G
Guest
Is there any ill effects to running 100 octane gasoline in the busa? The Texaco up the street just put in the new racing fuel pump 100octane,
thanks,
Turtle
thanks,
Turtle
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
More options
Meta tagsOB_VegasDude
Registered
No ill effects, it makes your engine run cooler though......I ran it in my zx11 all the time but did not seem to help on power though. I read somewhere that tests were done on bikes similar to ours comparing 100 vs 91 octane and no power improvements were recorded. The biggest thing is that it is expensive................And you cant find this level of octane everywhere you go.........so.........go with the 91
Just a sidenote about gasoline. I was told to avoid stations that are on interstate and other transient routes because they will sometimes put regular in all pumps with the thoughts that no one would ever bother coming back to complain. Buy gas where the bulk of the customers are locals. This was told to me by a station owner.
Yes but it does smell good. If you put the bike on the dyno and try it you wiil find no more HP than 93 octane. I have tried it on my R1. You also may notice a lighter color in your pipe than black, like a tan color. Also is it leaded or unleaded ? Most 100 octane is unleaded. Lead is a lubricate.
OB_Falconer
Registered
For What It's Worth, higher octane gasoline actually contains _less_ energy per unit volume. The higher octane is (generally speaking) achieved by adding knock inhibitors -- the more knock inhibitors per cc of gas, the less combustible material is available to make oomph.
The reason to put higher octane gas in your engine is to prevent knocking. You'll get the most horsepower from the lowest octane gas you can run without knocking.
Now, that's the _old_ world view [Hey, I'm old, I'm allowed.]. Today you have to factor in knock sensors which sophisticated ignition control systems use to prevent pre-ignition -- they actually "listen" for pinging and retard the ignition from nominal until the pinging stops. This of course results in _reduced_ horsepower. I don't know if the ignition system in the 'Busa is that sophisticated.
Bottom line: The 'Busa is designed for 91 octane gas -- use it, and it'll be happy.
[This message has been edited by Falconer (edited 15 August 1999).]
The reason to put higher octane gas in your engine is to prevent knocking. You'll get the most horsepower from the lowest octane gas you can run without knocking.
Now, that's the _old_ world view [Hey, I'm old, I'm allowed.]. Today you have to factor in knock sensors which sophisticated ignition control systems use to prevent pre-ignition -- they actually "listen" for pinging and retard the ignition from nominal until the pinging stops. This of course results in _reduced_ horsepower. I don't know if the ignition system in the 'Busa is that sophisticated.
Bottom line: The 'Busa is designed for 91 octane gas -- use it, and it'll be happy.
[This message has been edited by Falconer (edited 15 August 1999).]
My owners manual (Calif bike) says 87 octane and that's what I've been running for 3200 trouble-free, knock-free miles from sea level to 8,000 feet. Octane requirement decreases with altitude, so regular gas in mountain areas is usually 85 octane instead of 87 and works just fine in vehicles designed for 87 octane.
Incidentally, the manufacturer's statement of origin on my bike, which goes to the DMV with first registration, showed the horsepower as 172.5. Anybody know what it shows on the 49-state models?
Incidentally, the manufacturer's statement of origin on my bike, which goes to the DMV with first registration, showed the horsepower as 172.5. Anybody know what it shows on the 49-state models?
G
Guest
Check the sticker on the bike itself and see if it doesn't call for a higher octane requirement than the owner's manual states.
Mine does. Page 8 of the owner's manual states 87 BUT the sticker on the bike says 91. I feed my Busa 91.
Mine does. Page 8 of the owner's manual states 87 BUT the sticker on the bike says 91. I feed my Busa 91.
OB_GSXRTURBO1
Registered
I think Falconer is exactly right: an engine will make the most power with the lowest octane gasoline that will prevent knocking or pre-ignition. The one place you would want overkill as far as octane goes is if you are using nitrous oxide, or if the engine is being pressurixed via a turbo or supercharger. Frank, are you talking about the power jet option on Lectron carburetors to make them streetable? Since Lectrons have no intermediate circuit they do not transition well, they will idle ok and work perfect at full throttle, but are terrible at anything in between. The power jet is supposed to remedy SOME of this. Lectrons are basically just a slide with a tapered needle, no jets to change! They will make more power than ANY carb made, and I have little doubt they would make more power than fuel injection as well. They are primarily used for drag racing due to their above mentioned limitations.
I was bothered by the owners manual saying 87 pump octane and the sticker Todd mentioned saying 91. There is no discepancy. The sticker says 91 RON minimum. RON is different from pump octane. 87 pump equates to 92 RON. Octane nerds can see http://www.ibmwr.org/otech/octane.html for more info on the subject.
