| Author | Message | ||
     Sokota |
anyone run race fuel , like cam 2 , owners manual says not to was wondering why. not all the time just for a kick in the pants on occasion. ok?....don't do? | ||
| Glitch  |
I think it'll hurt you O2 sensor. If the manual says not to, there's probably a good reason. | ||
| Hogs |
13000 klm`s on mine now with the last 12000 with octane booster, no plms. yet don`t know about race fuel though.. | ||
| Newxb9er  |
Do a search on that. Race fuel does absolutely nothing for you. Higher octane does not mean more hp. It's designed for race motors that need it for pre-detonation. Usually associated with high compression. | ||
| Sokota |
newxb9er......i have read that, but i have tried it in numerous M/Cs and have ALWAYS felt a substantial acceleration difference in all, especially in the top gears in roll on accelleration. have put in a flat head lawnmower [8 to 1 comp. ? ] and noticed a difference,ate right thru grass it was stalling in. no kidding. this is first fuel injected bike[pick it up tomorrow] i will leave the race gas out of it, use it only in the B 50 MX [BSA vintage moto-crosser] | ||
| Blake |
It is correct that higher octane does nothing for engines that don't need it to prevent detonation (pinging). It is also true that racing grades of fuel are a LOT more than just higher octane pump gas. Think of purpose built formulations of racing fuel as the fuel equivalent to synthetic racing oil; it contains all the best molecules and none of the bad and is all about racing with little to no concern for the rigors of daily running. The best most expensive racing fuel can add 5% to engine performance. Add nitromethane and you can boost it even higher. It can also evaporate extremely quickly as it is extremely volatile. Would be silly to leave any of the stuff in your tank. If you do run it, you'll want to be able to run it all, otherwise, especially in Summertime, it will evaporate right out of the vent tube. It is race fuel. I run plain old 93 Octane at the track. On account of I'm cheap.  Ignoring the manual when it advises not to use a certain fuel or additive is to risk serious problems. The O2 sensor reacts very badly to some fuel additives/compounds. | ||
| Slaughter  |
Lead will trash the O2 sensors in short order. L&L motorsports runs the trackside dyno out West and sells VP fuels and he told me NOT to buy his higher octane race fuel because I could lose HP with my stock compression ratios. My racebike is running at 10.5:1 and I'm using leaded race fuel - 92 octane Ultima4 - it's just as happy on premium pump but the lead helps valve life. VP claims a 6% power increase as compared to same octane pump fuel - that was tested in a race-fuel "shoot-out" in Roadracing World a while back (Message edited by slaughter on February 14, 2005) | ||
| Fullpower  |
stock xb is near 10 to 0ne compression, unleaded pump gas is going to work just fine. you will not cure any existing condition by running race fuel in a stock engine. my xb12 is very happy with 87 octane crap, many places thats all i can find. anybody yet get a cranking pressure reading on a stock 12?? only had my spark plugs out once in 10500 miles, and did not put the pressure guage on. | ||
| Blake |
Excellent point. Octane requirement is dependent as much on actual compression as it is on theoretical compression ratio. The high revving bikes with lots of overlap are running 11:1 and higher theoretical CRs but can often run fine on plain ole 87 octane pump fuell. I'd seriously cringe running it in a Buell though. Dean, I'd say you've been lucky and are playing with fire running standard octane in your Buell, unless that is you only do so when at higher elevations. Due to less air/oxygen at significantly higher elevations 89 or even 87 octane will be fine on account of the actual compression is decreased due to the thinner air. | ||
| Fullpower |
good point blake. i am right on the deck here. shop is a stones throw from the ocean. i was pretty anal about only seeking out the few stations around my vast state where 90 octane can be found. last summer i bought wife a Ducati, and was advised by the head wrench at the Ducati store that the Monsters really do prefer 87 octane, and that very oddly they are prone to some valve stem carbonaceous encrustation, and even warm weather driveability problems when run on the higher grades. this may or may not be complete BS, but since that time i have been filling both the M620 and the XB12 with the cheap stuff, nad they are running quite fine, without the least hint of any pinging or other distress. the family Sportsters however are veritable octane addicts, barely tolerant of 90 octane, they prefer various blends of 100 Low-Lead aviation gas, premium pump gas, and most enjoy 10 to 15% methanol blended in for good measure. For a time i hung an S&S G carb on sportster, ran straight methanol ( which as you know is fully 50% oxygen by weight) through a main jet drilled out to .118" not a misprint, i ran a main nearly one eighth of an inch inside diameter. through 2-1/4 inch straight pipes it sounded most like a fuel dragster, left that lovely acrid bite in the air, and had very serious traction problems in the lower 3 gears. it was fun, but traveling range was limited to 25 miles on the 3.3 gallon stock tank. | ||
| Thansesxb9rs  |
I'd be carefully with the use of race gas, the ecm might not be able to compensate for it and burn all the gas. I ran race gas in my motorcross bike for years with no problems, then i got the four stroke yamaha and I had it jetted pretty good and when the temp changed it started to run rich, next thing I new my muffler packing was on fire. Even though the XB's don't have packing it wouldn't be good to be shooting a flame on the tire. I would say stay away from it especially if the own's manually says to. | ||
| BadS1  |
I've ran race gas in my 12 without problem.It won't hurt a thing but it has to be unleaded race fuel or the oxygen sensor will screw up. | ||
| Blake |
Which brand/grade Dana? There are so many. | ||
| Chase12s |
Just had to bring this topic back up as I've found a gas station close by that sells unleaded oxygenated race fuel. Its 100 octane and its oxygenated with 10% ethanol just like every other pump gas. Do you guys think it will harm anything else to run the fuel??? Here's the product description from the manufacturer: Sunoco 260 GT - Sunoco 260 GT is a street legal, unleaded gasoline designed for high performance street cars, muscle cars, classics, street rods, motorcycles, karts, and marine applications. With a 100 octane rating, Sunoco 260 GT will allow significantly increased boost levels in supercharged or turbocharged applications. Sunoco 260 GT contains no metallic compounds to harm catalytic converters or oxygen sensors. It contains a comprehensive additive package for greater engine protection and reduced fuel system deposits. Sunoco 260 GT is also compatible with virtually all two-stroke synthetic and mineral based motor oils. |
