VP race fuel

[eric_271]

Would it be legal to run this fuel in my saw. It looks like you can get it in 86 tru 118 octane. Leaded and unleaded. Seems like 90 or 91 octane should be ok. Dont know about the price though.

 

[ccicora]

VP is very good fuel and can made a saw run real good. But you need to pick the correct fuel or you will not have the performance you need.

Later,
Chris

 

[eric_271]

They have a lot of choices of different types. It has to be better then the ethenol gas that we have had here for the last ten years. Dosent even smell like gas anymore.

 

[rmihalek]

When I was racing dirt bikes, the 110 octane VP fuel was about $30 for a 5 gallon drum.

 

[eric_271]

Is 110 octane higher then I need and could it hurt the saw? I remember back in the 70s buying pump gas 100 octane at about 45 cents a gallon. To bad those days are gone.

 

[rmihalek]

The octane rating required for optimal performance really depends on the compression ratio (and probably ignition timing) of the engine. Race engines use high octane fuel because the compression is so high that lower octane fuel would explode just due to the compression.

I'm sure there are others in this forum that have experimented extensively with octane (and other additives like nitromethane) in stock and modified chainsaw engines.

See what octane the manufacturer recommends. If your saw is stock, stick with that. However, my guess is that you would see an improvement in performance even with the 87 or 90 octane race fuel since it doesn't have the additives that pump gas has, so your engine will run cooler.

 

[sawracr]

Eric, I would think that on a hot day, say 90 degrees or more, 100 plus would work very well keeping the engine much cooler and eliminate potential detonation. I run 110 union 76 in my race saws, seems to work good. Jon