Ethanol in your Axys

[sledheader]

So I live in a remote area and it's a 20 mile drive in the opposite direction of riding to the nearest non ethanol pump plus it runs another $1 a gallon over ethanol super. I asked my dealer if it would hurt to run ethanol in it and he said no problem at all but I find that hard to believe. Are you guys running ethanol in the newer sleds? I was debating getting some lucas ethanol treatment and dumping in each tank as that would be cheaper than buying non ethanol for me anyway. Any luck with that?

 

[iquizy]

I won't run ethanol in anything personally. Get a transfer tank to keep at home

 

[sledheader]

I won't run ethanol in anything personally. Get a transfer tank to keep at home

Just because you have heard horror stories? Or because you have actually seen the effects of ethanol?

 

[RMK935VA]

So I live in a remote area and it's a 20 mile drive in the opposite direction of riding to the nearest non ethanol pump plus it runs another $1 a gallon over ethanol super. I asked my dealer if it would hurt to run ethanol in it and he said no problem at all but I find that hard to believe. Are you guys running ethanol in the newer sleds? I was debating getting some lucas ethanol treatment and dumping in each tank as that would be cheaper than buying non ethanol for me anyway. Any luck with that?

You might want to find someone who can test the amount of ethanol that is in the fuel that you buy. It can be as much as 10% but we have found that many of the stations around our area have premium that is more like 3%. At that point, you can probably run your sled in the non ethanol mode without a problem. I would not do that it if it was 10%. It is worth checking if you can.

 

[Reddragon800]

I understand that its a pain to go get the other fuel and it costs more... but you just bought a nice new sled, put the best gas in it, don't cheap out because it costs $10 more to fuel it up!! the polaris motor hates elthanol. See if you can find a drum and keep it in garage. fill it up when its convenient for you. 91 non ethonal is the only gas you should be running.

 

[sledheader]

You guys got me thinking about doing an on board fuel tank for the trailer. I had tossed around the idea before but if I'm running non ethanol, it would be about the only way to go for me. Any of you run on board fuel tanks?

Fill up once and be good for about 10 rides or so

 

[Reg2view]

With all the moisture around an enclosed sled trailer, I wouldn't be too interested in using non-ethanol fuel from a half full drum stored inside a trailer in a 2S. It's bad enough if your sled tank isn't full and it sits in a cold trailer. Fresh, non-ethanol premium should be sought whenever possible. Tanks full when they sit.

Might run with 10% or less, but you're not doing yourself any favors. If you have to run it, use an ethanol fuel treatment, too.

I avoid ethanol in 2S's, and I have seen the corrosive effect on sled and saw carbs, bowls, jets, venturi's, and even car fuel systems prior to 2003 or so. Another reason the truck is an oil burner...

 

[sledheader]

With all the moisture around an enclosed sled trailer, I wouldn't be too interested in using non-ethanol fuel from a half full drum stored inside a trailer in a 2S. It's bad enough if your sled tank isn't full and it sits in a cold trailer. Fresh, non-ethanol premium should be sought whenever possible. Tanks full when they sit.

Might run with 10% or less, but you're not doing yourself any favors. If you have to run it, use an ethanol fuel treatment, too.

I avoid ethanol in 2S's, and I have seen the corrosive effect on sled and saw carbs, bowls, jets, venturi's, and even car fuel systems prior to 2003 or so. Another reason the truck is an oil burner...

I was planning to put a water separator on the pump. Still a no go? If the tank is completely sealed, how would water ever get in?

 

[gregt]

I ran ethanol last year by accident just riding around home. I got a det code pretty quick...

 

[AndrettiDog]

Ethanol fuel is just bad. It's a political joke, but that aside it's really hard in the powersports world. Condensation is a major issue as ethanol causes water to bind up in your tank.

I ride above 9k and I try to run non-ethanol 88 octane. Sled runs hot and fast! More octane doesn't equal more HP, actually the opposite. But some people won't be able to run that low of octane at lower elevations w/o detonation.

You can use ethanol fuel. Ethanol fuel does not equal a lesser octane rating. So 91 non-ethanol is the exact same octane as 91 ethanol fuel. I'm not sure why someone is getting detonation with ethanol fuel unless there is another issue (maybe from the water issues associated with ethanol fuels). Also, it's been proving by people much smarter than me, that ethanol treatment does not get rid of ethanol. It just breaks up the water (or maybe evaporates it) and does some other treatments/lubrications for the motor which are good. I've used them just to keep the water out of the tank.

 

[sledheader]

Ethanol fuel is just bad. It's a political joke, but that aside it's really hard in the powersports world. Condensation is a major issue as ethanol causes water to bind up in your tank.

I ride above 9k and I try to run non-ethanol 88 octane. Sled runs hot and fast! More octane doesn't equal more HP, actually the opposite. But some people won't be able to run that low of octane at lower elevations w/o detonation.

You can use ethanol fuel. Ethanol fuel does not equal a lesser octane rating. So 91 non-ethanol is the exact same octane as 91 ethanol fuel. I'm not sure why someone is getting detonation with ethanol fuel unless there is another issue (maybe from the water issues associated with ethanol fuels). Also, it's been proving by people much smarter than me, that ethanol treatment does not get rid of ethanol. It just breaks up the water (or maybe evaporates it) and does some other treatments/lubrications for the motor which are good. I've used them just to keep the water out of the tank.

