Lighter Fluid and Regular Petrol

[mrcheese]

One of those discussions that came up over a beer in the pub.
What is the difference between the two fluids when used in a Zippo type lighter.
I can't imagine that during WWII special fluid was shipped in for the GIs to use.

My guess is that lighter fluid has an additive to make it a bit less volatile. Or a different flash point

Don't worry, I am not going to try something stupid.

 

[rtbcomp]

I remember the old-fashioned lighter fuel was water-clear, it didn't have the yellow tinge of petrol and it had a different smell.

 

[MattF]

Sounds like it's still generally the same stuff. Doesn't have that horrid smell which standard fuel petrol has. Pretty much owt that's flammable is fair game for a petrol lighter, IMO. I usually use IPA as a put on if I run out of lighter fluid. That burns even more cleanly, but does evaporate more quickly too.

 

[cecotto479]

McEwan's or Tennent's?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

McEwan's or Tennent's?

I can remember in my young & foolish days , pouring a small amount of lighter fluid in the hand and lighting it. It would burn off on the surface and didn't burn you if extinguished before it all went......

DON'T try this with the modern stuff, or as you already know, petrol......

 

[metalspanner]

to my observations as a cancer stick user and life long zippo owner I have at some time or other put most flammable liquids in to mine.
lighter fluid is more refined I think and burns cleaner
Petrol tends to smoke a little and makes the fags taste foul for a bit
Two stroke makes it smoke, taste foul and bungs the lighter up
I also find petrol vapours which the lighter gives off whilst in a trouser pocket, gives you terrible spots around that area, whereas the fluid does not.

 

[breezer]

If overfilled with 'proper' lighter fluid it will also cause irritation (massive red sores) on the almost-inner thigh

 

[tigler]

Lighter fluid is Naptha, a refined solvent.

 

[roofman]

i think its like that nitro fuel they use in RC cars

 

[brightspark]

Lighter fluid is Naptha, a refined solvent.

what would we do without google was gonna SAY IT LOOKS CHEESY but look at op-s name lol

 

[Engineer1964]

what would we do without google

and theres me thinking his was going to turn into a 200 post thread, Well i gues thats bought this thread to a close

 

[brightspark]

and theres me thinking his was going to turn into a 200 post thread, Well i gues thats bought this thread to a close

i allready looked it up earlier and deleted my post . sometimes the posts are word for word of google best just say em in laymans language if u have 2 looks more authentic

 

[tigler]

I did actually know it anyway, we used to use it as a cleaning solvent for rubber hose before installing fittings

 

[Drains]

Ah, naptha! That's what Coleman fuel is then... as in the "other" fuel you can use in Dual Fuel stoves, other than petrol. As an ex-smoker (and idiot), I'd not made the connection between Coleman Fuel and lighter fuel. Duh.

 

[Shox Dr]

I thought Naptha was the only substance to be in all three states while below 100c.

If so how can it be liquid all the time?

ie been able to use it in freezing conditions to Dessert Heat

 

[graffian]

to my observations as a cancer stick user and life long zippo owner I have at some time or other put most flammable liquids in to mine.
lighter fluid is more refined I think and burns cleaner
Petrol tends to smoke a little and makes the fags taste foul for a bit
Two stroke makes it smoke, taste foul and bungs the lighter up
I also find petrol vapours which the lighter gives off whilst in a trouser pocket, gives you terrible spots around that area, whereas the fluid does not.

I used to have a wire in my land rover fuel tank for the zippo, I stuck the zippo on the wire and lowered it into the tank to fill it;-) For a while I used gunwash, it smelt a bit and the fags tasted of it, I also had a red patch on my leg from the gun wash. Don't know why I bothered with a zippo, Ronsons is near and I always knew someone who worked there[know a bloke who bought a new T140 and paid with lighters!]
I was told of someone who ran his motorbike on lighter fluid in the 30's, they had bottles of lighter fluid in the magazine and he used to put it in his bike when he ran out of money for petrol.

 

[mrcheese]

I used to have a wire in my land rover fuel tank for the zippo,

That is so redneck

I did not know it was naptha and neither did I know that Coleman fuel was also naptha. This information may come in quite handy as I have a double burner Coleman. With this and others I have had in the past they get to a stage where they don't burn cleanly. It would be worth chucking in a bottle of lighter fluid to see if there is an improvement.