G
Guest
Sherm - looks like you are correct in your assertations but based on experiences with my cars which may or may not be applicable to the Busa I wonder if timing wouldn't be reduced to avoid knock that might occur when using 87 octane in a Busa motor with 11:1 compression? Both of my cars reqire min 91. One is a twin turbo and actually requires higher than 91 when running higher boost levels but that configuration isn't as applicable to our normally aspirated Busas. However I also have another vehicle with an LT-1 that is NA with 10.5:1 compression that also requires a min of 91 and if a lower grade is used the timing IS retarded via a knock sensor and a noticible amount of HP is lost. While I agree that a much higher grade (like 100) on a stock Busa may be a total waste of money I would be interested to know if knock sensors are employed on the Busa that *could* retard timing due to knock produced by "sub-standard" fuel. Anyone with a factory service manual know?
P.S. - NONE of my references to octane are using the RON rating.
P.S. - NONE of my references to octane are using the RON rating.
OB_Turbo Rick
Registered
Todd
The Hayabusa has a very very good combustion
Chamber and will tolerate 87 octane gas very
well.
I have tested with 87 octane gas and could not make the motor ping so this would lead me to believe that we could up the compression 2 or 3 points and still run 92 octane gas. I know of a busa that is running 15:1 compression and claims that he runs pump gas .....???????
As far as the knock sensor goes our busa's don't have one, the processor in the ECU would have to be much faster to cope with it.
Turbo Rick
The Hayabusa has a very very good combustion
Chamber and will tolerate 87 octane gas very
well.
I have tested with 87 octane gas and could not make the motor ping so this would lead me to believe that we could up the compression 2 or 3 points and still run 92 octane gas. I know of a busa that is running 15:1 compression and claims that he runs pump gas .....???????
As far as the knock sensor goes our busa's don't have one, the processor in the ECU would have to be much faster to cope with it.
Turbo Rick
OB_cbxchris
Registered
I know around 180-200 lbs of cylinder pressure in a GS engine with around 35 degrees of advance is around the max for pump gas...how much cylinder pressure does the bus have..anyone checked yet? What kind of advance does the bus use? The more advance a engine needs..the less efficient the combustion chamber.
G
Guest
Thanks for the input. Now before I begin feeding my beast with a lower grade fuel has anyone done any dynotesting using different grades of PUMP gas? I can save 10-12 cents a gallon by dropping from 91 to 87 which doesn't sound like much but it adds up when you can't stop riding. I guess it just seems un-natural to be feeding a machine like this plain ol' 87 regular unleaded - especially at 11:1 comp. But if I'm just throwing money down the drain with no advantage to using 91 I'm ready to reconsider.
OB_Dirty Pete
Registered
Bob, what do spark plugs look like when they've undergone detonation?
Does the electrode degrade? Or...?
Does the electrode degrade? Or...?
OB_notraction
Registered
an increases in octane rating allows you to advance your ignition timing and thats where the increase in power will come from.
It would damage them. It will be fairly obvious. Any tune-up type book or guide will generally show how to read the plugs and include example photos. Maybe even the Busa manual, not that I would know. Back Order.
Don't worry your stock Busa plugs are not going to show this. If proper fuel mixture is given the plugs will be a tan color.
I might take you up on the manual offer Pete. There wouldn't be any differences in in the Canadian version, would there?
I would send you a money order 1st. I will check with my dealer again on Thurs.
Bob
Don't worry your stock Busa plugs are not going to show this. If proper fuel mixture is given the plugs will be a tan color.
I might take you up on the manual offer Pete. There wouldn't be any differences in in the Canadian version, would there?
I would send you a money order 1st. I will check with my dealer again on Thurs.
Bob
OB_Dirty Pete
Registered
If a Busa were getting detonation (knock) on a lower octane gas, how would you know?
The quiet, erratic pinging of detonation is relatively easy to hear in a car because a car doesn't have all the much-louder mechanical, wind and exhaust noises of a bike.
I always put 94 octane in mine Busa, but if you're right (and I have little doubt you are) that an engine produces the most power at the lowest non-detonatng octane, how would I "experiment my way downwards" to the right octane?
What would I listen or look for?
The quiet, erratic pinging of detonation is relatively easy to hear in a car because a car doesn't have all the much-louder mechanical, wind and exhaust noises of a bike.
I always put 94 octane in mine Busa, but if you're right (and I have little doubt you are) that an engine produces the most power at the lowest non-detonatng octane, how would I "experiment my way downwards" to the right octane?
What would I listen or look for?
G
Guest
A question for the petroleum knowledgeable folks. Do the manufacturers change the octane levels seasonally? It's most noticable in my Ranger pickup. In winter it runs 87 quite well. In summer it pings it's guts out. Texaco seems to be the worst.
Similar threads
