Ethanol | GTAMotorcycle.com

Ethanol

FYI, unless I'm mistaken, Shell V-Power (91) still has no ethanol in it. My bike doesn't require 91, but I switch over to Shell 91 in late September (and just keep topping it up with the same), then throw in some stabilizer with ethanol treatment (supposed to help with any condensation) just for good measure...and it was only a few bucks more than the regular stuff.
 
Excellent find I am a mechanic in the small engine industry . I have a lot of training from companies like Stihl,briggs and Stratton and others about what ethonal is doing. I deal with this daily very frustrating what the EPA is doing. We have people buy brand new snowblower,s leave gas in them all off season with no additives and ruin the carb. Then get upset at us they need a new carb on a machine used once.
 
Great read! Thanks for sharing.

All my motorcycles have always had Shell V-Power given to them. As little Ethanol as possible for my cars and bikes.

Excellent find I am a mechanic in the small engine industry . I have a lot of training from companies like Stihl,briggs and Stratton and others about what ethonal is doing. I deal with this daily very frustrating what the EPA is doing. We have people buy brand new snowblower,s leave gas in them all off season with no additives and ruin the carb. Then get upset at us they need a new carb on a machine used once.


Yeah I recall my Snowblower had a ethanol warning on the gas cap.
 
FYI, unless I'm mistaken, Shell V-Power (91) still has no ethanol in it. My bike doesn't require 91, but I switch over to Shell 91 in late September (and just keep topping it up with the same), then throw in some stabilizer with ethanol treatment (supposed to help with any condensation) just for good measure...and it was only a few bucks more than the regular stuff.

The Shell premium is indeed ethanol free.

I run regular gas all summer on all my small engine stuff including the bikes - as long as it's being used regularly and the fuel isn't sitting for long periods it's not a biggie, never had a problem on anything built within the last 15 years.

At the end of the season I do switch to ethanol free, same as you. I just picked up my first tank of ethanol free this past Sunday after coming home from a ride, actually, and I'll continue to fill up with it for the remainder of the season until the bike goes to sleep once and for all. If my wife doesn't get out to burn off the rest of the ethanol fuel in her tank I'll just pull off the fuel line at the tap and drain it out into a jerry can, pour it into a car, and then refill with the ethanol free. Once it's evident it's time to put them both up for a period I'll hit them with stabilizer, go for a 20 minute ride on each bike to warm everything up and circulate it, and then onto the tenders and parked.
 
Once it's evident it's time to put them both up for a period I'll hit them with stabilizer, go for a 20 minute ride on each bike to warm everything up and circulate it, and then onto the tenders and parked.

One of the things I do as well is pre-measure out how much stabilizer I need for a full tank, and dump it into a small sealable container (not much bigger than what's required), and throw it in the tailbag. When it comes to the final fill up, I dump it in before I pump gas, then ride the bike the rest of the way home (about 10km or so) to mix everything up. I then start counting down the number of minutes, hours, and days until spring comes again.
 
Last winter I stabilized the first 4 or 5 tanks I ended up burning before February...then I stopped since it seemed to be a waste. ;)

I get the feeling we are not in for a similar winter this year. Unfortunately.
 
I've been on the shell 91 for years, people used to scoff at me re; ethanol. I have never had a fuel issue. 2strokes are picky about fuel.
 
I've been on the shell 91 for years, people used to scoff at me re; ethanol. I have never had a fuel issue. 2strokes are picky about fuel.

2 strokes are not actually that picky about the ethanol directly - they don't really care that much actually if they're a modern one with seals and fuel lines designed for it.

What they DO have problems with is water that ethanol fuels can generate through phase separation. Since 2 strokes carry their lube oil in the fuel mix itself (and lack a typically pressurized or more robust lube system of a 4 stroke) even a tiny droplet of water in a 2 stroke can wash away that lubrication film, and even for a split second that can have big consequences.

I ran ethanol gas in my 2 stroke equipment for years without issues (often out of lack of availability of ethanol free options), but I was careful to burn ALL of it when I used it, or when it ended up sitting in the tank unplanned I'd drain it out and burn it in the car instead. I also ran ONLY synthetic mix/injection lube oils - they were must more resilient to the wash-away effect of any water that did manage to find its way in anyways, which was possible given the marine environment of my 2 stroke toys at the time.
 
great, i just filled up on regular stuff and put fuel stabilizer in...now im tempted to ride through the fuel and refuel with shell premium.
 
I run the bike down to point where reserve light comes on and fill up with Shell Super for last couple of fill ups. Last fill I dump in stabilizer at the station, take a short ride and head home.

I've also been using Shell Super + stabilizer for all small engines (lawn mowers, weed wackers, snowblower etc......) all year long and never had any fuel / carb issues. Cheap insurance when fuel can sit around for a couple of months, especially in the winter if the snowblower is not used.
 
It's an interesting article, but I must question the science. Yes, ethanol is a solvent, but so are almost all the other components of gasoline. He states that 28 days is his rule of thumb because after that the ethanol separates and won't recombine. I need to buy some gas and let it sit in the lab here under different temperatures to see how correct that is. He's in Vegas I believe, which may make a big difference. I'll try to remember to get back on here with my results in a few months.
That all being said, I also fill up with premium for the last few tanks of the year just in case. L
 
^^ Was thinking of doing the same. Next time I fill up with gasohol, I'll put a little bit in a clear bottle and let it sit.
 
Having recently had a total failure which is suspected to be because of a clogged carb jet from using ethanol fuels - How does ethanol lead to varnish if it is a solvent? Shouldn't it dissolve the varnish? All the carb cleaning products are just more solvent. So you're cleaning varnish caused by a solvent with a different solvent?

How can you tell if whatever fuel stabilizer you use will negate or at least prevent the effects of ethanol? I usually use SeaFoam as it is both a stabilizer and fuel system cleaner but obviously it was neither stabilizing nor cleaning out my carb.
 
There is no magic elixir on the market that can prevent phase separation ethanol issues, contrary to what you will see on all sorts of snake oil bottles and such that will separate you and your money.

It's important to remember that ethanol issues are primarily related to the phase separation issue in the end, which causes water to collect in the fuel. The issue isn't necessarily the ethanol it self (except on vehicles with old fuel systems that were not designed for alcohol), it's the water that can result if it's left sitting that's the main issue.
 
It's an interesting article, but I must question the science. Yes, ethanol is a solvent, but so are almost all the other components of gasoline. He states that 28 days is his rule of thumb because after that the ethanol separates and won't recombine. I need to buy some gas and let it sit in the lab here under different temperatures to see how correct that is. He's in Vegas I believe, which may make a big difference. I'll try to remember to get back on here with my results in a few months.
That all being said, I also fill up with premium for the last few tanks of the year just in case. L

The gas for my lawnmower has been in the can since at least the beginning of summer. Just filled up the mower again this week and it ran fine.
 

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