coleman fuel as an emergency backup?

ive never run out of gas, and dont plan to, but i often have a can of
coleman fuel in the car and i was curious-

would my 93 escort (or for that matter any other car?) be able to limp
to a gas station burning coleman fuel (white gas)?

i was curious whether the car's computer could adjust air and fuel to
make it work, or whether the engine would be damaged, or whether it
just woudlnt run at all.

i believe white gas is just a slightly finer grade of gasoline, but
with no additives.

ant wrote:
> ive never run out of gas, and dont plan to, but i often have a can of
> coleman fuel in the car and i was curious-
>
> would my 93 escort (or for that matter any other car?) be able to limp
> to a gas station burning coleman fuel (white gas)?
>
> i was curious whether the car's computer could adjust air and fuel to
> make it work, or whether the engine would be damaged, or whether it
> just woudlnt run at all.

No change in mixture should be needed. However, "white gas" doesn't
have any anti-knock additives at all. Back before WWII when cars ran on
something close to white gas (but still with more additives), 6:1 was
considered very high compression and 4:1 or 5:1 was more the norm. Today
even an Escort has 8:1 or higher, and would probably knock very heavily
on white gas. More than the knock sensors and computer controls could
deal with. I wouldn't risk it unless the benefit outweighed the value
of the engine (life or health at stake, for example) and then I'd drive
like there was a raw egg between my foot and the accelerator pedal.

Yes it will burn, not well, but it will burn. Coleman even used to
advocate pouring the used fuel into the gas tank way back when.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

ant wrote:
>
> ive never run out of gas, and dont plan to, but i often have a can of
> coleman fuel in the car and i was curious-
>
> would my 93 escort (or for that matter any other car?) be able to limp
> to a gas station burning coleman fuel (white gas)?
>
> i was curious whether the car's computer could adjust air and fuel to
> make it work, or whether the engine would be damaged, or whether it
> just woudlnt run at all.
>
> i believe white gas is just a slightly finer grade of gasoline, but
> with no additives.

how's about white gas with an octane additive, just for emergency?