Fuel

[BryanSD]

....Sir I'm not dissing you - however you are mis-taken on this ...... the " best chance " ( really ONLY chance ) on NOT getting Ethyl in your gas is using the gas from a pump labeled " NON-ETHYL GAS " ...The GRADE of gas has absolutely NOTHING to do with Alcohol content ........ not JMHO ...... Mike :thumbup:

Mike, I understand the difference between octane ratings and alcohol content. But as JFD mentioned in his post, IN PRACTICE for those of us that live in the corn states you'll almost NEVER find non-ethyl gas in the lower/mid grades as every pump is required by mandates to carry blended gas/ethanol. Yes, premium gas can contain ethanol (so you're not wrong here)...but many of the premium pumps are non-ethyl in my neck of the woods. Thus why I stated that if I want "pure gas" my only option is Premium (except when it it). The worst label is "may contain up to XX% Ethanol" which tells the consumer nothing.

 

[ARtraveler]

Update: We did 153 miles today. All highway except for the ten mile jog through Anchorage. Used 87 Octane. The 2014 (1330) got me 38 miles per gallon and the 2011 (998) got 33 mpg. That is a couple miles per gallon better than usual for the 2011. :yes:

 

[Fat Baxter]

Down here in Alabama, I found one gas station that has a non-ethyl gas pump. It's regular (87) octane, and it costs as much as premium does with its 10% ethyl. It's used mainly by boaters whose engines crap out on ethyl gas.

 

[fatenhappy]

I can not find where it states the type of fuel, but been running super in the st.. Any draw back using just regular fuel on long trips ?

Are you running with a stock ECU / Engine etc ? …

 

[SPYD3R]

no 'E'

i run 87 octane, no "E" gas 80% of the time... when i can't find the no "E", i use the 87 octane with the corn syrup in it...
i've used the 87 octane in both my SPYD3RS; RS & F3 since new... i've had ZERO fuel issues ever, and that includes performance...
i changed the plugs (3) in my F3 a couple months ago at 44,480 miles of smiles, and the plugs looked perfect, see pic...
keep in mind that the computer will compensate for octane variations and elevations...

worry less, ride more....
Dan P
SPYD3R

 

[Easy Rider]

keep in mind that the computer will compensate for octane variations and elevations...

Not completely.

There is no "octane detector" as such.

Do I need to explain the difference between "spark knock" and "compression knock" yet again ??

 

[SPYD3R]

cpu

Not completely.

There is no "octane detector" as such.

Do I need to explain the difference between "spark knock" and "compression knock" yet again ??

the CPU will retard/advance the spark for variations to the point where you'll never notice any gain/loss in performance....

 

[Easy Rider]

the CPU will retard/advance the spark for variations to the point where you'll never notice any gain/loss in performance....

Still wrong. There are no "variations". If the maximum spark advance causes ping, the advance will be dialed back.
Exactly how much and how often it is sampled varies from one type of engine to another.......but ALL it has to go on is the presence or absence of a ping immediately after the spark is delivered.

 

[SPYD3R]

ok

Still wrong. There are no "variations". If the maximum spark advance causes ping, the advance will be dialed back.
Exactly how much and how often it is sampled varies from one type of engine to another.......but ALL it has to go on is the presence or absence of a ping immediately after the spark is delivered.

ok, you win...

 

[fatenhappy]

I could have sworn Can Am recommended premium. Am I wrong?

You are spot on … straight off the Specification page … " Fuel type - Premium unleaded "

When I was talking with the people at Monster ECUs in Canada, they said specifically … "never use the basic grade of petrol unless it was an absolute emergency and even then only with certain provisions attached … and even then only as a must do .. I'll see if I can find their last email, then do a cut and paste with the content for you … (and that was even before their pixie dust treatment! ..) :yikes:nojoke:yikes:

Email found and edit added here as a cut and paste (but with me highlighting it for you guys) … And, is as follows from 'Steve', to myself on this very subject … "

Your (Australian) 95 Octane is what is normally recommended pre tune / re mapping.
98 is better after receiving the remapped ECU back and may see an improvement once you get half a tank through it.
Only use 91 in an emergency. (if your away and that's all you can get etc) But stay below half throttle and don't lug the engine. Keep revs higher with lower gears. - until the complete tank is cleared and you have 95+ back in it.
Your (Australian) 91,95, 98 Octane ratings is North America equivalent to 87,91,93 … (I never knew your American standard rating for Octanes was any differently rated to ours, but apparently so!)

