Ethanol & Bikes

I'm lucky to get tested once a day!

 

Since you asked so nicely, EFI vehicles shouldn't have a problem
up to 10%, and effects on carbed vehicles should be minimal.

On the other hand, long term exposure to ethanol may degrade
carb floats, rubber fuel lines, etc.

As I understand it, Ethanol in fuel causes it to be higher octane
(as in: higher RON, Hamish) but burn leaner. You're likely to get
slightly worse mileage and slightly less power. So I can't really
see the point, myself.

My current conspiracy theory is that all the ethanol scare stories
were a campaign by the big name fuel retailers to try and squish
the independants a bit.

-----sharks

 

Oh, don't worry, I won't...

Like I said... NFI.

G

 

I have had crap fuel once from my local servo, the bike only managed a
kilometre after filling up, luckily it was in the direction of home, so didn't
have to push it far. Drained the tank and float bowls, filled with petrol from
a jerry can I had for emergencys and it was back to normal. The servo said
that mine was the only complaint they had. Looks like it had a high enough
octane for cars, but not enough for higher compressioned bikes. It was only
one batch as I have had no trouble since.

Mark.

 

I think its more to do with not relying on oil from overseas

Sounds to reasonable to qualify as a conspiracy theory

Thankyou

that was all I wanted to know

 

Yes, they often do here. Often they conduct in excess of 3000 a day.

Oh, you have a bottle of open ether. Open some windows, you are going all
odd.

I agree with Nev, re your conspiracy.

To give you an idea, look back and read the ULP vs Leaded discussions to
fully illustrate the picture.

HTH

Hammo

 

No. Cheap, fast, quality.

Pick two....

Hammo

 

Expensive in that they are c. 100 bucks.

They won't work in this application as there is more than analyte that will
behave in a similar manner.

Hammo

 

Nev.. said....

Dunno. But Howard is on record saying that Australians don't have the
right to know what's in the fuel that they're using.

So, if there is such a law, expect it to be repealed...

 

The funny thing I note about some of the replies here is that they think 10%
blend will be cheaper. Living in a town where every servo already offers 10%
blend (the town has the largest ethanol dystillery in the southern
hemisphere) I can tell you that it sells for exactly the same price as
regular unleaded and has done since it's inception. Now considering that the
price of enthanol hasn't increased anywhere near the crude oil price I would
say that as usual we are duped yet again.

Krazykol
ZZR 600

 

Dale said....

How can you pick it so finely?

Whenever I try doing any sort of fuel economy survey, like when
trialling various flavors of petrol, I can never work it out. Odo
readings vary wildly from between 220km to 250km without any discernable
differences in riding style (fanging it versus riding easy) or the road
types (twisty versus freeway or town riding versus highway riding).

I s'pose if I say, rode to Melbourne along the freeway, filled up at NWS
after having a cuppa with the daughter, then road home again, compared
the two after say, filling up with Optimax at home and ULP in NWS and
ensured that I sat on the speed limits. I might be able to see if there
is any difference.

My concern with E10 blend is what it may do to the bike's mechanicals..

While it's well and good for Holden and Ford to "endorse" the stuff, it
makes not a whit of difference for those of us with vehicles that are
outside of the manufacturers' warranties. We'd have to rely on common
law action to have any E10 induced damage rectified.

 

GB said....

Yeah, I'd like to know too.

Due to work, weather and other reasons, my bike sat in the shed for 2
months with a near full tank of Optimax (soon to be a Mobil product
after changing fuel card suppliers), it started no problems and ran no
problems last week when I rode down to the Island.

 

My Triumph service manual specifies E10 as an approved fuel.

 

Ahh gotcha, well it wouldn't need a terribly high degree of accuracy if
it was conveniently portable like a strip of litmus paper is. Even just
a "yes alcohol of more than say 2% ish concentration" or "nope can't
spot any might be some but if so not very much" type result would be useful

JL
(trying desperately to remember why he cared, it was probably something
to do with too high a concentration of red wine derived alcohol in the
blood stream)

 

It's easy for me. I travel each day on the bike to and from work. The distance I get before the warning light comes on is so close
as near enough to the same each fill (a few kms either side). And I tend to get the fuel from the same place each time.

Started going to a different servo for a few fills with ethanol blended fuel, and I have been gaining an average of about 10kms
range each time.

 

The servo near me selling ethanol blend fuel is selling it a fair amount cheaper than servos selling standard unleaded fuels.

 

Well, the reatailers are supposed to have a sign notifying you if it
contains ethanol, you'll just have to be vigilant when entering a petrol
station from now on.

Al

 

I've had to use it before and never noticed much difference in the running,
but what I did notice was my eyes burning after following Maries R1150R down
the Putty Rd also running on the stuff, that's my reason for nat wanting to
use it.

Al

 

It is more knowing what will give you a false positive (or negative).

To do that with any real certainty, comparisons with TLC, HPLC, MS and GC
(and some combined) may be the best way to help develop such a test.

It'd be best to pick an known analyte and have an internal standard.

Hammo

 

You do comply, so it's not a farce

Nev..
'03 ZX12R