Finally got my Fat Lady to run smooth again ( I hate that Ethanol gas )

[Old Geezer Richard]

After going to the GOTF'S in Houston where all they sell is Ethanol gas in that city .... the ol Fat Lady ran like s#%*^ , never used ethanol  gas before and it SUCKS ....  after running two tanks of fresh local gas , the old girl is purrrrring again like she should ... there is something in that Rot Gut gas to cause my bike to run like it had water in the gas ..... I sure hope they don't start selling that crap here in  the San Antonio area ..... a local grocery chain sells the 88 or 85 etanol  in a separate pump for cars that are designed to run on it AND THANK GOD WE DON'T HAVE THE POLLUTION THAT HOUSTON HAS ...... Thanks Old Geezer Richard

[MP]

And I have ridden from east coast to ND where i live, mostly ethanol, and have had ZERO problems.  Others say one tank, and their bike won't run at all.  What gives?
Is it just a bad tank of gas, that just happens to be ethanol?

[R J]

And I have ridden from east coast to ND where i live, mostly ethanol, and have had ZERO problems.  Others say one tank, and their bike won't run at all.  What gives?
Is it just a bad tank of gas, that just happens to be ethanol?

I agree with ya MP.  I have run Ethanol in MGM for over 240,000 miles with no problem...    Now when it 1st came out and I still had my 426 Hemi Cuda, that was a different story.  It ate all the rubber in the carbs and fuel pump and just plain raised 7734 with it.   BUT, that engine was not designed for Ethanol....  It didn't even have the hardened valve seats for NON leaded regular.   It hated almost any thing under 90 octane.

[DeathWishBikerDude]

My secret fuel additive involves K1.
jet fuel/heating oil.
Runs great, cleans the carbs and super cheap.
Don't over do it though,and don't let anyone see you pull up to the pump.
Fill a special fuel can and add to fuel at home.
 

[junior]

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM JET FUEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tundra]

I think CAExhaustings Coat summed it up in a previous post, where I stated...

I've had this battle. Ethanol absolutely 100% is a problem in my bike. Maybe some don't notice it because of differant mods, jets etc... I fill up with ethanol crap and 5-8 miles down the road I will experience hesitation, poor performance, backfiring. It WILL decrease your milage and performance, I have tested it with and without. Carberated vehicles, boats, expensive professional lawn maintenance equipment will all feel the effects. It will burn hotter, causing deterioration of o-rings and seals. It is not as refined and can/will cause clogged jets for some of us. Thats where the fuel additives and cleaners folks rave about here can come in handy. Ethanol also attracts moisture, which is also a problem for a SIX carb. motorcycle. Fuel injected vehicles and bikes you will not notice a performance change, just a drop in milage. It also eats fuel pumps. Government backed and mandated! Can't go wrong  I am told by my local non-ethanol gas station owner that ther is a bill being pushed through in Florida to only allow non-ethanol fuel to be sold to marina's. Do to the fact of the tremendous damage to the boating community here. NOTE...Florida is trying to become a MAJOR PRODUCER of ethanol via suger cane, sooo there along for the "yeah it's good stuff" bull55hit.

And then CAExhaustCoatings repied...

To add to the other comments.
ethanol does not make an engine run hotter. Any alcohol fuel makes an engine run cooler. Alcohol makes the jetting leaner due to its lower BTU content. Leaness will make an engine run hotter. This is the reason why so many are now installing 38 pilot jets. (steady state cruising down the highway, legal speeds, is only using the pilot jet circuit). The 10% limit of ethanol limits how much water into the gas it attracts. Does it still happen, do some gas stations have higher than 10%, YES on both counts. This is where acetone comes into play, it keeps the gas, water and alcohol in suspension so it can all be burned. Acetone buy itself does not increase MPG, it actually has a lower BTU content than the alcohols. Ethanol is not as caustic to rubber parts as methanol is. Ethanol does not attract water like methanol does. Again both issues are why the limit of 10%, unless of course everything in and for the engine was designed and built for higher % of alcohol.
 The above is common knowledge to alcohol racers.
The govt has wanted to use ethanol for yrs but could not until almost all vehicles were fuel injected, which compensates via the O2 sensor for different % of ethanol.
If one searches the web, u would find that there are EPA reports and others that prove that ethanol and catalytic convertors contribute to global warming and increased levels of ozone, plus as was mentioned the negative use of fuel to produce ethanol.
just wait until the carbon credit laws are passed.
A must read "The Greening"  at
http://www.lawfulpath.com/ref/greening.shtml
 
 
  Now this all makes sense to me, because I am already leaner than most due to open headers, K&N airfilter (no pre-filter), de-smog, and Dyna-ignition. Maybe those not noticing adverse conditions have been set up differently, rejetting, stock air filter, running richer, different year, different carbs? I don't know for sure, I do know for sure I can't go around the block on the CRAP! and CAExhaustCoatings has given me the most factual, logical input as to why.

[DeathWishBikerDude]

I never had any fuel related problems until last year.
Seems some stations don't always list the correct content or they use winter fuel into the summer etc.
My mileage went down considerably and the bike spits and sputters  on the E85.
Anyone care to share which stations are 100% petrol?
Marathon once advertised 100% gasoline,but I've had problems lately myself.
 ???

[MP]

E85???   That is 85% alcohol, and NOT to be used in your Valkyrie.  You are lucky it ran, and hopefully you did no permanent damage.  When we talk ethanol, we mean a 10% blend, not 85%!  That is for vehicles designed to burn it.
MP

[fudgie]

E85???   That is 85% alcohol, and NOT to be used in your Valkyrie.  You are lucky it ran, and hopefully you did no permanent damage.  When we talk ethanol, we mean a 10% blend, not 85%!  That is for vehicles designed to burn it.
MP

Yea I thought we talked about E-10. Mine runs great on it east of the Mississip.

[Old Geezer Richard]

Hey MP I don't know for a fact that maybe it was some bad gas , all I know my bike was running smooth as usual cruising around 75 - 80 going up until I filled up with that UP TO 10% rot gut gas at the shell in Katy Hey Tundra I had the same symptoms you described after filling up ..... from then on it ran crummy !  now I notiiced that the Exon down the road did not advertise the 10% on their pumps ..... it ran alittle better going home into the wind  even , sooooo  lesson learned ! !  now the guys that run the ethanol all the time , great I'm happy for them.... I just hope they don't start selling that junk down here .... enuf said    Thanks Old Geezer Richard

[SlowRoad]

I have to agree with Old Geezer. My bike definately runs different on the 10% ethanol gas. It has less power and the mileage goes down noticeably. I ride a stock '97 Standard with only packs and stacks exhaust. I just did the ECT mod, and the only gas I had access to at first fillup was ethanol blend, so I don't know what the effects will be yet. Just my experience. 

[Old Geezer Richard]

Hey Slow Road , the only thing that crosses my mind is .... will this alcohol gas cause any problems with any rubber parts  in the fuel system later or cause the rubber to get soft in the future .... I just don't know that much about this ethanol Rot Gut Gas .... like I said before I'm happy for the people who have good luck with the stuff .... I don't want to go thru this headache everytime I go thru Houston but I guess I will if I want to continue going to the GOTF'S at Hotglues ..... ride safe Slow Road ... might see ya at the Izane     Thanks Old Geezer Richard

[PatrickDoss]

If anyone's interested, Top Tier gasoline, that is, gasoline that meets the strictest standards set forth by the auto makers for deposit control in their engines, MUST HAVE at least 8%, but not more than 10% ethanol.  So if you've been using "quality" gas, you've been using ethanol.

www.toptiergas.com