10% ethanol added to fuel Jan 1st in Manitoba?

T

TJ500

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Joined
May 17, 2003
Messages
661
Location
Lockport, Manitoba. Canada
just wondering what Manitoba riders of 2 strokers did in way of jetting changes for their sleds....

pilots? needles? and or mains?....


noticed a BIG difference this past weekend... plugs were definitely showing leaner.... almost afraid to hold throttle at any one place...

is this a concern?..
 
10% won't do mutch. Just check the plugs on cold day's. I ran it all weekend in my piped viper. Holding it to the bar most of the time with no problem. If your concerned run premium, it has no ethanol.
 
we have had this formula of gas down in SE WI for quite a while, like over 10 years, no issues. Most of our sleds we have owned do not have an adjsutable ignition curve or fuel switch and we have never run into any issue. just flip your oxygenated fuel switch over for extra precaution and you will be fine. our smart carbed venture has that switch., but dont worry about it unless you are jetted on the extreme side of lean.
 
mod-it said:
My Viper manual says if ethanol is used, jet up two sizes.
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is that for said 10% ethanol blends or what?
I know the manuals for all my 2 stroke toys have some sort of recommendation for ethanol blended gas, whether it be, run 1 grade higher than normal gas, turning the ignition curve to regular instead of premium, or flipping of the switch on the yamaha for oxygenated fuels.

But that really affects only machines jetted perfectly before the use of fuels with ethanol added. It is more of a protect the manufacturer type statement than anything.

Obviously if you are jetted for 8000feet, and you start headed towards the flatlands, then a rejet would be a good idea anyway.

with ethanol blended gas, you do not need an isopropyl alcohol since there is enough alcohol already in the tank when you run reformulated gas.

on our most recent cold snap, I accidentally forgot to fuel up my jeep after work. with less than 2 gallons of gas in the vehicle i had no line freeze up, and temps were 12 below zero F. Blended gas is not bad, don't fear it, but know that it burns hotter, so you need to re jet if you had it spot on for normal gas.
 
mod-it said:
My Viper manual says if ethanol is used, jet up two sizes.
Click to expand...
X2...all mine say it too....

IMO you'll be fine IF.........your not on the edge with your jetting,keep a close eye on plugs till you know how your sled handles it..

i've used it too before with out issues, but i avoid it like the plague
!!!!!!
 
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where in owners manual (what section) does it make recomendation for ethanol blends? I just need to read it for myself... are they referring to E5, E10, or E15?...

02 MM700/99VMAX500


thanks.
 
TJ500 said:
where in owners manual (what section) does it make recomendation for ethanol blends? I just need to read it for myself... are they referring to E5, E10, or E15?...

02 MM700/99VMAX500.
Click to expand...
Check in the "Pre-Operation Checks" section, page 6-1,6-2 in there..

i just re-read it,says......

"Oxygenated fuels containing a MAXIMUM 5% of ethanol can be used,
although richer jetting may be required to prevent engine damage"

so i take it as your not supose to use 10% eth...nothing over 5%.
 
wow, that sucks. I knew it was bad but I had no idea it was THAT bad lol! I knew it clogs things up and is just not the greatest idea. but I didnt know you may need to rejet etc! anyone have any scans of the manual or anything? my manual is (stupidly, I know) not with the sled. 4 hours north :( thanks!
 
daman said:
Check in the "Pre-Operation Checks" section, page 6-1,6-2 in there..

i just re-read it,says......

"Oxygenated fuels containing a MAXIMUM 5% of ethanol can be used,
although richer jetting may be required to prevent engine damage"

so i take it as your not supose to use 10% eth...nothing over 5%.
Click to expand...

Premium is about 25 cents a gallon extra... for the most part, I won't be able to buy it anyway, but, are you fellows from the US using ethanol blended and if so, is it a 5% blend you are using?

I do understand with 2 strokers, that high ethanol percentages can wash lubricants from crank bearings... 4 strokers are more tolerant to this...

this and jetting are concerns I suppose...

tj..
 
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TJ500 said:
are you fellows from the US using ethanol blended and if so, is it a 5% blend you are using?
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I have a few time's used it,only because it was that crap or walking in the
dark!!!! lol

here we have 10% and the new 85%,but mostly you'll see the 10% at the
pump, and then it's not that common around me anyway(thank god).

i will not use the stuff,, no way!
 
Well at most of the pumps it say here in Ontario (not sure if all) may contain up to 10% ethanol. I noticed one station for the 89 octane (Esso) I believe says up to 5%). Ethanol is not an oxygenated addin so flicking the switch is not what its for.

Bottom line any type of alchol base is hard on certain parts and rings. My van specifical says not to use ethanol gasoline or damage may occur. Now for those can go out and buy a new vehicle engineered for this crappy fuel mix, not a problem. (a different topic) But our snow machines can be quite sensitive especially those of you who run it to the red line. Well I start chickening out after a 100 and back off and not likely to over stress the combustion chamber and rings too much. The ethanol is kind of like a built in gas line antifreeze but the problem is its there all the time and lowers millage!!! I personally don't want it in the gas 10% or 1/10th. That is 1 gallon it 10, alot when you think gas line antifreeze is in a what 250ml container or so.
 
tripplec said:
Well at most of the pumps it say here in Ontario (not sure if all) may contain up to 10% ethanol. I noticed one station for the 89 octane (Esso) I believe says up to 5%). Ethanol is not an oxygenated addin so flicking the switch is not what its for.

Bottom line any type of alchol base is hard on certain parts and rings. My van specifical says not to use ethanol gasoline or damage may occur. Now for those can go out and buy a new vehicle engineered for this crappy fuel mix, not a problem. (a different topic) But our snow machines can be quite sensitive especially those of you who run it to the red line. Well I start chickening out after a 100 and back off and not likely to over stress the combustion chamber and rings too much. The ethanol is kind of like a built in gas line antifreeze but the problem is its there all the time and lowers millage!!! I personally don't want it in the gas 10% or 1/10th. That is 1 gallon it 10, alot when you think gas line antifreeze is in a what 250ml container or so.
Click to expand...

After some reading, 10% ethanol will increase fuel consumption by approx 3%... (although it makes a cleaner more complete combustion product (good for the atmosphere)).... We therefore will end up buying 3% more fuel than we normally would have, yet cost of blended fuel is not going down (maybe even increase)... Our gov'ts collects taxes plus PST and GST on every litre of fuel sold, so for them, it's just money in the bank... For us, we have a substandard fuel product that is prone to causing problems and breakdowns in nearly any combustion engine...

I can see premiun (non blended) higher otane to go up in price too... since concerned sledders will be the only ones using it...



seems the hose keeps spanking us in the chin, doesn't it?
 
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You can run the 10% ethanol stuff just fine, just make sure to re jet if you had re jetted for your temp, elevation etc.

Remember, the owners manual I am sure says not to take it off jumps either. LOL

fwiw, the ethanol blended gas it self does not gum up anything, it merely cleans the lines , tank, etc so well that any old depositis form varnish, old gas, etc, get cleaned out, and usually end up in your filter. I would def recommend changing your filters a short time, like a tank or 2, after switching to blended fuels. A brand new sled will not have these issues, since the tank, lines, filter etc are clean, and have no deposits.

Like I said, that stuff has been here in SE WI for over a decade now. been there done that.
 
the gas does go bad a lot faster though, right? honda is telling their dealers to let customers know to drain carbs if they will be sitting more than a week.......... I experienced that after doing a fuel system clean on the wifes bike. she had a week or two that she didnt ride and it went from firing super fast to barely starting....
 
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