I read up on them and that's exactly what I read. They break up the water and provideore lubrication in the fuel but it is impossible to remove the ethanol.

What are your thoughts on a tank in the trailer? I know of more than one person that keeps one in the trailer. It would be inside the trailer and fully enclosed obviously so I'm confused about how a problematic amount of water could get in. Especially with a water separator

 

[AndrettiDog]

I read up on them and that's exactly what I read. They break up the water and provideore lubrication in the fuel but it is impossible to remove the ethanol.

What are your thoughts on a tank in the trailer? I know of more than one person that keeps one in the trailer. It would be inside the trailer and fully enclosed obviously so I'm confused about how a problematic amount of water could get in. Especially with a water separator

I agree with what someone else said. There is a lot of condensation in a trailer. In a sealed tank you probably won't get it. Fuel can become bad over time too, so I guess if you use it in time you are good. Obviously a bad idea with a heater. I keep a 55 gallon drum of 88 non-ethanol in my good size garage and that even makes me nervous at times.

 

[sledheader]

I was doing some measuring and I think a 5 foot long, 3 foot high and 1 foot thick tank would fit nicely in the v of the trailer. That would be 112.2 gallons. I figure average the girlfriend and I will burn 15 gallons per ride. That's not quite ten rides per tank load, would probably last 2 months or so

 

[winter4ever]

If the octane is the same (and I'm not really questioning it) then why is there a different setting built into these new sleds to run ethanol. My understanding is that it just burns hotter, so fuel is increased, and I believe timing is changed a bit. So when it is fresh fuel, and you are on the ethanol setting, you should be fine.

Where the ethanol fuel gets bad is after it sits for any period of time, like over a month. The ethanol breaks away ( on a molecular level) from the gas and allows any water in the fuel to bind with the ethenol, something similar to alcohol. This is where the lean conditions come from.

I would buy some star tron if you have to use ethenol fuel. I'm sure there are other products that work just as well, but I have been using it for years in my boat and other things with great luck. It keeps the ethenol from separating from the gas. They claim it stabilizes fuel for up to 2 years. I know several people personally who have cured bad and rough running boats just by using star tron. So I use it for any gas that may sit for a while, ethenol or not.

 

[89sandman]

OMG the ethanol boogie man is coming to get us all. I am a mechanic for a school district that has 12 schools and we have a ton of equipment from leaf blowers to forklifts, 2 strokes and 4 strokes, and we run everything that takes gas on ethanol fuel. That's a ton of equiptment. Some gets used daily and others a couple times a year and guess what we have never had ONE failure from a fuel related issue. The worst thing that happens is a carb will get clogged up every once in a while, but guess what the happened just as much or more before there ever was ethanol fuel. I also have run all my personal equipment from sleds to boats on ethanol gas for years and once again never one problem. I guess if you don't believe in him he can't hurt you

 

[snowmobiler]

my sleds love chevron premium eth.never ran anything else.

 

[CO Powder]

My newer sleds have been running on 10% ethanol fuel for years. I went out of my way last year to pay more for non eth 91 and run it in the sled. I bought extra gas jugs, the works. 2-3 rides in I had a detonation event, first ever. I went back to filling up with e10 91 at the busy local station and went back to never having an issue. Personally I think avoiding it and paying more to avoid it is a waste of time and money.

 

[daldera]

My newer sleds have been running on 10% ethanol fuel for years. I went out of my way last year to pay more for non eth 91 and run it in the sled. I bought extra gas jugs, the works. 2-3 rides in I had a detonation event, first ever. I went back to filling up with e10 91 at the busy local station and went back to never having an issue. Personally I think avoiding it and paying more to avoid it is a waste of time and money.

Agreed, if it is accessible I would use it other wise run the e10 and leave it on the ethanol setting.

As far as keeping a tank in your trailer, you could do this with out issues if you follow a couple things. First you have to have a high quality breather. Most you can buy are pretty much useless. If you have a contact with an industrial lube supplier in your area they can get good ones. The harder issue to solve is you have to be able to fill the tank with out opening it. If you open a cap and fill it that way you would be surprised at the amount of moisture that can get in just from that. How you can do that when filling up at the pump I do not know. At work we fill our tanks with Wiggins fittings, but we have our own tanks that are set up to be a completely closed system. If you can't accomplish that the best breather in the world won't help.

Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk

 

[Reg2view]

I was planning to put a water separator on the pump. Still a no go? If the tank is completely sealed, how would water ever get in?

I was referring to condensation, and with a sealed tank, it would depend on the air temp and density when you pump fuel out, and let air in. I'm assuming the tank's temperature wouldn't be constant while in storage. Water separator good. Would be an interesting experiment.


Ethanol is an oxygenator, and is actually used to increase octane rating. 10% ethanol has less BTU output per equivalent measure of pure gasoline. You need to run more of it, or roll back timing, because it will run leaner. Flexfuel vehicles are a great example - their fuel mileage goes down dramatically in E85, since the ECM has to run more of it to make hp and keep it from getting too lean - it's just cheaper to fill up. In sleds, beside running richer or less timing (the poo ethanol setting), it's the storage and water - gas separation that occurs. Vehicles run everyday are not an issue. I can't ride everyday. Good luck.

 

[JUDGED]

In Maine, we really do not have a choice because everything has ethanol in in it. I always add a little k100 or stabil and have been fine. I also run eth mode. It is not perfect, but never had an issue.