So by his very definition you should normally be running on 91 Octane for the States (North America at a MINIMUM) and only ever using your 87 Octane in an absolute emergency on a stock engine …

Monster Fuel Injection

Ontario Canada

226 909 2029


Hope this helps … Greg S

 

[fatenhappy]

Not completely.

There is no "octane detector" as such.

Do I need to explain the difference between "spark knock" and "compression knock" yet again ??

…" There is no "octane detector" as such."

Well this isn't quite right either, is it - particularly if we start to think a bit more laterally ? … There is indeed an 'octane sensor' but in a slight variation in the form of the O2 sensor which is found mounted about the area of my exhaust collector on my F3-T, thereby collectively sampling all three exhaust port gas groups in that one area. In fact that is a very important part of its job … Among other functions, the O2 sensor controls or contributes to many different engine functions, including fuel/air mixture, engine timing and engine combustion intervals via the ECU.

 

[Easy Rider]

…… There is indeed an 'octane sensor' but in a slight variation in the form of the O2 sensor

Oxygen and octane are entirely different things. The oxygen sensor can NOT detect any changes from different octane ratings of the fuel in use.

My smoke detector is going off.

 

[Bob Denman]

don't you think that it'd just be easier to say that "They have set the 1330 up to run best on 91 Octane.", and let it go at that? :banghead:
You guys seem to like throwing poo at one another... :dontknow:

 

[Easy Rider]

don't you think that it'd just be easier to say that "They have set the 1330 up to run best on 91 Octane.", and let it go at that? :banghead:

Yes but that is only PART of the story.

As was indicated in another post, under some circumstances having a fuel that is too low in octane rating can actually damage the engine.
AND under those circumstances, the engine computer can NOT save it.

Thankfully most owners never encounter that kind of situation so they can get away with burning whatever is available commercially.

NOW......if you go up to a high altitude and fill up with the low octane stuff that they sell there......and immediately go back down to sea level and ride it REALLY hard.......all bets are off.

 

[Bob Denman]

Q.E.D.

 

[StickerPatch]

Mention of Ethyl...

I saw this in two different posts and maybe this is being picky but here goes.. Ethyl is Tetra Ethyl Lead that used to be in gas before the Unleaded revolution and is not related to Ethanol. Premium gas like Chevron White Pump or Sunoco 260 was what was referred to as premium in the old days.. Today RON rating is strange in that is supposed to be the rating at the pump. FWIW I use premium in my bikes and always have because down stream at overhaul the cleaner burning gas leaves fewer deposits.. I have started using Seafoam in everything I own if for nothing else than as a preservative. I used Lucas Injector cleaner in the past and my 2010 Ford had 320,000 miles on it when I sold it and still got 19mpg and no oil use between changes.. Just Sayin'

 

[Easy Rider]

FWIW I use premium in my bikes and always have because down stream at overhaul the cleaner burning gas leaves fewer deposits.. I have started using Seafoam in everything I own if for nothing else than as a preservative.

Well those are two good ways to just throw your money away.
So called "premium" gas does NOT automatically "burn cleaner".
And SeaFoam is just snake oil.....mostly.
It is a minimally respectable fuel stabilizer......but "everything you own" certainly does not need a stabilizer all the time.
All the rest that is claimed for it is mostly marketing hype.

But do whatever makes you happy, just don't try to convince me that I should do that too.

 

[StickerPatch]

Well those are two good ways to just throw your money away.
So called "premium" gas does NOT automatically "burn cleaner".
And SeaFoam is just snake oil.....mostly.
It is a minimally respectable fuel stabilizer......but "everything you own" certainly does not need a stabilizer all the time.
All the rest that is claimed for it is mostly marketing hype.

But do whatever makes you happy, just don't try to convince me that I should do that too.

I made no mention on what others should do..this is my opinion..that what FWIW means.. and most everything I have can go a month between fill ups and the "new" unleaded formulations with the clean air chemicals lasts about 30 days before going sour..don't get so cranky..just suggestions..

 

[Fat Baxter]

Your (Australian) 91,95, 98 Octane ratings is North America equivalent to 87,91,93 … [/COLOR]

Down here in Alabama, the selections are 87, 89, and 93.

 

[asp125]

Even more complicated - altitude effects

Here in Colorado, you can hardly find 93 octane. Most carry 85 / 87 / 91. My Spyder and my other bikes run fine on 87 at 6000ft, no need to pour my money down the tank. Once in a while I will put 91 in, but no seat of the pants data to tell if there's a difference in performance.

Also, with the Ethanol stuff, here's a website that lists by states where you can get pure no-ethyl gas. https://www.pure-gas.org/