "smelling the fumes or the fumes getting in contact with food")

In Europe you get Euro 95 unleaded. You can get it in bigger cities outside of Europe too. Moscow etc. It is more refined that non-European fuel and is filled with additives like anti freeze/anti-oxidants/detergents ect

I am no chemist but i certainly wouldn't want it tainting my food if i can help it.

The Coleman fuel you buy is expensive but is clean and safe burning.

Don't know about you, but I cook my food in pans ... There is no tainting.

Fair enough, you won't be browning toast or melting marsh mellows but so what !

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Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

In my mountaineering days I used a 1 litre Primus Optimus stove, burning paraffin/kerosene. I also sometimes used a Camping Gaz single burner cooker and also a lantern if weight was not an issue.

Unfortunately, in Germany, it seems difficult to source paraffin (seems Health & Safety laws restrict it's sale in case young children drink the paraffin ????). I can still source paraffin, but only at large outdoor shops.

Camping Gaz is also a problem if travelling to foreign parts. Obviously, you cannot take the Gaz on an aeroplane and there is no guarantee you will be able to purchase the Camping Gaz in the new location. Had this problem in Vancouver.

I have a Primus Omnifuel and am buying a Primus Eta MF (Multifuel) stove. The Eta stove is claimed to be perhaps twice as efficient as a conventional ones and it can use screw in gas cannisters, petrol or paraffin/kerosene/diesel. I plan to use either Primus fuel (naptha) or standard unleaded petrol from the bike. I don't see a situation where I will not be able to find petrol.

If I want to do a two or three day solo walk, then I may just take the Eta MF stove with a small gas cannister, to save weight.

I read stories of petrol and diesel clogging up the burners, but don't understand why there should be a problem. The old Primus Optimus with paraffin just needed to have the jet pricked out regularly (I always did it prior to lighting the burner) and I used to fill it through a strainer to remove any dirt. Might try carrying some methylated spirits to prime, if this proves cleaner.

So, I think, petrol would be the favoured fuel in most cases for me. The Eta Multifuel stove should give me higher efficiencies and so use less fuel. I will see how the burner turn down ratio (for simmering) is with different fuels).

In terms of the poll, kerosene being the cheapest fuel, will likely be the most economic. However, in the grand scheme of things, this fuel cost is far less important for me than fuel availability.

Grey Beard