Regular, Super, or Premium Fuel? Thoughts?

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Goat Herder

Gutter Rider
Apr 28, 2008
6,237
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N.M.
By using the high priced stuff the only ones realizing a benefit is the oil company that sold it to you. There is absolutely no benefit to using high priced/octane fuel in a single cylinder low compression, 2 stroke engine designed to run on almost anything that will burn. Stop wasting your money and use the cheapest fuel you can get at the pump. Speed and power increases are only in your head, not your engine's.
Tom
The slant head may be an exception? Have you tried any of them, yet? We are both at similar altitudes. Also the said M.M. billet head is suggested for higher octane.
 

Nashville Kat

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2009
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Jacksonville, Florida
Yeah- isn't higher octane gas simply just more refined? Outside of any additives the oil companies may claim, isn't it sorta like carb cleaner and gas treatment distilate, just DISTILLED into a finer grade from crude oil?

Doesn't that just mean that it's gas with less oil in it otherwise? and then here we are with out 2 strokes, ADDING oil to lubricate a motor with no crankcase otherwise.
Doesn't make much sense to spend more for it-
You probably have to add MORE oil to it then, and pay for that!

correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think I am.

P.S. I've been using distilate carb cleaner additives in my cars now for 30 years and I think they work great, especially in heavy cars with engines that aren't blown out a lot at high speeds.
 

fishyfish777

New Member
Sep 2, 2010
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Ann Arbor, MI
I always guessed that these engines have such rubbish compression that they would be better off running off lower octane fuel. Isn't high octane fuel for engines with high compression or otherwise with forced injection (Which these motors are... neither)? All I hear is higher octane fuel is only gas that burns slower.
 
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wayne z

Active Member
Dec 5, 2010
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louisiana
I used to work in oil refineries. All gasoline is refined first, then the octane and antiknock compounds are added AFTER refinment. They have special one lung test engines in the labs loaded with sensors ,called "knock engines" that they use to monitor additive results.

I have also seen several different prominent brand names of tank trucks filling up from the same storage tanks.

Wayne Z
 

skiball83

New Member
Nov 18, 2010
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All gas comes up through the same pipeline from many different companies. Say shell puts in 50,000 gallons and bp puts in 50,000 gallons. They end up getting mixed together in the pipe. Only the grades of gas are seperated by huge plugs that get rammed in after the gas has been added i.e. regular, mid, and premium. When the gas reaches its destination then it goes to a specific company say shell will pull out 50,000 gallons of gas that they initially put in. Then that "mixed up" gas from 10 different oil companies that is now the property of shell puts in their own additives, then the gas goes to the stations. Thats how gas is shipped and the only difference is a companies specific additives. Now on to octane/grade. The higher the number the slower it will burn. The only time higher octane will make a differance is if you are running a really really old motor with a lot of miles, or a high compression/forced induction motor at a minimum of a 8.5:1 ratio. If you dont believe me look it up, this is all true. Run 87 or maybe 89 in your china girls. Anything over that is a waste of money. BTW all the china girl 2 stroke motors exept the superrat-66 run a 6:1 compression ratio. The superrat-66 is a 7:1.
 
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breno

New Member
Aug 19, 2010
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Syd. OZ
I love my rat but I guess if your saying that the fuel burns slower when using the high octane fuel I guess it wouldnt be beneficial to run the 98octane going by what your saying.
Is there any proof that the china motors will run worse on the higher octane fuel?
Can someone post up a link? Maybe even a a few different dyno runs to compare solid figures..
 

cigron

New Member
Nov 18, 2009
59
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wormleysburg pa
Octane is the number zero in latin.Octane rating is the means
To measure the fuels ability to stand heat and presser before
It explodes. The fuels ability to make power is measured in
BTU`s. Using I higher octane then needed wont make it
Run any better. But it won`t hurt any thing either.
 

skiball83

New Member
Nov 18, 2010
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Chicago
Octane is the number zero in latin.Octane rating is the means
To measure the fuels ability to stand heat and presser before
It explodes. The fuels ability to make power is measured in
BTU`s. Using I higher octane then needed wont make it
Run any better. But it won`t hurt any thing either.
I agree. Not gonna hurt (well maybe our china girl mufflers) but in some engines it may make LESS power.
 

breno

New Member
Aug 19, 2010
411
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Syd. OZ
Octane rating is the means
To measure the fuels ability to stand heat and presser before
It explodes.

In saying this the theory would be fuel not igniting quick enough without the higher Heat of Compression being present. It does make sense to me I'd just like to see if anyone in this wide world has any facts from a practical observation.
 
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breno

New Member
Aug 19, 2010
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Syd. OZ
maybe I'll just button up and deal with it.. the theory is there I'll try the lower octane fuel for the next couple of tanks and post if I can feel any difference or the plug might change colour a tad interesting to see what happens anyway.
 

skiball83

New Member
Nov 18, 2010
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Chicago
Give it a shot. I ran 89 at first then went ot 87 with no noticable differance. The only reason I ran 89 was because the oil bottle told me to, but then again our MB instructions tell us to run 16:1 oil mix.
 

breno

New Member
Aug 19, 2010
411
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Syd. OZ
Aint that true I'm actually running my spare in on 20-1 fully synthetic and she still blows smoke..LOL
Gone of the days with oil muck dripping out the zorst pipe when there ripe and ready its just a waste of oil IMO..
 

Goat Herder

Gutter Rider
Apr 28, 2008
6,237
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N.M.
I tested it with 93 octane

Jim
No! This is not the case

Jim
You guys

Jim
bluenosegoat,

This morning I went
I ran mine tonight
I only mix a gallon of 2 smoke mix at a time and usually use it up in a week or so. This stuff has a very limited shelf life in my opinion.
 
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Drewd

New Member
Jul 25, 2008
425
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Colorado
I've been running 85 octane for the past 6 years with no problem. I once ran 87 octane but that was in the summer i spent in Florida (sea level)
 

linnix13

Member
Oct 7, 2009
449
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16
in the world
on all my stock HT's i run regular fuel, but on my current bike i use premium, and it does help. my current bike is full of mods and among them is a milled head, i have more compression and i find with regular it runs great at low rpms but as i climb up into 6000+ it stutters and pings and misses, not a big deal, but if i throw premium in it she runs up to 8000rpms without so much as a pop!
 

thormxboy132

New Member
Aug 24, 2011
10
0
0
ludington, MI
I can not see running a 91 fuel in a motor that only has a 6:1 ratio, but I would like to ask about ethanol, how menny people use it and how menny dont? I live in a area wheres theres a lot or recreational fuel pumps and I plan on using it ( non-ethanol) in my bike once its going. what are your thoughts?