Fuel Question
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6,174
Likes: 1,960
From: Great State of Canada
My OM, again, calls for 91. I add a couple of oz of SeaFoam to every other tank of gas or so to offset the residual E10 I get from filling up at single hose pumps. The addition of SeaFoam makes a noticeable difference.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
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From: Northwest
I use non-ethanol fuel above 90octane if I'm not riding a lot. I'll use the E10 if I'm going to burn through the tank and more in day.
The EFI bikes will manage the correct engine parameters and I doubt you'll see any difference whatsoever.
The EFI bikes will manage the correct engine parameters and I doubt you'll see any difference whatsoever.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Illinois
H-D has engineered the TC to use E10 with no after effect. Been running it for a decade on all versions of TC's from 88's to 120's. Absolutely no issue.
With the strong corn lobby in the mid west bribing all the representative's it is not possible for pure gas any where. The last one within a hundred miles of me when E10 about three years ago. There are two massive ethanol plants in a 15 mile radius of my house.
With the strong corn lobby in the mid west bribing all the representative's it is not possible for pure gas any where. The last one within a hundred miles of me when E10 about three years ago. There are two massive ethanol plants in a 15 mile radius of my house.
Last edited by lh4x4; May 17, 2016 at 10:28 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6,174
Likes: 1,960
From: Great State of Canada
H-D has engineered the TC to use E10 with no after effect. Been running it for a decade on all versions of TC's from 88's to 120's. Absolutely no issue.
With the strong corn lobby in the mid west bribing all the representative's it is not possible for pure gas any where. The last one within a hundred miles of me when E10 about three years ago. There are two massive ethanol plants in a 15 mile radius of my house.
With the strong corn lobby in the mid west bribing all the representative's it is not possible for pure gas any where. The last one within a hundred miles of me when E10 about three years ago. There are two massive ethanol plants in a 15 mile radius of my house.
"Fuels with an ethanol content of up to 10 percent may be used in your motorcycle without affecting vehicle performance. U.S. EPA regulations currently indicate that fuels with 15 percent ethanol (E-15) are restricted from use in motorcycles at the time of this publication."
This statement is hardly a glowing endorsement for the use of ethanol and it quite diplomatically circumvents generally known storage and separation issues with ethanol, which in turn threaten to promote internal system corrosion and difficult post storage starts.
Defenders of E-10 correctly state that it will "run" in your engine just fine. By neglect or omission this claim skirts areas where ethanol indeed becomes a problem. The vast majority of small engine manufacturers eschew the use of E-10 in their product recommending ethanol free gas be used wherever possible. Just because the deleterious effects of E-10 have been technically mitigated by some engine makers, (at the expense of customers), doesn't make it a good product. We should remember 2 things while we search for ethanol free gas as best we can:
1. E-10 works,, but ethanol free is better.
2. Adding ethanol to gasoline never did one phucking positive thing for the environment or your vehicle. Its a Moonbat's daydream.
As you point out lh4x4, there are now Lobby groups protecting this **** because of the high dollar amounts and political reputations invested in it. Still, ethanol was and remains an expensive and technically troublesome mistake, nothing more.
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Joined: Aug 2012
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From: Detroit
Defenders of E-10 correctly state that it will "run" in your engine just fine. By neglect or omission this claim skirts areas where ethanol indeed becomes a problem. The vast majority of small engine manufacturers eschew the use of E-10 in their product recommending ethanol free gas be used wherever possible.
Small engines (particularly older ones) often don't have components designed for E-10, or a fuel injection system which will automatically adjust for the mixture change. Our recent Harleys do.
I've been using the stuff for at least 15 years in everything, with never any problems whatsoever, including in a 1000 horsepower boat which was stored for 3 years without draining the carburetors, and with a little fuel left in the tank. Added some fresh fuel to what remained in the tank, started right up.
I've also been using it for at least 10 years in a supercharged Corvette, which also gets stored every winter. Never had the slightest problem whatsoever, and everything looked like new when I've had the fuel system apart.
An advantage of having easily accessible ethanol around is that E-85 has become the new "race gas", available right at the pump. Many sanctioned race events now use it, or somewhere between E-85 and straight ethanol.
Fears about E-10 are ridiculously overblown. But I guess it's just human nature to need to be afraid of somethin". Why not ethanol?
Last edited by Warp Factor; May 18, 2016 at 06:32 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6,174
Likes: 1,960
From: Great State of Canada
"The sky is falling, the sky is falling!"
Small engines (particularly older ones) often don't have components designed for E-10, or a fuel injection system which will automatically adjust for the mixture change. Our recent Harleys do.
