My bike likes Premium Gas

[blueman]

I have always run premium fuel in my 05 FJR. The last time I filled it with 89 oct, and rode about 150 miles over a few days. Today I went for a ride with a little less than a quarter tank in it. I got out onto the highway and throttled hard from low RPM's 3 to 4000 up to 5 or six grand in mid gears 2 through 5 and it Pinged a little. Mind you it was 95 out side and the elevation in Lake Havasu is only 700 feet. I did the same thing a couple of times over about 3 miles under load up a long hill to verify it was pinging. I pulled into a gas station filled the tank with premium and went for a 20 mile ride. I did the same thing and no pinging. I put it in every type of riding condition I could think of. Low RPM to full throttle. I draged it from 0 to about 120 doing 6 and 7 grand shifts ect. It ran perfect no pinging, right after I filled the tank with premium.

I realize the recommended fuel is 87 but at 700 feet elevation and the FJR being 10.8 to 1 compression this seems to be a combination for pinging. One of my friends who is my sons boss owns a cycle shop. He used to work for Yamaha from the factory level on there road racing bikes. I told him what happened and he said yes put in the premium it will like it more! Anyone else go through this.

 

[Ignacio]

I live at 450 feet and regularly run 87 without pinging....except once or twice that I've lugged it to 1500 rpms in the totally wrong gear. I've even had an aux. cell of leftover 85 I ran at this elevation without ping.

But, with variation in manufacturing, batches of gas, plugs, and all the other litany of variables you're doing the right thing of running the minimum octane that doesn't ping for you.

 

[Scab]

I am fortunate and pingless using 87 octane, even when hauling a near 600 lb. trailer in tow.

I agree with Iggy. If your individual engine is not happy with the lower octane, get the other. Theoretically, I think, this could mean you have more compression than average. (Realize that statement and $5 will get you a cup-a-joe at any Starbucks.)

 

[Wolfhound]

The quality of gas really varies from station to station in Lake Havasu City. There are several different distributors there. Has it always pinged or just recently ? Maybe a bad tank of gas ? Mine didn't ping there or here in Phx area using several different brands of gas so I still use 87...

 

[blueman]

It only did it this one time with 89 oct but I had run through most of the tank before it pinged. The ping sounded like Pebbles hitting my lower fairing. It only did it under low RPM to throttle hard under load. But right after I filled it up and I used Premium, I mean right after it never did it again after a 20 mile ride.

 

[blueman]

Just went for another 20 mile ride it runs perfect and its 100 outside. Maybe poor deductive reasoning on my part. 87 oct plus 100 degrees equals pinging maybe not. My cycle shop owner friend said it is very possible thought I got a little **** gas maybe. Off on a good ride this weekend can hardly wait. I will still spring for the premium though. Thanks for your input.

 

[markjenn]

Octane appeitite can vary, gasoline can vary, etc. but if the bike is piniging in the conditions you're running, then that's certainly a reason to up the octane. But most of the time, 87 is all that is needed.

- Mark

 

[fjr]

86 at my altitude and it purrs.

 

[Mike-H]

Just remember gentleman & ladies....pinging is a very bad thing....it's cylinder detonation....& any detonation hurts your motor....so if your bike needs a higher octane, use it....don't be cheap....it's like that old expression...."you can pay me now or pay me later"..... .....

 

[C&C]

How many miles, what do your plugs look like? You may have carbon deposits, which artificially increase your compression ratio; just a thought.

 

[wallypiper]

How many miles, what do your plugs look like? You may have carbon deposits, which artificially increase your compression ratio; just a thought.

Yes they do. Old racing trick.

Try the steam clean. Spray a fine water mist into the air intake. Don't point exhaust at a wall. Junk will come out.

 

[madmike2]

Don't buy gas at the A-/P-. I know they're popular, but I've gotten bad gas from them. Yep, I've heard all the stories about how they use the same gas as everyone else, but my XS1100 doesn't like "that" gas and niether does my FJR. I always buy "name brand" gas from "name brand" stations. I've had no symptoms yet, knock wood.

Uhm...IMO. Not to start another gas argument.

 

[blueman]

I went for another quick twenty mile ride today ran perfect. I am suspect of questionable gas in last tank with the combination of it being a high performance motor run in the heat under load. I am sure one could get buy with 87 oct if the manual says so if it really is 87! But my bike runs perfect with the premium I put in it. What gets me is right after I left the gas station parking lot after filling it up I got on the highway and ran it the same way I did to creat the minor ping. And nothing no ping at all, ran perfect ever since. That was about 60 mile ago. Shity or shitie gas to me sounds the most plausable. But still nothing for the best for my FJR Premuim from now on! Thanks for all your input.

 

[painman]

Been running the middle grade since I got the FJ and no problems. My experience is as MM2 said, stay away from the cheapy stations. Also I've had no good luck with Shell gas. My pics, Chevron, Valero in that order. Just my $.02. PM. <><

 

[Bounce]

How many miles, what do your plugs look like? You may have carbon deposits, which artificially increase your compression ratio; just a thought.

I was wondering the same things as I read this. I've read in the past where people reported that the harder-to-burn "premium" (used when not indicated) left build ups inside the compression are of the cylinder. Used over time, the volume of the cylinders decreased (raising effective compessions) and lead to "needing" higher octane to prevent knocking. IIRC, they found a way to clean up the deposits and were able to go to using regular unleaded just like the factory recommended.

But I've missunmembered before.

 

[radman]

Regardless of brand/octane run, every motor, especially high perf ones, benefits mightily from an occasional balls to the wall, 2nd, third, and fourth gear run to redline, a couple times if possible. Nothing cleans out deposits and brings injectors up to snuff like heat, work, and max flow, especially if city bound or lots of low speed work are the general rule. +1 on the water treatment, but not in lieu of an Jane Fonda RPM Workout.

 

[Bounce]

But still nothing for the best for my FJR Premuim from now on! Thanks for all your input.

define "best".

1. as in quality of product?

2. as in higher octanes?

3. as in more energy per unit burned?

If #1, then pick your poison based on personal experiences.

If #2, then octane is not an indication of quality, just an indicator of resistance to ignition (over simplification, I know, Jestal, but it's a simple defintion that works for me and is "close").

If #3, then that's usually regular, since lower octane "ignites" easier and releases energy more readily (see above).

At least I think that's a reasonable grouping without going into the painful details I read elswhere.

 

[FJRScorpion]

Don't know the relationship, but when I use the lower octane gas my '05 seems to stumble a bit from start. I don't notice it with 89 or more. I think that it's time to do the FI synchronization though before passing judgement.

 

[blueman]

Nothing but the best meaning Quality number one. But that seems to be a gamble. From my understanding different Brand Name Fuels and even none brand names come from the same refineries. I was told from my yamaha tech friend that the combination of low altitude,high outside temp, and high compression is a combination for ping ping. I have a TM300 two stoke Desert Bike. Not KTM but TM. Its 17 to 1 compression. "REALLY". The manufacture recommends over 100 oct racing gas. I always run that and my sons 06 and 05 YZ-250's runs the same stuff. The bikes run really cool and the cylinders alway look great at tear down. I rode my FJR again today runs perfect. As my 19 year said hay man put some racing gas in the FJR it will go FASTER!! I like the idea radman says about getting on it. I am thinking more that I got **** gas.