SuzukiSavage.com - What type of Fuel do you use?

Starlifter Serious Thumper Offline It only snows seven months of the year here. Posts: 3746 Eastern Michigan Gender:	Re: What type of Fuel do you use? Reply #15 - 05/24/10 at 07:41:55 Who voted for 'jet fuel'? Jp 4 (jet fuel) is a low grade kerosine.
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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: What type of Fuel do you use? Reply #16 - 05/24/10 at 07:49:13 I did for a joke I knew no one else would.
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photojoe FSO Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline I did warn you to brace yourself Posts: 1379 New Jersey Gender:	Re: What type of Fuel do you use? Reply #17 - 05/24/10 at 14:18:59 Usually unleaded plus, but will splurge for premium if the bikes been sitting for a while, like the winter months. I'll add a shot of Jack Daniel's to the fuel on occasion just to keep her happy.
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mick Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Hell-bound Posts: 7323 Dayton Oregon Gender:	Re: What type of Fuel do you use? Reply #18 - 05/24/10 at 16:21:51 photojoe FSO wrote on 05/24/10 at 14:18:59: Usually unleaded plus, but will splurge for premium if the bikes been sitting for a while, like the winter months. I'll add a shot of Jack Daniel's to the fuel on occasion just to keep her happy. what a thoughtfull owner you are
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Tiefighterpilot

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Re: What type of Fuel do you use?
Reply #19 - 05/24/10 at 21:41:42

Huh?

It don't make sense... don't race cars use higher octane fuel?
So if I use super unleaded, which has more octane than regular, it would be less performance? Is there another variable that I am forgetting?

Thanks.

bill67 wrote on 05/24/10 at 07:26:45:

You will have less power on premium gas,because it burns slower ,It would be the same as retarding your spark.

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2007 S40, KN Cone Air Filter, BCB Pipe, BCB Fender and seat, Superbrace Fork Brace with guard, 55 Pilot, 155 Main, washer mod, iridium spark plug, no afterfire, some engine breaking noise

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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: What type of Fuel do you use? Reply #20 - 05/25/10 at 03:20:50 If you advanced your spark then higher octane would give you more power.
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mpescatori

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Re: What type of Fuel do you use?
Reply #21 - 05/25/10 at 03:39:41

Two things :

1) In Europe the octane rating is calculated in a different way, so EU pumps will sell 91, 94, 98 octane.
It is quite possibly the equivalent to your 89, 92, 94 octane fuels.

2) Octane is an anti-detonant, meaning higher grade gasoline will not detonate (which is bad) in high compression engines;
this means that higher performance engines, with higher compression and more advanced spark timings, will demand high octane fuel;
on the other hand, a VW Beetle (the real one, the air-cooled flat four) will be quite happy with the lowest grade fuel because of the very low compression and retarded spark.

Now, having said all this, the Savage, with its relatively mild performance rating, should be happy with just about any fuel.
I have used both the "Italian regular" 94 octane (91 to you maybe) and the "Italian Premium" 98 octane (94 to you maybe) and noticed no difference other than a more regular idle with 98 RON.
On the other hand, as most of my riding is actually 6-lane beltway commuting, the lower grade fuel and an eye on a not-too-low idle will keep the bike happy just the same,
and give me a cuppa more fuel in the tank. Wink

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Mikuni BST40, K&N filter, Stage2 cam, Verslagen tensioner, Sportster muff, 120 proof moonshine, Pirelli MT 66 tourers... and a chain conversion too !

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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: What type of Fuel do you use? Reply #22 - 05/25/10 at 05:40:11 Newer car's computers adjust for the octane so on cars it doesn't make as much difference but still use what they tell you to use.It can mess up the computer if you always use the wrong octane.
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Tiefighterpilot Senior Member Offline Daily Rider Posts: 346 San Francisco	Re: What type of Fuel do you use? Reply #23 - 05/26/10 at 23:24:08 I learn something everytime I visit this site... Great info.
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LANCER

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Re: What type of Fuel do you use?
Reply #24 - 05/27/10 at 02:04:50

At just 8.5:1 compression ratio the stock engine does fine with 87 octane. I tried 91/92 octane on occasion but noticed no difference.

