Gas quality and undesirable effects of ethanol fuel blends on a 1st gen VMAX

[Tim spain]

Hi guys, I have a 1992 1st gen Europen spec bike, that at least when it was made was designed to run on regular grade gasoline.

The problem here in spain (and all over Europe) is the increased amount of ethanol that is mandated to be added to the gas.

Regular grade gas here is 95 but this is about the same as USA 91, this in itself is not an issue, but what is, is that 10% ethanol is mandated to be in regular gasoline (now called E10).

It is the ethanol that is the potential problem, for damaging fuel lines and gumming up the carb internals and having a lower energy content in the fuel, due to the percentage of ethanol in the mix, as well as not staying mixed very well for any appreciable period of non use/storage etc etc.

Due to this I have been using 98 octane Shell v power or BP ultimate (equivalent to US 93/94), this didn't used to contain any ethanol, but now even the premium gas has to have 5% ethanol. I noticed this a few weeks back at the Shell gas station use.

It looks like I will have to change all of the fuel lines for ones that are better resistant to the ethanol content, which does cause damage to fuel lines not designed for it.

Ethanol is a bummer for older bikes (or cars etc), especially when there is no way of avoiding gas that contains it (at least here in spain anyway).

 

[Fire-medic]

Up to 15% ethanol is common here in the USA, it's been that way for decades. Any rubber gasoline rated fuel line should suffice. If you are going to not use your bike for > 2 weeks, I'd recommend draining the float bowls.

History of gasoline - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

 

[Tim spain]

Up to 15% ethanol is common here in the USA, it's been that way for decades. Any rubber gasoline rated fuel line should suffice. If you are going to not use your bike for > 2 weeks, I'd recommend draining the float bowls.

History of gasoline - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

Thank you

 

[Dorney]

Hi guys, I have a 1992 1st gen Europen spec bike, that at least when it was made was designed to run on regular grade gasoline.

The problem here in spain (and all over Europe) is the increased amount of ethanol that is mandated to be added to the gas.

Regular grade gas here is 95 but this is about the same as USA 91, this in itself is not an issue, but what is, is that 10% ethanol is mandated to be in regular gasoline (now called E10).

It is the ethanol that is the potential problem, for damaging fuel lines and gumming up the carb internals and having a lower energy content in the fuel, due to the percentage of ethanol in the mix, as well as not staying mixed very well for any appreciable period of non use/storage etc etc.

Due to this I have been using 98 octane Shell v power or BP ultimate (equivalent to US 93/94), this didn't used to contain any ethanol, but now even the premium gas has to have 5% ethanol. I noticed this a few weeks back at the Shell gas station use.

It looks like I will have to change all of the fuel lines for ones that are better resistant to the ethanol content, which does cause damage to fuel lines not designed for it.

Ethanol is a bummer for older bikes (or cars etc), especially when there is no way of avoiding gas that contains it (at least here in spain anyway).

Hi Tim
I don't know if you have a product called Star Tron over there. If you do that will keep everything in good shape for you. It works great for me just add to fuel.

 

[wayne billings]

I have used star tron for years. I t works very well and does not gel in extreme cold like stabil does. I even toss in a little sea foam for added cleaning.

 

[Dorney]

I have used star tron for years. I t works very well and does not gel in extreme cold like stabil does. I even toss in a little sea foam for added cleaning.

I like Sea Foam it's a good product & there's nothing wrong with what you're doing. The only thing I would say & it's totally up to you, but Star Tron does everything Sea foam does & more. Just put it out there you could save yourself some money if you want.

 

[Screwloose]

On a different note; does anyone know how much E5 fuel a VMax Gen1 uses at tick-over.

I measured mine last week and with pre-heated engine it came out as 250ml for 20 mins. But the evaluation was fairly basic with a wobbly dipstick.

 

[Tim spain]

Hi Tim
I don't know if you have a product called Star Tron over there. If you do that will keep everything in good shape for you. It works great for me just add to fuel.

Thank you for this I'll see if I can find it over here.

 

[Tim spain]

I like Sea Foam it's a good product & there's nothing wrong with what you're doing. The only thing I would say & it's totally up to you, but Star Tron does everything Sea foam does & more. Just put it out there you could save yourself some money if you want.

Thank you

 

[Tim spain]

I have used star tron for years. I t works very well and does not gel in extreme cold like stabil does. I even toss in a little sea foam for added cleaning.

Thank you

 

[CaptainKyle]

I like Sea Foam it's a good product & there's nothing wrong with what you're doing. The only thing I would say & it's totally up to you, but Star Tron does everything Sea foam does & more. Just put it out there you could save yourself some money if you want.

Yep Star Tron is my go to . I have used it for years to . It is good stuff.

