Octane does matter

[Roadster Renovations]

I am sure you guys are like me; always looking for the cheapest "good gas". I have been using either 87 or 89 octane and the other day when I filled up the bike was idling a little ragged. I also noticed that I was getting just a slight tappet noise upon takeoff. I figured that the gas I got was slightly lower octane than I had been running. The engine must have a knock sensor and retarded the engine timing to compensate for the lower octane as the takeoff noise went away. With a little over 1/2 of the tank gone I decided to blend some 93 in there. I could not believe the difference! It has more power than it ever has! Can't say for sure, but it feels like the HP has increased by a goodly amount. I think from now on I will put the higher octane in. Also, not sure yet, but it looks like my mileage has improved with the higher octane. So, the additional $2 on a fillup may be a good enough tradeoff. I'm going to run a few tanks of 93 and see what happens!

 

[Chupaca]

Always has..!!

For the difference in price I don't see why anyone would use minimum octane. Even if brp says you can run 87 the higher octane is so much better in so many ways. Hopefully folks did not buy their roadster for economy...:thumbup:

 

[Bob Denman]

You DO realize that we'll get about 27 people to post, saying that they run old bug juice through theirs, and they all run GREAT! :shocked:

 

[ulflyer]

In my neck of the woods, premium is 40c per gal more; that's $2 every fill-up. You do what your wallet will allow........

 

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

when i got my bike i was told to run only super but i will try the bug juice if i can save some money

 

[robmorg]

No bug juice for me! I run nothing but avgas 100LL in mine. Buy it at the local airport. Really makes it fly!!

 

[Bob Denman]

93 Octane here... :thumbup: Ever since Day One in both of my RTs. (Other than a brief test of 87 in my 2010...)

 

[n1njazx7]

I always say "if your going to play you are going to have to pay". I didn't buy my Spyder to replace my everyday car so it is my another toy. If I could not afford the gas I would have not brought the toy. Just my 2 cents.

 

[robmorg]

93 Octane here... :thumbup: Ever since Day One in both of my RTs. (Other than a brief test of 87 in my 2010...)

Did you notice a difference during your brief test?

 

[Bob Denman]

Over a 2 mpg mileage drop... :shocked: :gaah:

 

[Roadster Renovations]

Octane Booster

I have some octane booster my dad had a few years ago. Was thinking about adding the wee bit to a tank see what happens! Any problems that might occur?

 

[Bob Denman]

If you're already running enough octane; why waste it? :dontknow:
It simply isn't needed.

 

[sddinnh]

Any "Brand Name" gas I can find at the recommended 91 or above. If I can get Shell 93 then I run that, other wise I just stick with the book. I burn roughly 500 gal a year thru it. At .40 cents more a gallon, that's $200 at the most difference in price.

 

[Frank G]

No bug juice for me! I run nothing but avgas 100LL in mine. Buy it at the local airport. Really makes it fly!!

You are the first one I know of that is running 100LL, I always thought it would run fine in the spyder. We collect the preflight samples and dump it into the old Simplicity we use for a toter, runs fine. I do not think the 100LL Dispensing Nozzle will fit the automotive (Spyder) fill hole. Security at most airports would prohibit most from access to the fuel.

 

[Bob Denman]

Any "Brand Name" gas I can find at the recommended 91 or above. If I can get Shell 93 then I run that, other wise I just stick with the book. I burn roughly 500 gal a year thru it. At .40 cents more a gallon, that's $200 at the most difference in price.

I WISH that I burned that much fuel... :bowdown:
It looks as if the 1330should use about 130 gallons this year. For the 50 bucks or so difference; I'm more than happy to know that my bike is getting what the engineers say hat it should. :thumbup:

 

[wis2013rtltd]

I have never understood

The mentality of spending close to 30, 000 for a machine and then running anything in the tank with a lower octane that is recommended. It's literally a few bucks a fill up. If you drive 12,000 miles a year at 30 mpg your only buying 400 gallons of fuel X .40 per gallon equals 160.00. Thank god we have choices, and each to their own, but if you opt for the cheap blend be sure not to trip over the 1.00 bottle of water after it falls out of the 80.00 cup holder.

 

[ValCruzSpyder]

MY THOUGHTS

Buying cheap fuel for your Spyder is akin to buying Cubic Zirconia for your wife...Sooner or later, you're going to be left stranded on the side of the road...alone!! Just my 2-cents!!!

 

[Bob Denman]

...And that's only if she doesn't back over you, before leaving! :shocked:

 

[ValCruzSpyder]

But.......

If you put cheap gas in HER car, you might have a chance to move out of the way!!!!:roflblack::roflblack:

 

[bluestratos]

Unless you drive differentlywith the higher octane gas you will also see a better MPG that off sets the higher cost of the fuel. Back in the 70's big name gas would "retune" your car to run on lower octane (a lot of cars required higher octane similar our spyders). They simply retarded the timing to allow the lower grade fuels to burn without knocking, trouble was you fuel mileage along with power would drop noticeably. There was no other choice in those days, today our engines have sensors and electronics that will change the timing automatically to suit the fuel (within reason of course). That being said, the results are the same, less mpg and power when the timing is retarded.

We used to use 1% acetone to raise our octane even further but we had to retime to take advantage of it. I could push my 351 to 13 degrees before tdc and believe me it was a huge increase in HP.

Our back yard method in setting time to the max was simple. Ensure the engine was tuned to spec, using the desired octane gas with additive then add a degree of advance with the timing light. Go to a near by hill and starting a the bottom of it and boot it. If the engine pinged a little that was ok but if it rattled it was too much timing. This was repeated until it could take no more then backed off .5 to 1 degree.