Now however, with the CR up in the 10.5:1 range I will go with the premium fuel and higher octane to control the burn and avoid the nasty knocking effect.

When in college the first time around (it was an aerospace engineering type school) most of the guys with hotrods were using aviation fuel due to its higher octane rating; mixing it with the "high test" gas from the pump ...somewhere in the 110-120 range if my feeble memory serves me correctly.
Any current pilots know what it is now days ?

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earlytimz

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Re: What type of Fuel do you use?
Reply #25 - 05/27/10 at 07:48:00

Most woods-buggy people I ride with mix 50-50 high octane "Red Lightning" race fuel & 93 octane gasoline. These are mild to wild VW engines usually with higher compression ratios. Some run straight race fuel, but at $7-$8 a gallon it becomes a very expensive weekend hobby. Mine isn't as wild as others & actually does ok on straight 93.

There's a few places around here that sell the e-85 (85% ethanol). It's normally 60-70 cents cheaper/ gallon than gas & I believe it's 104 octane. My silverado isn't a flex fuel vehicle, but it loves the stuff. Runs like a scared rabbit! Not positive, but I think any newer vehicle (within 10 years or so) can use it without problems (even though the manufacturers don't recommend it). Naturally aspirated engines have to be tuned for it, since ethanol is less efficient (pound for pound) than gasoline & requires bigger jets. Newer cars' computers compensate for this. The only downside is a slight drop in fuel mileage.

With bigger jets, I bet the savage would do great on e-85. I would try it, but the closest station that sells it is an hour way from me. Don't confuse "ethanol" with "methanol" (the race fuel that will eat your fuel lines & everything out of your carb!)

Oh and it actually does smell just like moonshine.. I wouldn't drink it though!!

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Gort

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Re: What type of Fuel do you use?
Reply #26 - 05/27/10 at 08:30:17

The reason some members use higher octane gas in their Savage has to do with engine temperatures. High temp summers with a lot of stop and start traffic driving or prolonged idling can cause the air cooled engine to overheat. This then increases the temperature of the combustion inside the cylinder head, causing hot spots. The hot spots detonate lower octane gas before the spark plug does. When that happens, pre-ignition occurs, which can be very damaging to the piston. Higher octane gas ignites at higher temperatures, thus compensating for the hot spots because they are not hot enough to ignite it. In the past, some members living in hot summer climates have reported pre-ignition after instances of prolonged idling, and have found that a higher octane gas eliminated the problem.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_knocking

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Tiefighterpilot Senior Member Offline Daily Rider Posts: 346 San Francisco	Re: What type of Fuel do you use? Reply #27 - 05/30/10 at 00:04:54 Thanks Gort. That was really good info. I live in west cost where it can get pretty hot. I will switch to super unleaded if I get knocks.
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WD

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Re: What type of Fuel do you use?
Reply #28 - 05/30/10 at 17:23:44

Since Pokey has been sitting for the last two years, I've been running her on the highest test E-10 I can get my hands on. With a 3 stages hotter plug to help burn out any gum, shellac and related crap from the downtime. Another month of commuting and weekend riding and I'll go back to my standard 1 stage hotter plug, since the carb is running 155/55 jetting with a free breathing air box mod and pretty much open exhaust. Stock plug + regular gas = a plug every other month with my current set up.

If your basically stock bike is running fine, run the cheap stuff. Mine fired up and ran (smoked like a diesel) on the old stale regular from late 2007. Fouled the plug out in half an hour, but, it ran.

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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: What type of Fuel do you use? Reply #29 - 05/30/10 at 19:59:57 Why didn't you empty the tank and put new gas in.
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Poll
Question: What type of Fuel do you use
Premium 9 (20.9%) Unleaded + 8 (18.6%) Regular 23 (53.4%) Jet Fuel 3 (6.9%) Total votes: 43 « Created by: Tiefighterpilot on: 05/23/10 at 10:09:02 »