Older bikes - which brand of premium fuel

[jeff]

In the November/December edition of Motorcycle Trader there is a letter to Spannerman regarding fuel and plug fouling in an older bike.

His reply contains the usual - check coils etc, but then goes on to say that there is a particular premium unleaded fuel which should only be used in fuel injected engines, not engines with carbs.

He hasn't named the brand of fuel for legal reasons, however he goes on to say the Mobil seems to deliver good results.

So without naming names guys (well maybe just a hint) have any of you had problems with any particular brand of premium fuel. Do you have a premium fuel preference for your older bike?

We're talking say 20 - 30 years old bikes.:confused:

Jeff and Chrissie

[Motu]

I think Spannerman is in Aust,not NZ - do they still have Golden Fleece over there...you really knew what you were getting when you got Golden Fleeced!

[Jackrat]

I use any petrol in the XS and have never noticed any difference between brands.I'm pretty sure I've tried them all,including Gull which has a rep' for being a cleaner burning gas than most.As far as I'm concerned it wasn't to any noticable extent.I've also tried different octanes without any noticable difference in performance.
Guess the XS just ain't that fussy.:niceone:

[smokeyging]

I have an old ‘82’ model which I run on 95 octane and haven’t had any problems yet, of course….that could be famous last words too as a piston goes flying through the fuel tank and scratches my nose on the way past tomorrow.

[Ixion]

Pah, you folks mollycoddle y'r bikes. I put in any petrol that's around , the cheaper the better. And if there's no petrol going, kero will do. Bikes is like cats - if you spoil them by pandering to 'em, they get ideas above their station and turn their noses up at perfectly good tucker.

[JMemonic]

Well fuel here in NZ is fuel well at least in Christchurch, a little secret it all comes off the same ship, goes into the same tanks, the only difference is possably the additives and considering much of the fuel comes out of the same bulk storage area well I really doubt there is sfa difference.

Simple answer is we get crap fuel why did the octain rating specs as drop one level ? simple because the Government decided that the additives being used to boost octain are bad and wanted less in the fuel, in fact our fuel is so rubbish that when we are supposed to have 3 months reserve if we tried to go that long the fuel would be off, try it sometime get a tin of 95 leave it 3 months drain you bike/car/lawnmower and see how it runs.

[mazzy]

Do u guys have shell optimax over there? I'm in oz and a mechanic I was talking to said that this particular fuel fouls the plugs, he also said that mobil pemium was the best stuff to use, I have a GB500 that backfires alot when I use other premiums besides mobil or standard unleaded, its a fussy little thing. By the way, if anyone has a spare GB400 pillion seat lying around?......

[Bonez]

I try and use-big hint-Caltex. But obviously the complainent isn't using the m/c as intended. 20-30 yo bikes love a good trashing every now and again. My 4 ol gals would testify to that. I do drain the carbs if ones been sitting idle for a few months.

[MidnightMike]

When the new edition come out?

[Bonez]

I find it confusing the "Spanner Man" couldn't let the cat out of the bag. Surely those with EFI would use it. So on that assumption does this mean Mobil Premium is not so suitable for fuel injected vehicals?

[EZAS]

WHAT I WAS TOLD:
BP 98 comes into the country as 98.
All other high octane fuels come into the country as 91ish and have additives to raise the octane level to either 95 (GULL and Caltex)) or 96 (everywhere else).

I was told to use BP 98 and feel the difference, I ran it for like a 2-3 fill ups, then switched to Mobil 98 and can hear and feel something really strange now (it was gruntier) = get it tuned to run 98 and throw a "FEW" bottles of octance booster in ya tank.

[JMemonic]

WHAT I WAS TOLD:
BP 98 comes into the country as 98.
All other high octane fuels come into the country as 91ish and have additives to raise the octane level to either 95 (GULL and Caltex)) or 96 (everywhere else).

See my post above, Gull comes in from a different source as I understand, of course those of in the mainland dont have access to try it out, we used to have Challange here but when Caltex bought it out the imediatly droped their seperate importation of fuel.

BP currently are not importing their 98 as they have a supply shortage problem. See http://www.bp.co.nz/about/ultimate_update



I was told to use BP 98 and feel the difference, I ran it for like a 2-3 fill ups, then switched to Mobil 98 and can hear and feel something really strange now (it was gruntier) = get it tuned to run 98 and throw a "FEW" bottles of octance booster in ya tank.

An if your engine is desgined for 91 throw away those hard earned dollars, most of our higher octane fuels are low grade with boosters added, way back when we used to use lead to to this job, now we use nasty things like toluline.

[crazyxr250rider]

Shell is shit and the only thing i'd put that in is the chainsaw.

[Pixie]

Shell is shit and the only thing i'd put that in is the chainsaw.
Tri-nitro toluene is good

[HenryDorsetCase]

Tri-nitro toluene is good

YEAH MAN!!

if a little unstable.... but arent we all.

I run Challenge/Caltex 91 or 95 (whatevers vacant when I get there) from my local. Its fine in it. the only issue si the one carb that fouls because the needle and seat is stuffed.

but I have to take half the bike apart to get the carbs off, so it can wait till winter.

[cousa1]

If it doesn't ping its the thing!

I ran BP 98 in my GB400 without any problems and it was just as happy with 91

[jeff]

Thanks for your replies, there was some interesting replies there. Shell is sh.t!

We'll stick with Mobil and Caltex for a while and see how it goes.

[jeff]

Whoopee! just been made a "scooter boy". Finally off my L Plate. Only been riding 37 years!:2thumbsup :wavey:

[Bonez]

Thanks for your replies, there was some interesting replies there. Shell is sh.t!

We'll stick with Mobil and Caltex for a while and see how it goes.


Will confirm that the last fuel up on Gerty was NOT a Caltex pump. She's been sitting a few weeks, maybe longer, and I took her to work yesterday. Coughing and farting like nothing. Drain the carbs at work. An ex-army transport dude stated that it didn't look too flash. Got home switch on to reserve, drained the bottom gallon or so out, leaving a couple of litres to limp to the Caltex petrol station, still not running right. The fuel didn't seem to have that strong a petrol smell to it.

Filled her up, switched the fuel cock to "on", then took took the ol girl for a strop over the Saddle Rd, a gent on a older Guzzi La Mans going the other way would comfirm this, and back through the Manawatu Gorge. No problems what so ever.