Hot Spark and NASCAR Sunoco Premium

[twistedwankel]

Check those stations and see if any of them are adding 10% or 15% ethanol to their fuel. Milage decreases as Ethanol is added. I don't remember the exact number, but I think that Ethanol burns at about 85% efficiency of gasoline.

FYI: The whole state of FL is exempt from the oxygenated/ethanol fuels you speak of....for now. They also abolished the auto emissions testing after it was riddled with fraud and didn't work. That might have been the same year Bush got elected by the Supreme Court??? Good ole FL politics.

You can run 10% as mentioned in unleaded era bikes BUT no vehicle can withstand the 85% E unless specifically stated so like the late designated dual fuel taurus fords and more recently GM. It will dissolve the plastics in the fuel system including but not limited to fuel injectors, pumps, hoses, seals and carburetor components. And you do get much lower fuel economy making a No savings but environmentally more friendly?? On a positive note it does have a much higher octane rating. But steak will now cost $20/lb.

[twistedwankel]

It's been raining so backed off on riding but:

Second tank of Sunoco Premium 93 Octane no Ethanol finally used up and 48.2mpg with probably 50 miles of straight highway @ 70mph which I didn't so the first tank. So that's pretty good within a mile/gallon with normal for me riding.

I just filled it up again with 87 Sunoco Regular so that will be the final reality for this gas??

Hopefully I can use up this gas in a week??

[twistedwankel]

Regular Sunoco 87 final tankful

Just for fun and games, try the same ride with Sunoco Regular (87 octane) and post the results.

Expiring minds want to know. :shock:


.

Okay I could only get 3.5 gallons of regular leaving 1.5 gallons of Sunoco 93 octane in there but the results are in anyhow. Good enough for me.

I got 47.1mpg on the last tank of mostly regular 87. Alot more downshifting to avoid the irritating knock but if cruising on the hwy at a fixed speed you can obviously get similar mileage using reg instead of premium. Probably a coincidence but it was firing off quicker on the less octane. No choke and just a little twist of the throttle "pop".

Other tanks got 49mpg and 48mpg on Sunoco 93octane premium. For the 65 cents difference per tankfull I'll continue to buy Premium. Sunoco here is the same price as the Hess and Racetrak but way better mpg.

This isn't rocket science but you have to do alot of riding to use up that much gas in a couple weeks Baby it's hot outside here in FL. At least the lovebugs are gone now. When it's on my way I'll continue to use mostly Sunoco official gas of NASCAR

Doug

[Steve]

Thanks for the report.

Evidently there is something in your bike that is setting off the mixture and causing the pinging. Do you have stock cams, pistons and ignition timing? Those are the most likely culprits. On the other hand, if you have excessive carbon deposits on the pistons or valves, they could be setting it off, too.

Have you tried the mid-grade to see if it keeps the pinging down? It would only save you 30 cents or so per tank (10 cents per gallon), but if you ride like I do, 30 cents a tank adds up rather quickly. I went through 481 gallons in the last year, so it would have cost me an extra $48.


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[SqDancerLynn1]

My 850 is stock, when I had problems with it pinging IT was found to have a leaking intake boot

[twistedwankel]

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

My last post on this subject that I restarted.

Just filled up with Sunoco 89 Octane fuel to see if it works okay. I can hear the knock below 3000rpm just like with 87 regular. Now maybe some of you folks are using baffle free exhausts but my stock exhaust even with a 3/4 helmet covering my ears and I can hear the rods knock with other than 93 octane no matter whose brand it is. I'm also of the school to keep the motor working moderately rather than making it scream all the time so I hate routinely running high rpms around town. Smooth not jerky.

I will be buying Premium forever or until my bike has 8:1 compression or my hearing goes south permanently. My bike still has only 26k on it and even tho' 26 years have passed it still has all it's balls in the rack. I'm now putting 5k a year on it as live in a warm place and don't work anymore With a special thanks to the two previous owners who never rode it more than 1k a year up north.

Doug

[49er]

My last post on this subject that I restarted.

Just filled up with Sunoco 89 Octane fuel to see if it works okay. I can hear the knock below 3000rpm just like with 87 regular. Now maybe some of you folks are using baffle free exhausts but my stock exhaust even with a 3/4 helmet covering my ears and I can hear the rods knock with other than 93 octane no matter whose brand it is. I'm also of the school to keep the motor working moderately rather than making it scream all the time so I hate routinely running high rpms around town. Smooth not jerky.

I will be buying Premium forever or until my bike has 8:1 compression or my hearing goes south permanently. My bike still has only 26k on it and even tho' 26 years have passed it still has all it's balls in the rack. I'm now putting 5k a year on it as live in a warm place and don't work anymore With a special thanks to the two previous owners who never rode it more than 1k a year up north.

Doug

Thanks for your research and report back Doug.
You pretty well concur with what I have experienced over the years.
Cheers