Ethanol Fuel and its Effects on Laverda Fuel System

Steve G.

Steve G.

Hero member
Recent regulations enacted January 2033 in my jurisdiction ( Western Canada) have forced gasoline suppliers to stop selling 0.% ethanol gasoline, as part of the Federal Government “Clean Fuel Standard”. Just inquiring what if any steps, or additives anyone is doing to avoid any of the known problems of, mainly 10% ethanol gasoline??
 
Steve...here a few provinces east of you our Premium fuel use to be ethanol free. Several years ago it changed to "may contain up to 10%" ethonol" . I don't know if it changed again...I will have to check...to be blended at 10%. South of me in Minnesota you can get both no ethanol and 10% ethanol in premium. I would guess this is for all the 2 stroke boat motors and snowmobiles. Anyway...I have his no issues with the Premium with ethanol in either the RGS or snowmobile.
 
Too much bullshit has been kicked around regarding ethanol fuels...

Germany has mandated E5 (max. 5% ethanol) pump fuels since 2008, all my Laverdas run fine on it. This is Euro super with 95 octane, the bikes have not required any form of re-jetting either. Only downside is that the stuff does not like storage for any more than 3-4 months. If the bike isn't being used for a lengthy period, it is recommended that the float bowls are drained when the bike is laid up. No problem in tanks or sealed containers, at least not over 6 months or so.

E10 (max.10% ethanol) is another matter. Certain types of rubber and plastics can be affected by it, lots of those in our old-fashioned carbs. My 2006 Mazda still runs great on it, owners manual clearly states it is E10 compatible.

I've used 102 octane E5 for trackdays. Not for more power, the engine would require different settings for any miniscule advantage, but for an extra safety margin under extreme conditions.

If an engine "requires" re-jetting when swapping to ethanol fuels, it wasn't running properly previously (as is the case with far too many Laverdas that I've come across).:rolleyes:

piet
 
Time will tell how 10% will go with our bikes, but it is already a huge headache here for recreational boats apparently as many only get used occasionally and the fuel sits in their tanks and carburettors (for those fitted). There are lots of stabilisers on the market that are supposed to help. Some are recommending doing the water mix and drain off the ethanol trick and filling the tank and running it before winter storage, as draining the system before storage leads to dried up o-rings etc. As Piet says, it shouldn't affect how your bike runs.
 
It may be no more effective than crossing your fingers and my lack of experience of water/ethanol problems may be coincidental, but it is my habit to turn off my fuel taps, some distance from my house, arriving back with my engine stopping from fuel starvation.
It may help that I live at the bottom of a hill and tend to use my bike more regularly than many others.
 
Just forget it and ride.
Paul

Incidentally I did a test with 10% ethanol fuel. I put various seals and O rings from a Dell'Orto rebuild kit along with a set of floats and a float valve in 10% ethanol fuel for 3 months. They parts weren't in the slightest affected.
 
Exactly as has been said Paul. The problem arises when you are snowed in for many months or for any reason cannot just ride it, the fuel will go rotten on you. We are warned that it could be a problem for some of us.
 
henrywillms said:
Steve...here a few provinces east of you our Premium fuel use to be ethanol free. Several years ago it changed to "may contain up to 10%" ethonol" . I don't know if it changed again...I will have to check...to be blended at 10%. South of me in Minnesota you can get both no ethanol and 10% ethanol in premium. I would guess this is for all the 2 stroke boat motors and snowmobiles. Anyway...I have his no issues with the Premium with ethanol in either the RGS or snowmobile.
Click to expand...

I'm running marked premium 91 octane whenever I can and I have a 42 liter container at home as well. It is zero ethanol for boats and farm equipment and offroad stuff.
I can't imagine they ever check for marked gas and it is 10 cents a liter cheaper.

Jim
 
Tippie said:
Exactly as has been said Paul. The problem arises when you are snowed in for many months or for any reason cannot just ride it, the fuel will go rotten on you. We are warned that it could be a problem for some of us.
Click to expand...
When you're snowed in, you don't ride.
Paul
 
helicopterjim said:
I'm running marked premium 91 octane whenever I can and I have a 42 liter container at home as well. It is zero ethanol for boats and farm equipment and offroad stuff.
I can't imagine they ever check for marked gas and it is 10 cents a liter cheaper.

Jim
Click to expand...
Which station is it Jim?
 
E10 is not a problem for regular use in carbureted engines and can sit for 4 weeks or more without causing problems. I fill with E0 over winter.

Fuel additives do not work as claimed. Thorough testing here:
 
ksoholm said:
E10 is not a problem for regular use in carbureted engines and can sit for 4 weeks or more without causing problems. I fill with E0 over winter.

Fuel additives do not work as claimed. Thorough testing here:
Click to expand...
Fuel additives work very well for the manufacturers. The market is huge.
Paul
 
I think that if you're standing the bike for longer than a few weeks, and it's a carburreted then it's a necessary thing to drain the float bowls. the other precaution I'd take if you are standing the bike is to keep the tank brimmed. The smaller the surface area open to the atmosphere the less absorption of water from the atmosphere by the ethanol content.
 
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