4 ms·

Leaded gasoline will really blow your mind, at least it did for me Edit: Figuratively not literally, haha!

mcast 3y ago
Vertasium has a great video on the invention of leaded gasoline: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV3dnLzthDA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV3dnLzthDA
kzrdude 3y ago
It was known to be harmful back in 1920s when it was introduced
- justinator 3y ago
  But it solved a problem that got in the way of selling you things! It's also still used in most every prop engine that flies over my house everyday at a normal schedule, so we still haven't solved the problem of leaded gas. We never will (in my lifetime).
  - freedomben 3y ago
    > It's also still used in most every prop engine that flies over my house everyday at a normal schedule, so we still haven't solved the problem of leaded gas. We never will (in my lifetime). Do you know why? I was under the impression that avgas (aka leaded gas for airplanes) was being forced out (albeit slowly) by EPA
    - justinator 3y ago
      Engines don't work on unleaded fuel.
      - sacnoradhq 3y ago
        Untrue. G100UL is a drop-in replacement for 100LL. TEL should be banned because 70% of all airborne lead is a result of piston-driven general aviation.
        justinator 3y ago
        It probably works as drop-in replacement, but until there's actual QA, we can't be sure enough. Unless you want planes falling from the sky. Maybe a little more on the table than releasing something to prod and finding a speling mistake. And to be clear: I don't want the dozens of airplanes that fly over me daily to be running leaded gas. Politics is gunna politics I guess.
        flashback2199 3y ago
        I don't want planes falling out of the sky, but currently lead is falling out of the sky instead, and I don't want that, either :/
        justinator 3y ago
        The smart thing to do would be to ground airplanes that use leaded fuel, but we don't do that because?
    - sacnoradhq 3y ago
      The problems are a lack of leadership to subsidize it at the pump and a timeline to ban it. G100UL currently costs 70% more than 100LL. A certification process is required to fuel with G100UL (no engine changes are required, but it's the aviation industry and it creates an orderly transition process with more paperwork) and it's currently difficult to find. If you want to get G100UL now, look for general aviation flight schools. https://stc.g100ul.com https://stc.g100ul.com
  - wkat4242 3y ago
    Scheduled flights almost all use turbine engines, even prop ones (turboprop). They use Jet-1 which is unleaded kerosine. Only the smallest GA planes like Cessna 172s still use leaded fuel. Turbodiesel alternatives are present aftermarket but they need to be replaced every once in a while unlike the old gas engines which can be revisioned. Unlike a car engine an aircraft engine spends a lot of its life at 100% power which makes them age quicker.
wcedmisten 3y ago
Interestingly, the inventor of leaded gasoline also invented freon. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Midgley_Jr https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Midgley_Jr.
- askiiart 3y ago
  Citation Needed, by The Technical Difficulties, has a great episode on him (and Chris's pope infestation.) https://youtu.be/4og8wG8VQWM https://youtu.be/4og8wG8VQWM
- nielsbot 3y ago
  Smithsonian Magazine has an article about that angle "One Man Invented Two of the Deadliest Substances of the 20th Century" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-man-two-deadly-substances-20th-century-180963269/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-man-two-deadly...

Vertasium has a great video on the invention of leaded gasoline: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV3dnLzthDA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV3dnLzthDA

kzrdude 3y ago

It was known to be harmful back in 1920s when it was introduced

justinator 3y ago
But it solved a problem that got in the way of selling you things! It's also still used in most every prop engine that flies over my house everyday at a normal schedule, so we still haven't solved the problem of leaded gas. We never will (in my lifetime).
- freedomben 3y ago
  > It's also still used in most every prop engine that flies over my house everyday at a normal schedule, so we still haven't solved the problem of leaded gas. We never will (in my lifetime). Do you know why? I was under the impression that avgas (aka leaded gas for airplanes) was being forced out (albeit slowly) by EPA
  - justinator 3y ago
    Engines don't work on unleaded fuel.
    - sacnoradhq 3y ago
      Untrue. G100UL is a drop-in replacement for 100LL. TEL should be banned because 70% of all airborne lead is a result of piston-driven general aviation.
      - justinator 3y ago
        It probably works as drop-in replacement, but until there's actual QA, we can't be sure enough. Unless you want planes falling from the sky. Maybe a little more on the table than releasing something to prod and finding a speling mistake. And to be clear: I don't want the dozens of airplanes that fly over me daily to be running leaded gas. Politics is gunna politics I guess.
        flashback2199 3y ago
        I don't want planes falling out of the sky, but currently lead is falling out of the sky instead, and I don't want that, either :/
        justinator 3y ago
        The smart thing to do would be to ground airplanes that use leaded fuel, but we don't do that because?
  - sacnoradhq 3y ago
    The problems are a lack of leadership to subsidize it at the pump and a timeline to ban it. G100UL currently costs 70% more than 100LL. A certification process is required to fuel with G100UL (no engine changes are required, but it's the aviation industry and it creates an orderly transition process with more paperwork) and it's currently difficult to find. If you want to get G100UL now, look for general aviation flight schools. https://stc.g100ul.com https://stc.g100ul.com
- wkat4242 3y ago
  Scheduled flights almost all use turbine engines, even prop ones (turboprop). They use Jet-1 which is unleaded kerosine. Only the smallest GA planes like Cessna 172s still use leaded fuel. Turbodiesel alternatives are present aftermarket but they need to be replaced every once in a while unlike the old gas engines which can be revisioned. Unlike a car engine an aircraft engine spends a lot of its life at 100% power which makes them age quicker.

wcedmisten 3y ago

Interestingly, the inventor of leaded gasoline also invented freon. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Midgley_Jr https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Midgley_Jr.

askiiart 3y ago
Citation Needed, by The Technical Difficulties, has a great episode on him (and Chris's pope infestation.) https://youtu.be/4og8wG8VQWM https://youtu.be/4og8wG8VQWM
nielsbot 3y ago
Smithsonian Magazine has an article about that angle "One Man Invented Two of the Deadliest Substances of the 20th Century" https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-man-two-deadly-substances-20th-century-180963269/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-man-two-deadly...