Alcohol Testing

[richwrench]

I just received my test kit today. http://www.fuel-testers.com/product_gas_alcohol.html
The first thing I did was to sample the fuel that's currently in my bike - came from 7-11 & measured about 7% alcohol.
I then went to a local gas station in Tarpon Springs that advertises "No Alcohol" & bought a sample & tested it. They are legit - No Alcohol !
While I was out I also purchased some Star Tron Enzyme fuel treatment from Wally World. http://mystarbrite.com/startron/
Here's the dilemma - alcohol-free gasoline is 20 cents a gallon more that E10. An 8 oz. bottle of Star Tron is about 8 bucks a bottle, which works out to about 6 cents a gallon. Is it better to run pure gasoline, or buy the Star Tron & add it at every fill ? Because the place is so close & I like to support local business, I think I will purchase pure gas while I still can. I spoke with the owner today & he says it's getting very difficult to get pure fuel any more. I think I'll run his gas as long as I can, then go back to E10 when I have to.
I may buy some E10 gas & store it in open buckets with various additives ( Seafoam, Star Tron, etc) & see which additives absorb more moisture over time. It's pretty humid here, so it should be a pretty good torture test of fuel additives. Hope the pics came out OK - any thoughts ? ( ok - no pics - don't know what happened )

 

[RaWarrior]

Does your bike run poorly using E10 fuel? Most engines, including the Vmax plant are designed to run on up to 10% alcohol. I will say I've noticed my Max tends to run just a hair...."better" on straight gas, but it also runs just fine on E10. It's so slight, it could be a placebo-effect that I'm expecting it to run better on real gas, and I'd probably never notice a difference otherwise.

If your Max has motor issues, I don't think the E10 should be the first thing to point your finger at. Sure, 100% gas is better, but 10% has a pretty minimal effect, in road vehicles at least. Boats are another story. If you want to support the local business and get real gas, go for it, but I wouldn't feel the need to add some treatment when using E10. It's not going to hurt your bike. Espically since fuel doesn't tend to sit around for a long time in a bike's tank, it doesn't have a chance to absorb moisture. I know at least for me and my driving habits, I can fill up, and be back at the pump like 2 hours later. I drive my Max pretty much every day in the summer, so the gas is never more than a day or two old.

Other than some sea-foam in old, neglected motors, I don't subscribe to the "use every fill up" additives. If the motor doesn't run well, adding some fuel treatment isn't likely to help, or if it does it's just covering up another problem. I'd rather fix the problem than mask it. Plus, I'm cheap and could never buy some $8 bug juice every day or two.

At the marina where I work we get this marine times newsletter thing, and there was a write up in it about ethanol additives. They tested the star-tron blue stuff, the sta-bil marine, valvtect, and something else. The sta-bil marine proved to be by far the best at preventing corrosion and absorbing moisture, and I think the star tron was rated the worst.

Also taking a look at the Star tron site, makes me doubt it even more. They claim it "dramatically improves fuel economy" by "modifying how gas burns". What? Spark goes off, gas blows up, about 12% of that energy is harvested by the engine. That's an internal combustion engine.

 

[richwrench]

My bike runs fine now, but when I bought it the carbs were trashed. Not un-common at all for anything that sits around. My concern really is the age of my bike. In '96 I don't think manufacturers were using parts designed for alcohol. If it was newer I don't think I would be so concerned. I'm not a long distance rider, but I ride several times a week & use the gas up pretty quickly. I'm going to try different fuels this summer & see if I can tell any difference myself. I just want to minimize any long-term problems to the fuel system if I can help it.

 

[4gasem]

Any new tests on this Rich?

Check out my VERY unscientific test.

Chris

 

[richwrench]

I haven't followed through with the tests yet. Daughter got married, then I was working O/T because of our stupid new SAP system at work, & now hunting season just opened early this year. LOL Haven't been using the Startron because I've been burning up the fuel regularly. I need to work on cosmetics - I painted half the motor - now the other half looks like hell, & Sean may have a center seat cover replacement for the one I have that's torn. I kinda agree with Rawarrior's posts on other threads about all the bogus "snake oil" fuel additives out there, but Startron doesn't have any alcohol in it, so I still have half a bottle on the shelf that I want to play around with. As far as your unscientific test, hey, it's better than nothing. We all get to know our vehicles very well over time & we recognize slight changes more than outsiders would. It's just so freakin hot lately that when I get home from work the last thing I want to do is hang out in my garage (unless I'm fishin' for a cold one in the 'fridge).

 

[CaptainKyle]

It's just so freakin hot lately that when I get home from work the last thing I want to do is hang out in my garage (unless I'm fishin' for a cold one in the 'fridge).[/QUOTE] I understand the feeling but the garage is wher eI make my money. I still dont generally work on any thing untill the weekends but its getting real old. I have not got to go on a good ride since my last ride I done with the club. I am about over it.

 

[Slacker]

I don't understand why the push for alcohol fuel, unless it's farm aid. It takes about as much std fuel to make the alcohol equivalent. Mileage decreases on my vehicles.

I happened to come across a site where scientists, chemists and such like were talking about alcohol fuels. They agreed that exhausted alcohol does make o zone, but not in the atmosphere, where it is needed. The o zone stays at the surface, where we live and breathe. From what I gathered, it isn't a good thing.

I've put this up before... 'Fossil' fuels isn't from dino's, like we heard in school. Seen a report that stated, after WW II, Stalin sent his boys out to find the hows and whys of oil. They found that oil was made of two elements down deep in the earth, compressed to over 1500 psi, with the extreme heat, turns into oil. With the earth's centrifical force, the oil is slung into pockets towards the earth's surface. Gravity then takes over, unless gas pressures push it to the surface. The Russians have drilled down a dozen miles plus and found oil. They stated there's a natural, endless supply of fuel oil.

 

[naughtyG]

I understand the feeling but the garage is where I make my money. I still don't generally work on any thing until the weekends but its getting real old. I have not got to go on a good ride since my last ride I done with the club. I am about over it.

I guess I should stop feeling crap about the fact it's been rather gray and well cold compared to FL over here in Paris..
I do miss riding though, and my Max. Big time. I miss you guys too!

 

[CaptainKyle]

I guess I should stop feeling crap about the fact it's been rather gray and well cold compared to FL over here in Paris..
I do miss riding though, and my Max. Big time. I miss you guys too!

Yeah I could use some cool right now if it did not cost so much on the electric bill I would put ac in the garage.

 

[SpecOps13]

My bike does run like crap with Ethinol. I've been running real Unleaded for some time and when I put 10% Ethinol in on a ride, I know it as soon as it gets to the carbs. I'll pay the extra for gas to keep it running better.:biglaugh:

Wish I had time for a real ride. 4 companies have me testing new parts for their weapon systems and they're all up my butt to complete my work.