Ethanol blended fuel.

Question

Ethanol blended fuel.

I have heard everything from my bike runs poorly to my millage goes down to it will destroy your engine or fuel system if using fuel with ethanol in it.

For me I did a little test.

I ran a total of 6 tanks of fuel all with the same octane rating, I alternated between the Ethanol and regular unleaded gas. 3 with Ethanol and 3 with out it and I cant tell any difference at all.

Seat of the pants performance was the same as was millage.

I get depending of riding conditions 1 up no trailer 175 – 180 miles out of a tank of fuel before the fuel light comes on and I got the 175-180 regardless of which fuel I was using.

Now as for will it hurt your motor or fuel system only time will tell but my bike is a 07 with FI with close to 40k on it and most of the fuel that has been put through it was ethanol blended fuel and so far no problems that could be blamed on fuel.

Whats your opinion?

3 years 0 Answers 979 views 0

Answers ( No )

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    I run on pump gas aswellup to 10u0025 with carbs ona 90 I’ve put 20 l on her since iv ownd it and looking for over 20 k this year alone no problems except worn tires

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    Question, you never said what ethanol value you were running. What percentage?

    I have yet to find a gas station with the higher 15u0025 ethanol gas so couldn’t test it even if I was inclined to which I’m not as the manufacturer states it will damage the engine. We all know the 10u0025 ethanol is actually a level that manufacturers say are ok.

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    More of a problem on older bikes – their tanks and rubber parts (seals/tubes) weren’t made to deal with it. More of A long term problem of deteriorating lines and build ups. Once again though newer bikes might be made to deal with it as most fuels have a tiny part ethanol now

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    It’s not so much of a performance issue as it is a long term fucking up your fuel system issue.

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    The ethanol eats away at the rubber in your fuel system. Turns your gas line( hose) into jelly, same with the diaphram in your petcock

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    My results were quite different than yours. Problem is getting an accurate baseline. All e fuels contain varying amounts of ethanol, some gas is sold as E0 but has it. The larger the engine the less you notice any performance change. I notice a slight seat of the pants increase in throttle response and a sight increase in fuel economy. I ride a V Strom. In my trucks I notice no change. I run it when I can, it does damage older fuel systems. 3 years ago I couldn’t find E0, today it is everywhere. I run it in my yard equipment and cycles.

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    I follow the manufacurers recommendations. For me that is premium with a rating of 91. A far as the mileage, ethanol will give you less miles per gallon than regular gas. Alcohol is not a complex hydrocarbon like gas and less energy per mole.Therfore less energy when combusted means less mileage. It is not physically possible to get the same mileage, although you may not notice much difference.

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    As for mileage, gas/ethanol has 10u0025 ethanol. Ethanol is 30u0025 less efficient than gasoline. Therefore, gas with 10u0025 ethanol should only drop the fuel mileage by 3u0025. If someone used straight ethanol in a vehicle, the mileage would drop 30u0025. If you ask someone who drives a flex fuel car and uses E-85 flex fuel (85u0025 ethanol/15u0025 gas), I’m sure they will tell you they lose about 25u0025 on mileage when using E-85.

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    well explained.

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    Just get an Indian, engines are made to work with ethanol!

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    Ethanol blend at 10u0025 max has been the law since 1979. Only recently has it been legal to sell fuel without. That said, any scooter built to run unleaded will do fine on 10u0025. It has to be kept fresh, but not JUST because of alcohol. The chemical make up of motorfuel is a hodgepodge of things that do NOT play well together! Correct storage is a must, but running it sucessfuly is not an issue. I do recomend using an addiitional cleaner on a semi- regular basis. NOT because of alcohol, because of everything else messing with your injectors! Ride it with gust!!

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    the problem is when these guys dinner ride every 3 months the fuel goes to shit so they act like its the fuels fault.

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    Michael, I had this problem with some 92 octane fuels not burning clean at low speeds & idle.

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    The problem is when it sits for a time not when u run it right through, after time water forms with the gas and separates causing a poor burn inturn cause internal damage from water

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    No engine is designed to run on ethanol the bigger engines run better then the small displacements

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    Been there ,seen it , take a glass jar fill it 3/4 let it sit for 2-3 days youll see the separation first hand

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    Ethanol, as I understand it, will slowly eat away at the rubber bits of your fuel systemIF they are not rated for ethanol, BUT I also understand that the automotive industry went to ethanol safe fuel lines and such in like 2005 or some where near there.

    I am not sure if the motorcycle industry did the same or not. If they did you should be safe, if not. . . . . Your guess is as good as mine.

    I do know the motorcycle industry has raised all kinds of hell with the idea of going to 15u0025 ethanol (against it) so I am not sure what to think of that. . . .

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    It’s a can of worms for sure. Had to replace the float needle in my son’s bike cause it all of a sudden started running so rich at idle that it flooded it. The alcohol eat up the rubber needle and caused it to overflow the bowl. Used to deal with the same thing years ago with older pickups and cars when they first started pushing the blended fuels here.

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    The real problem with E10 or higher u0025 is the amount of water that will build up in the tank after long usage and with storage. If you run a tank of 100u0025 gas (ethanol free ) every few tanks you will do fine. Do not store your bike for any real length of time with E10 in the tank or fuel system. Stability fluids seem to work well to help during low riding periods. I try to top off my two last tanks of the riding season will non ethanol fuel and then for storage add staybil

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    I live in Florida and generally go through at least a tank on every ride. The Ethanol problem is real and what it was supposed to do for the environment if voodoo science. The AMA, American Motorcyclist Assn. is one of the organizations trying to change laws to protect us. If you accidently fill your bike with E-15 you void the warranty if a problem arrises.

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    OK. Vote the SOB’s oughta office…. That will fix a lot of our problems. The auto, marine, & motorcycle industry re-engineered in the early ’80s for 10u0025 alcohol.It,s a done deal, most of our runability issues are from other ingrediants in our fuel. IT’S JUNK!! Phase seperation is an ethanol problem, but that is from storage. You don’t want alcohol, add a cup of water to your fuel can, shake, let sit, siphon off fuel to water line….. all fuel. Still, not gasoline!!! Smile.

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    It isnt that it rotts the rubber lines and gaskets but the internal damage from the water that burns valaves and pistons

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    I was just bringing up WHAT I UNDER STOOD the problem is/was, I do not claim to be 100u0025 right, or a expert on the subject by any means. . . . and Chris, I know you was not trying to say other wise, I am clarifying the things I said.

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    No, really, Older rubber components do not like alcohol. Even as recent as two years ago stihl had to do a major change to carb components because of it. Their stuff sometimes would quit running after just a couple of tanks. All they are really doing is keeping the price of corn artificial high, no real benefit of using it.

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