Reg vs Premium

[KiteSquid]

NEVER put E-85 in your RSV!!!!! it is 85% ethanol, which has a lot less BTU per volume as Gasoline. You can put it in vehicles that are marked as Flex Fuel or states so in your owners manual. It takes a EFI system that is calibrated to run that fuel.

 

 

Run only galsoline with a maximim of 10% Ethanol, but 0% Ethanol is better, but harder to find these days.....

[Guest dabimf]

Premium gas is a waste of money in a RSV. The compression ratio is not nearly high enough to require the use of premium. Premium gas burns slower and in fact less efficiently. It has more anti knock ingredients to help prevent pre-ignition in high compression engines.

The use of premium gas in a vehicle that does not require it can also produce a build up of carbon in the cylinder heads. Over time this will prevent changing to regular gas because the carbon build up in the cylinder head will pre-ignite the regular gas because it glows red hot after running the motor for awhile.

Ethenal does not burn as hot as regular gas therefore will not produce the same amount of power when used as regular gas produces. Hence, one may experience less gas mileage using an ethanol mix.

Unless a vehicle is E85 rated the use of 85% ethanol and 10% gas will most likely damage your vehicle fuel system.

Edited September 15, 2008 by dabimf

[VentureProf]

Dabimf's post is pretty much definitive. Nice summary of the facts.

 

Kelly

[1BigDog]

We can go on and on with this issue. I believe that every bike has its own "happy" spot. With my 99, it seems to be most happy with 89 octane. I tried regular 87 and it had a slight knock going up steep bridges. 89 octane cured that. 91 was a waste of time as it made no difference. These bikes still have 10.1 compression and from my old hot rod days, me thinks it still needs a touch more octane than regular. But thats just my personal opinion.

[OB-1]

I use the cheapest gas we can find. Never had any problems or performance issues.

[midnightventure]

I run regular all the time. I have compared regular and premium and couldn't tell any difference. Currently getting 40 mpg or better.

We have a lot of boats and marinas in our area. Some of the marinas are putting out warnings about people that run regular from gas stations. Here in Mo. regular is mandated 10% alcohol. The alcohol draws moisture and when the boats are stored it wreaks havoc on the fuel systems. So if you don't ride consistently then you might want to run premium which here in Mo. is still 100% gas. That could account for some of the difference in mpg for some people since gasohol doesn't contain as much energy.

Edited September 20, 2008 by midnightventure
typo

[Gene Kearns]

I donno what's going on. I burn Ca. Ethanol, and it doesn't seem to make any difference in mpg.

 

Ethanol simply does not have the heat energy per unit volume that 100% gasoline does. You will *never* get the same mileage burning ethanol that you will pure gas.....

[V7Goose]

Ethanol simply does not have the heat energy per unit volume that 100% gasoline does. You will *never* get the same mileage burning ethanol that you will pure gas.....

You are absolutely correct, as that is a chemical fact about the fuels. However, the difference if energy is not huge, and since gasohol is only 10% ethanol, that difference is even smaller. It is quite possible that many riders would never notice the difference without very careful calculations and absolute care in ensuring that the bike is filled identically every time.

 

I still hate the crud, and I do usually detect the difference, but it is not surprising that others don't.

Goose

[Condor]

Ethanol simply does not have the heat energy per unit volume that 100% gasoline does. You will *never* get the same mileage burning ethanol that you will pure gas.....

 

Well, you tell me then. I have no choice but to burn ethanol/gas mix except when I take a long out of state ride. So far I'm getting 38-42mpg locally and 38mpg on non-ethanol fuel on the road. I also get up to 50mpg when running local mountain twisties in 2nd and 3rd gears. Like I said I can't tell the difference, but if you have the answer I'm all ears....

[Guest kennewick58]

92 Octane is a waste of money. My 07 MRSV will get 48 mpg on the hyway and run perfect on 87. When I have tried 92 the mileage goes down and it starts to pop on decel as the octane explodes in the mufflers. Run 87 and get better performance, better mileage and it's easyier on the engine. The compression is to low for 92 but great for hyway cruising.

[Bert2006]

Here is how it works here in NB. Gaz stations have two underground tanks, one for regular with 10% ethanol, the second is premium with no ethanol. When you select the mid-grade the pump pulls gaz from both tanks and blends them with the resulting 5% ethanol.

 

Ethanol was only introduced here a couple years ago and for me i have seen substantiall reduction in mileage with it. And there are also the water issues with it. I use regular in the car, but high test or premium in the bike and snow blower and lawn mower.

 

Hope this helps!

[Guest Slab_Ryder]

Premium or Regular, there is VERY little difference riding my 2008 RSV ... other then cost.

[Guest]

Since this is an old thread (5 years old) and I posted back then that I was happy with 89 octane ill offer an update. Not too long after I posted Muffinman did a Color tune on my bike and I switched to 87 octane gas and the bike ran much better. I did try 89 and 93 once or twice after that but the bike really loved the 87 so its been my choice ever since. I do use Star Tron ethanol eating additive to the fuel every now and then. That works too.

[IronMike]

Well sometimes old threads can bring new information.

I am newbie to Venture but I swear I saw a use 91 OCT decal in the trunk.

I may be wrong. I just downloaded the OM and Service Manual and I see 87. So I searched here wondering what to use.

 

I Used to be a gasoline tanker driver. Deliver gas. So you all know. It all comes from the same place. It is mixed by the driver who picks it up using a computer panel to the customer specification. And they pretty much all order the same mix.

Places like farm co ops and marinas will omit ethanol. Yeah!

 

FYI. 87 contains more lubricity for the engine. (Piston rings and so on). 91 much less. So people will see better mileage with 87 just for that.

 

As mentioned before 91 is used because of compression ratios and is sometimes needed to prevent ping. But if your bike will run 87 and not ping go for it.

 

If you go to real gas.com. find a station near you that sells non ethanol gas and use some.

 

It is most widely sold in the 91 oct . form. So you will want to add lubricity. Lucas fuel additive is my favorite and marvel mystery oil comes in second. This mix will be the best gas you ever run you can feel the difference in the seat of your pants.

 

Use busy stations. Gas gets old fast. I always use a stabilizer when I put the bike up for more than a week. You must use the stabilizer when you fill up. Two weeks later its not going to work. And of course run the bike to get it to the carbs.

 

For the reason above the higher octane gases are older in the tanks, everyone wants to use the cheap stuff. When I delivered gas I had same stations on my route and they would sometimes use 10 orders of 87 let's say to one order of 89 or 91. Seriously!

 

Now. Now a days since the new tank EPA laws the stations tanks are computer monitored. So you are about never going to get water or trash from a station anymore. So its on you.

 

Keep your tank topped off and stabilized while not riding.

 

Find real gas and try it out.

 

If you want a higher octane. Your best bet is to study up and use a product to boost your own octane as what you get from the pump could be anything but what you paid for. If you buy 87 and boost it you know what you have.

 

Ethanol is a food product and it spoils. So at the end of the year last tank. Buy real gas at a marina and fill it up, stabilize and run it a bit. Change the oil and it will run great next year.

[N3FOL]

Great info IronMike.

 

87 Octane only for my bike.

[spear]

Great info IronMike.

 

87 Octane only for my bike.

 

Hear hear!