E5 & E10 Ethanol Fuel for Vmax - Safe ?

[Cybergrizzly]

How safe it is to use E5 or E10 Ethanol fuel on our Vmaxes ? My country is about to mandate the use of E5 and later towards E10 Ethanol fuel. I am worried about the effect on my Vmax. Should I worry or not. Or maybe there is an additive to counteract the ethanol damaging effects to carburated engines.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Lots of guys have horror stories. Personally I've never experienced issues with it. E10 for at least 10 years now where I live.

The one thing I know for sure is true is that it LIKES water. It will suck it in from the atmosphere and hold it. Causing possible rust issues. I wouldn't leave it sitting for months with E10 in it without some remedial action.

Theoretically its associated with a slight power loss as well.

 

[Traumahawk]

lots of guys have horror stories. Personally i've never experienced issues with it. E10 for at least 10 years now where i live.

The one thing i know for sure is true is that it likes water. It will suck it in from the atmosphere and hold it. Causing possible rust issues. I wouldn't leave it sitting for months with e10 in it without some remedial action.

Theoretically its associated with a slight power loss as well.

+1

 

[davesax36]

I wish I could still buy just gas anywhere near here.

 

[DMAN999]

As stated in the Vmax Owners Manual (see attached picture), Gas with up to 10% Ethanol will work fine with our Bikes.
Personally I add some Star-Tron or Sta-Bil Ethanol Treatment every other tank or so just to be safe.

 

[Ost85vmax]

I personally use a product called Pri-g. Have been using it for years and think it has been even better than stabil. That's another topic in itself but just throwing another option out there. I get mine online or at a camping supply place, more designed towards rv's. good stuff. $35 for a small jug but treats 512 gallons.

 

[tugla]

Gonna cause issues for sure. Some star tron or sea foam for sure.....

Won't have to do tuning to keep it running right but keep eye on fuel lines and rust in tank.
Spare fuel filter inline will help in long run....

 

[Cybergrizzly]

+1 on your comments. Thanks. I'll keep an eye for some of these products in the local stores. Not being in the USA makes it difficult to get a variety of products.

 

[Diablotin]

I use E10 since I have no choice. It was a tendency to clog the jets after time. I end up cleaning them more often that I wish.
I use seafoam every now and then and it does a good job.
Don't let the bike sitting for too long else you get rust in the tank, stuck slides, etc.


Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[m-cman]

In addition to less power you will also get worse gas mileage. Seafoam is a cleaner but will not clean really bad deposits. StarTron keeps the ethanol from separating from the gas and attracting water. It was used in marinas for boat motors first but proved to also help all engines that sit with ethanol gas. If you ride every day and keep fresh gas you should be ok. If it sits for any length of time, it will cause problems. Rust, corrosion, deposits, etc. Monitor closely (especially the gas tank for rust/particles) and keep a good fuel filter installed.

 

[SpecOps13]

I can't help in Panama but for everyone in the US aand Canada see the link.

Use a good additive if you use Ethanol. My Brother in Law is getting very rich rebuilding Carbs for everything imaginable....


Real Gas Here: http://pure-gas.org/


Personally, I use Ethanol Free in everything. Better gas mileage and a lot less problems. I HATE ETHANOL!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jfeagins]

Here in Missouri, we have E10 mandated by law, and it is impossible to get 100% pure gasoline. My 85 will run OK on it, but with a slight difference in idle characteristics, idle speed, and mileage. When we run down to Arkansas for the day, or weekend, we can find the 100% pure stuff and it is like a welcomed tuneup. I will have to re-adjust my idle speed by nearly 200 rpms by days' end, and the idle simply 'sounds' better at 1k rpms running 100% than it does with E10. I never really check fuel mileages any more, but as I recall, when I first began having to use E10, I think the hwy mileage fell by 3-4 mpg.

http://www.ehow.com/how_7830109_remove-ethanol-gasoline.html
Here's a link to instructions on removing the chit from gasoline. Sounds easy enough, and I'm sure it works as advertised, but I've never found the time, or inclination, to actually trying this. Also, I've read the experts agree that if you do separate the E from your fuel, you should be adding some octane booster back when you are done.

 

[95spfldmax]

In addition to less power you will also get worse gas mileage. Seafoam is a cleaner but will not clean really bad deposits. StarTron keeps the ethanol from separating from the gas and attracting water. It was used in marinas for boat motors first but proved to also help all engines that sit with ethanol gas. If you ride every day and keep fresh gas you should be ok. If it sits for any length of time, it will cause problems. Rust, corrosion, deposits, etc. Monitor closely (especially the gas tank for rust/particles) and keep a good fuel filter installed.

I HAVE to use E10 as well and my bike runs fine day-to-day. I hear it does long term problems to rubber-type parts and sitting "too long" is bad as well........same as stated above.....

 

[Cybergrizzly]

I think that I will stop by a boat shop to see if they have anything available to help with the Ethanol. They might, but being in Panama not sure because since we didn't have Ethanol fuel before chances are that the shop would not bring it down. We will see.

We are in the rainy season which goes from April thru December. We get sunny days but it is like playing roulette, so I sadly do not use the Max very often. I must say that it is likely that I will encounter problems. Thanks for all the postings.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Honestly I wouldn't worry about it. Its coming, its all you'll be able to get eventually.

Just ride it regularly and do proper storage procedures if not riding it.

Other than that I don't feel you need to take any special precautions to run the stuff as long as you don't let it sit for months with the same gas.

Others will have different horror stories, I believe them, just haven't experienced it myself...

For the record I too HATE ethanol in gas, but for political reasons mostly, it was nothing but a payoff to the Midwest farming regions to buy votes....resulting in higher gas prices AND higher farm yield prices.....

 

[Biker Dash]

Here in Maine, we went to E-10 gas a few years ago, and I noticed a significant drop in power and mileage.

I HIGHLY recommend Startron. You know how they advertise that it restores the power lost caused by Ethenol in your fuel?

IT FUCKIN WORKS!!!

Dyno proven, and I am NOT going by the advertizer's dyno sheet. I put MY bike on the dyno and confirmed it!

One oz. every fill-up, and your bike will be VERY happy.

DO EET!!! DOO EEETTT NAO!!!

 

[m-cman]

I have been using Startron for a couple years. My bike has been sitting in storage most of the time lately, driven maybe 100 miles in the last year. It starts and runs fine even if sitting for 2 or 3 months without being started. Great stuff. Used to only be available in Marine/Boat stores. Works so well with the ethanol problem that even Wal-Mart has it now. Either in the boating or auto chemical section.