Forum

[Jim]

What is the best fuel to use in the EFIs? Is it the super dooper mega expensive guaranteed 50 mph faster fuels or the common or garden unleaded?
The manual doesn't mention it.

[Alan R]

Hi guys------------ JIM, that is surprising ie}--- no mention in the manual.. Have you tried phoning our hosts for their opinion ?? Remember that not all "Supermarket" Fuels are the same these days...

[Jim]

That's what made me ask Alan.

[STU]

Jim, in my Electra XS, which I've just sold, I always used branded high octane petrol. This, combined with an NGK iridium plug provided noticeably better performance and economy.
I'm sure that the EFI bikes will happily run on ordinary unleaded, as did my bike, but I found the more expensive fuels better!

[Frank]

I'm with STU on this one. Super unleaded and an iridium plug has produced the 2 most significant gains in performance I have achieved on an Electra X. It may be different on an EFI, the electronics may be able to compensate for lower grade fuels so the benefits may not be so apparent. Whatever, I would stay well clear of supermarket fuels on any internal combustion engine, especially for long term use. An added benefit of super unleaded from the main retailers is that for the time being they do not seem to contain ethanol ( shell excluded)so you don't run the risk of the problems associated with this. No doubt this will change though.

[Alan R]

Hi guys-------- In my No1 Bullet I have our hosts 8.5 : 1 forged piston, along with an Iridium plug and the 30mm carb jetted to suit.... I religiously use the best, premium fuel and it rewards me with a nice, smooth performance.... The EFi Engine has a Comp. Ratio of almost 8:1 but I was told today that the combustion chamber shape on the piston crown allows for the use of the lower RON rated fuels.... Given the tendency of OEM pistons to "shed-their-Head" or take up HOLE-Y orders, I know which fuel option I'm staying with !----------- "yer pays yer money, yer takes yer choice" and at 80mpg it's a really minimal saving using that "Just pass the Paraffin stage" stuff..

[Alan R]

----------- you'd probably get a cleaner "Burn", more stable flame front with a lesser tendency to pre-ignite under loading (Pinking), if you were to use a premium Highland Whiskey ??? ( perish the thought !!)............

[Michael]

I own an EFI and use Super Unleaded wherever possible now. I fille dup on unleaded once in the summer and it ran really noisily on regular unleaded, and started pinking a little in the summer. A new plug (twin electrode, Bosch WR7 DDC R6), a new air filter and a top up of super cured the running problems.




I tgry to always use super now.

[Gwilly]

Hi Jim, I guess its a bit like the oil preference question.. Based on peoples foibles and prejudices, rather than hard scientific evidence there will be as many differing opinions as there are posters....

Having said that i offer my tuppence worth... I admit right off i run a normal carbed bike with medium compression that would probably run on paraffin if forced, but strangely i fill with the most expensive petrol that i wouldn't even put in my alfa.

I've convinced myself i'm trying to keep away from Ethanol additive, which i'm sure is having a detrimental effect on carb inlet hoses and orings generally.

Even the fuel pipe from the tank seems to have hardened... That was due to using Tesco momentum 99 ron which if u look on their web site contains 5% ethanol...

So, have been running for a while now on Shell V Power which as far as i can find has no ethanol... Yes expensive but only costs £20.00 per tank and lasts me a fortnight..

For EFI's i would think it probable that good branded fuel with cleaning additives would be best for injectors etc, and electronically controlled mixtures but what effect additives would have on lamda sensors i'm not sure.. However keep away from ethanol for as long as possible, if only to preserve your petrol tank from water damage...

I've wittered enough i think... regards gwilly. Shell V Power http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_V-Power

[Alan R]

Hello dear "GWILLI de Wittering" !!!---------- Not sure about that hardening of hoses etc, but Shell V power is what I now use as well ...... Just a quick tale------- last winter I left my No1 Bullet in the garage/workshop with approx half a tank of "ruff-stuff" petrol in it...My first ride in the New year was brought to an early halt with what turned out to be approx 1 egg-cup full of water in the bottom of the tank !!------