 

[joksi]

Hi Tim,

on my experience (European gas) Ethanol is a real problem once you store your bike for longer periods (like for the wintertime). Bloody Ethanol cloggs jets and does all sorts of stupid stuff.

What helped me and my old scooters is this product, which you should get in Spain:
https://products.liqui-moly.com/petrol-stabiliser-1.html
I had a carb-scooter (Suzuki Burgman 400) which rested for 3 winters with this stuff in the petrol, moved a battery in, pressed the start button and it was running well from first moment. Without the stabilzier I had severe problems after 4 months of non-use.

Hope this helps you

 

[Parminio]

Never heard of Star Tron. I'll have to give that a try. My annual break in for the spring ride is half a bottle of Sea Foam and a full tank of gas.

 

[Tim spain]

Hi Tim,

on my experience (European gas) Ethanol is a real problem once you store your bike for longer periods (like for the wintertime). Bloody Ethanol cloggs jets and does all sorts of stupid stuff.

What helped me and my old scooters is this product, which you should get in Spain:
https://products.liqui-moly.com/petrol-stabiliser-1.html
I had a carb-scooter (Suzuki Burgman 400) which rested for 3 winters with this stuff in the petrol, moved a battery in, pressed the start button and it was running well from first moment. Without the stabilzier I had severe problems after 4 months of non-use.

Hope this helps you

Thank you for this info, I'll look out for it. Also have now found that star Tron is also available here in spain, so things are looking up! However, that said, I'l still stick to using Euro 98 gas (USA93/94) mainly as it has 5% ethanol and not 10% that the regular euro 95 gas (USA 91/92) contains. I'd better go out and fire the bike up and run it for a while to clear out the carbs as it has been a week now since I last rode it.

 

[joksi]

Thank you for this info, I'll look out for it. Also have now found that star Tron is also available here in spain, so things are looking up! However, that said, I'l still stick to using Euro 98 gas (USA93/94) mainly as it has 5% ethanol and not 10% that the regular euro 95 gas (USA 91/92) contains. I'd better go out and fire the bike up and run it for a while to clear out the carbs as it has been a week now since I last rode it.

If I was you (and i do that as a standard procedure) last ride in fall I fill up the tank, put LM in and run it for 100kms. Then top up and put the LM in again - never had a problem since years. Not on carbs, not on EFI's.

 

[Dorney]

Hi Tim,

on my experience (European gas) Ethanol is a real problem once you store your bike for longer periods (like for the wintertime). Bloody Ethanol cloggs jets and does all sorts of stupid stuff.

What helped me and my old scooters is this product, which you should get in Spain:
https://products.liqui-moly.com/petrol-stabiliser-1.html
I had a carb-scooter (Suzuki Burgman 400) which rested for 3 winters with this stuff in the petrol, moved a battery in, pressed the start button and it was running well from first moment. Without the stabilzier I had severe problems after 4 months of non-use.

Hope this helps you

The product that you showed didn't say anything about working on Ethanol were Star Tron does & it defiantly works.

 

[joksi]

The product that you showed didn't say anything about working on Ethanol were Star Tron does & it defiantly works.

Sorry @Dorney if you got the impression I might get commission from Liqui Moly. This is not the case at all.

My intension was purely to help @Tim spain since he is in Spain, Europe and lots of products pointed out here are either not available or extremely expensive in Europe. So also your Star Tron, which is 3times the price of the LM additive. Plus the LM might be available just around the corner, here at my location every gas station carries it.

To complete my suggestion, LM is preventing degradiation of gas, so also the influence of this bloody ethanol. And my suggestion was purely out of my own experience.

 

[Dorney]

Sorry @Dorney if you got the impression I might get commission from Liqui Moly. This is not the case at all.

My intension was purely to help @Tim spain since he is in Spain, Europe and lots of products pointed out here are either not available or extremely expensive in Europe. So also your Star Tron, which is 3times the price of the LM additive. Plus the LM might be available just around the corner, here at my location every gas station carries it.

To complete my suggestion, LM is preventing degradiation of gas, so also the influence of this bloody ethanol. And my suggestion was purely out of my own experience.

Sorry I didn't mean that at all. I read the bottle & it didn't say anything at all about protecting against Ethanol were Star Tron does. That's the only point I was trying to make meant no disrespect to you.

 

[RadiumPHX]

An interesting piece on fuel stabilizers:
I wont add any of these and only run Non-E fuel (91)

 

[VMAXXIMUM]

I use Techron with excellent results. I don’t like sea foam because it’s an alcohol based additive combating negative alcohol side effects. Techron is petroleum based and easier on soft parts like o rings. Personally I use it periodically throughout the riding season with a couple of stronger tank full’s for good measure. I haven’t had any fuel based issues with this regiment for a few years.