90 octane premium

[fourload]

I am slowly seeing gas stations around here in upstate NY offering 90 non ethanol as their premium fuel. Has anyone run this stuff on a Hurricane 270 SM or Max Spool 16 SM tune? Can’t be good.

 

[WinterWolf]

That’s when you dump in a full bottle of Lucas Octane boost! And no worries.

 

[Brotherdan]

I am slowly seeing gas stations around here in upstate NY offering 90 non ethanol as their premium fuel. Has anyone run this stuff on a Hurricane 270 SM or Max Spool 16 SM tune? Can’t be good.

Same thing here in maine,used to be able to get 91-93 but now it's all 89-91

 

[Motorhead]

I am slowly seeing gas stations around here in upstate NY offering 90 non ethanol as their premium fuel. Has anyone run this stuff on a Hurricane 270 SM or Max Spool 16 SM tune? Can’t be good.

Yep, my Max Spool 16 loved it!

 

[snowbeast]

Yes,and my sled hated it,not sure why yours liked it dennis,our motors like ethanol its what our motors have been set up to run on at least 10% ethanol w/out it we lose octane.

 

[Motorhead]

Yes,and my sled hated it,not sure why yours liked it dennis,our motors like ethanol its what our motors have been set up to run on at least 10% ethanol w/out it we lose octane.

Yeah not sure about that one Pete.
Both me and my riding bud thought it ran strong with that fuel. He has the same tune with stock muffler, and I have the modded stock much like yours. In fact, it ran strong and without any knock light even on longgg runs.

Is that the lowest octane we should use with our tune ?

 

[ClutchMaster]

Yes,and my sled hated it,not sure why yours liked it dennis,our motors like ethanol its what our motors have been set up to run on at least 10% ethanol w/out it we lose octane.

Absolutely!
Alcohol is a much better fuel than gasoline!
The only thing I run pure gasoline in is my older chainsaws and lawnmowers, older carburetors have rubber parts inside that can become damaged from alcohol. If they are newer saws they should be fine.
Alcohol has gotten a bad rap from meatheads who don’t have a clue. Most of the Outlaw sleds run straight Methanol. They pump out +600 horsepower.
Also it’s fun to drink

 

[DooZ]

Absolutely!
Alcohol is a much better fuel than gasoline!
The only thing I run pure gasoline in is my older chainsaws and lawnmowers, older carburetors have rubber parts inside that can become damaged from alcohol. If they are newer saws they should be fine.
Alcohol has gotten a bad rap from meatheads who don’t have a clue. Most of the Outlaw sleds run straight Methanol. They pump out +600 horsepower.
Also it’s fun to drink

Methanol? lol

 

[ClutchMaster]

Methanol? lol

Yea don’t drink Methanol!! You go blind!
Ethanol (corn based) is a great fuel, Methanol (wood fiber based) is even better. The caloric value when burned is actually lower, so more actual fuel is needed.
Methanol is the ultimate fuel as it simply will not knock. Downfall is you will use around 2.5 times as much fuel with Methanol, opposed to gasoline and you’ll need an ignition system that will light up lower Manhattan, to light off the mixture.
Ethanol is a good compromise. It requires more fuel, Stoichiometric ratio is around 9.7:1 max power opposed to 13:1 for gasoline. The extra fuel cools the air going into your engine. Many running alcohol as a fuel don’t even have intercoolers.
Downside is both attract water and will corrode non stainless steel. Also older carbs can have parts inside damaged from the alcohol.

Running a 1000cc~1200cc engine above 600hp on gasoline becomes virtually impossible, your simply at the limit of your fuel.
So yes the big Boys run Methanol, that’s why it’s called Outlaw class....anything goes.

 

[Turboflash]

Yea don’t drink Methanol!! You go blind!
Ethanol (corn based) is a great fuel, Methanol (wood fiber based) is even better. The caloric value when burned is actually lower, so more actual fuel is needed.
Methanol is the ultimate fuel as it simply will not knock. Downfall is you will use around 2.5 times as much fuel with Methanol, opposed to gasoline and you’ll need an ignition system that will light up lower Manhattan, to light off the mixture.
Ethanol is a good compromise. It requires more fuel, Stoichiometric ratio is around 9.7:1 max power opposed to 13:1 for gasoline. The extra fuel cools the air going into your engine. Many running alcohol as a fuel don’t even have intercoolers.
Downside is both attract water and will corrode non stainless steel. Also older carbs can have parts inside damaged from the alcohol.

Running a 1000cc~1200cc engine above 600hp on gasoline becomes virtually impossible, your simply at the limit of your fuel.
So yes the big Boys run Methanol, that’s why it’s called Outlaw class....anything goes.

Here in the Midwest, corn is everywhere and so is ethanol blended gasoline. Most pumps advertise "up to 10%" ethanol. So far, our premium is mostly 92 octane containing up to 10% ethanol. I have a tester and have tested many of the so-called premiums wondering if, in fact, they are "up to 10%" ethanol. Thanks to the State of Minnesota Department of Weights and Measures who regularly check gas stations, I have found no gas that is more than 10%. If one was running non-ethanol fuel and decided to switch to ethanol blended, as Clutchmaster says, you need to increase fuel delivery to maintain the same AFR. For example, back in the days of carburetors, one needs to increase main jet size by 2 numbers to stay at the same AFR when running fuel that is 10% ethanol. I often got frustrated because I live in MN but often ride in Wisconsin where the premium had no ethanol. So my carbureted sled which was jetted for ethanol (MN) quickly became 2 numbers rich when getting gas in WI. It was very noticeable.

 

[ClutchMaster]

Here in the Midwest, corn is everywhere and so is ethanol blended gasoline. Most pumps advertise "up to 10%" ethanol. So far, our premium is mostly 92 octane containing up to 10% ethanol. I have a tester and have tested many of the so-called premiums wondering if, in fact, they are "up to 10%" ethanol. Thanks to the State of Minnesota Department of Weights and Measures who regularly check gas stations, I have found no gas that is more than 10%. If one was running non-ethanol fuel and decided to switch to ethanol blended, as Clutchmaster says, you need to increase fuel delivery to maintain the same AFR. For example, back in the days of carburetors, one needs to increase main jet size by 2 numbers to stay at the same AFR when running fuel that is 10% ethanol. I often got frustrated because I live in MN but often ride in Wisconsin where the premium had no ethanol. So my carbureted sled which was jetted for ethanol (MN) quickly became 2 numbers rich when getting gas in WI. It was very noticeable.

Yes! I quickly learned that instead of making a time consuming jet change on my machine, I would buy 3~5 bottles of heat (99 cents a bottle) and dump them in the tank upon filling up. BAM.....
egt’s would come back up and my sled would run great again!

 

[Turboflash]

Yup. Those were the good ole days!

 

[ClutchMaster]

Yup. Those were the good ole days!

Yea but not so great.........
if the next morning it drops 20 degrees,
ya best not hold it to the bar on the way to the gas station!

 

[DooZ]

A drop in temp and high barometric pressure sure made the EGT's climb in a hurry...and occasionally made ashtrays...lol

 

[Motorhead]

Well 2 of us with the Max Spool 16 tune could not see or feel a big diff on 2 separate fuelings with the straight 90, which is what the OP was asking. But thank you for that Knock Light inclusion on my tune even though that fuel did not trigger it!

Am I wrong in thinking that the reason so many of these straight 90 fuels are popping up, is in part because of the vast majority with 2 strokes do not want mixed fuels? It seems that theses fuels are popping up only in the snowmobile towns! Our gov wants to go for 15% mix so is not a fan of the straight 90, thus must be something making it permissible in some locations?