I've been using the stuff for at least 15 years in everything, with never any problems whatsoever, including in a 1000 horsepower boat which was stored for 3 years without draining the carburetors, and with a little fuel left in the tank. Added some fresh fuel to what remained in the tank, started right up.
Fears about E-10 are ridiculously overblown.
Small engines (particularly older ones) often don't have components designed for E-10, or a fuel injection system which will automatically adjust for the mixture change. Our recent Harleys do.
I've been using the stuff for at least 15 years in everything, with never any problems whatsoever, including in a 1000 horsepower boat which was stored for 3 years without draining the carburetors, and with a little fuel left in the tank. Added some fresh fuel to what remained in the tank, started right up.
Fears about E-10 are ridiculously overblown.
My apologies for having underestimated your capacity for missing the point. It is stored E-10 fuel that is the problem, not stored equipment.
Hope this helps.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,217
Likes: 90
From: Detroit
"The sky is falling.."
"E-10 will make your weenie fall off.."
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6,174
Likes: 1,960
From: Great State of Canada
"The sky is falling, the sky is falling!"
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I've also been using it for at least 10 years in a supercharged Corvette, which also gets stored every winter. Never had the slightest problem whatsoever, and everything looked like new when I've had the fuel system apart.
An advantage of having easily accessible ethanol around is that E-85 has become the new "race gas", available right at the pump. Many sanctioned race events now use it, or somewhere between E-85 and straight ethanol.
Fears about E-10 are ridiculously overblown. But I guess it's just human nature to need to be afraid of somethin". Why not ethanol?
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I've also been using it for at least 10 years in a supercharged Corvette, which also gets stored every winter. Never had the slightest problem whatsoever, and everything looked like new when I've had the fuel system apart.
An advantage of having easily accessible ethanol around is that E-85 has become the new "race gas", available right at the pump. Many sanctioned race events now use it, or somewhere between E-85 and straight ethanol.
Fears about E-10 are ridiculously overblown. But I guess it's just human nature to need to be afraid of somethin". Why not ethanol?
You got me there bro. I'll have to admit I had no idea they'd made a "small engine" version of the Corvette. Started first pull did it ?
Seriously, try a re-read. Here, I'll help:
,,,,,Just because the deleterious effects of E-10 have been technically mitigated by some engine makers, (at the expense of customers), doesn't make it a good product.,,,,,,
. Toys may not be all you have that runs a little slow.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,217
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From: Detroit
One advantage of running E-10 in a Harley is that it will actually make the engine run a little cooler (for those who think they run too hot), because ethanol has a much greater evaporative cooling effect than gasoline. More than double. In fact, on engines which run high percentages of alcohol, it can actually be a problem to get the oil temperature up into the normal operating range.
So do a little real homework, rather than just parroting mindless blather. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but not everything your Uncle Bubba told you is accurate.
Oh, does your Uncle Bubba also happen to believe that ethanol fuel is something new? You can momentarily pose as a smart person, by informing him that the original model T Fords were "flex-fuel", designed to run on ethanol, gasoline, or kerosene.
Last edited by Warp Factor; May 18, 2016 at 11:16 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6,174
Likes: 1,960
From: Great State of Canada
You got that right. What they are is mostly old wives tales, perpetuated by repetition on the internet by people with unusually low technical understanding.
One advantage of running E-10 in a Harley is that it will actually make the engine run a little cooler (for those who think they run too hot), because ethanol has a much greater evaporative cooling effect than gasoline. More than double. In fact, on engines which run high percentages of alcohol, it can actually be a problem to get the oil temperature up into the normal operating range.
So do a little real homework, rather than just parroting mindless blather. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but not everything your Uncle Bubba told you is accurate.
Oh, does your Uncle Bubba also happen to believe that ethanol fuel is something new? You can momentarily pose as a smart person, by informing him that the original model T Fords were "flex-fuel", designed to run on ethanol, gasoline, or kerosene.
One advantage of running E-10 in a Harley is that it will actually make the engine run a little cooler (for those who think they run too hot), because ethanol has a much greater evaporative cooling effect than gasoline. More than double. In fact, on engines which run high percentages of alcohol, it can actually be a problem to get the oil temperature up into the normal operating range.
So do a little real homework, rather than just parroting mindless blather. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but not everything your Uncle Bubba told you is accurate.
Oh, does your Uncle Bubba also happen to believe that ethanol fuel is something new? You can momentarily pose as a smart person, by informing him that the original model T Fords were "flex-fuel", designed to run on ethanol, gasoline, or kerosene.
