I run 93 octane in my saws with Stihl ultra at 50:1.
super or regular gas
- Thread starter gew98
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Cstratton
ArboristSite Operative
Octane has NOTHING to do with gumming! Different refinery's even use different chemicals to acheive thier octane rating. Gumming is a function of evaporation and other stuff like detergents or lack there of. I would have to say that there are more misguided beleifs about fuel than any other engine related topic.
eMGunslinger
ArboristSite Operative
All in all everyone knows that I believe being its been beaten like a dead horse every couple of weeks I think since the beginning of time, but it makes us sleep better at night knowing we got race car gas :hmm3grin2orange: in our wood cutting machines...same mechanics as me painting flames on my bar one time, it made that bar so much faster you don't even know bro
Cstratton
ArboristSite Operative
LOL! Watch out, flames on your bar lower the octane rating of your chain oil.
I can get non-ethanol fuel but the highest octane available here is 91 so its what I use, saws seem to like it ok.
RacerX
Addicted to ArboristSite
I run 93 octane because two different local saw guys recommended it given the fact that all gasoline sold here is 10% ethanol.
Bob Wright
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yup just retired from making gasoline. It all comes from the same tank and goes into different trucks and they all add their "own seceret packet" of goodness. Like seceret sauce at your fav BBQ chicken joint...Bob
spankrz
ArboristSite Operative
where i live, 87 octane (in general) has a higher ethanol content than 89 or 92 octane. 92 is a waste, but i run 89 with stihl ultra, and i reccomend all of my customers do the same. also, if you have a jug of gas that you got a month ago, pitch it. if your saw will sit for a month or longer, dump it out and run it bone dry. i rebuild more carbs from ethanol problems than i sharpen chains.
MEATSAW
ArboristSite Guru
That's what I don't quite understand. The one thing that we require to run our equipment in the one thing responsible for its degradation. That is plain irritating. Non-ethanol gas should be an option at every station. There is not a non-ethanol pump any where near me (at least a 2 hour drive) which is more frustrating. But I guess it all comes down to making oil companies making a buck.
mt.stalker
ArboristSite Guru
Octane
To me it's a no-brainer , Higher octane = lower operating temp = longer engine life
To me it's a no-brainer , Higher octane = lower operating temp = longer engine life
The only non ethanol gas here is regular. So, I buy the regular and put about 4 ounces of 104 octane booster in 5 gallons. Runs great.
gew98
ArboristSite Lurker
Wow . Not sure of a yes or no... but I do see a trend that mixed fuel does have a shelf life relevant to potential disaster.Who said you can't teach an old parrot new tricks.
I used to run 89 with 10% ethanol but now run Shell 91 octane no ethanol. I just saw an ad on TV stating the Shell uses the same additive package in all levels of fuel.
I run a couple of saws dating back to the 60s and I am concerned with the effect the ethanol might have on the seals.
I run a couple of saws dating back to the 60s and I am concerned with the effect the ethanol might have on the seals.
zogger
Tree Freak
Has nothing to do with oil companies
Eventually we'll have good enough materials science to deal with ethanol fuel in two strokes and older four strokes, but for now..it sucks.
--oil companies sell oil, not ethanol. Oil companies would rather NOT sell ethanol. They don't grow it or make it or pump it out of the ground. They got mandated/encouraged/brow beat/bribed to put it in. Corn farmers, monsanto et al, and wall street commodities gamblers/speculators combined with feel good greenies (what a combo... of "conservatives" and "liberals"..) are the ones responsible for ethanol in fuel. They were using MTBE before but it turned out to cause massive water pollution (unintended consequences..) so they went with ethanol for fuel oxygenation purposes, to improve air quality, which to be fair, was needed.
Eventually we'll have good enough materials science to deal with ethanol fuel in two strokes and older four strokes, but for now..it sucks.
Cstratton
ArboristSite Operative
About 8 years ago I was on a quest to find hidden power and other knowledge. I spent alot of time with my quad on a dyno complete with egt sensors. I did everything from stock to it present day build. I found that in a close to stock motor that there was no difference at all between 87 and 93 octane. It even made a very slightly lower HP on 110 race gas. In its present built form, I found the 93 octane didn't make more power. It did keep me out of the borderline detonation I was seeing in the upper rpm range. (9,000+). I went further and put different domes in the head to bring the volume down by 4cc. This was to try to get more useable power with higher octane. It made slightly less HP, but it brought the torque peak down some in the rpm range. (torque value stayed the same) This pretty much convinced me that I am wasting my money on anything over 93 octane except on race engines. Sorry for the long post.
