Been running 93 octane premium in my VTx for the last 12,000 miles and recently said 'screw it this stuff is getting expensive' and went to 87 octane regular. Noticed an immediate increase in engine vibration, most noticeable between 70 and 80 mph indicated. :roll: Will finish out the tank and switch back to premium and see if the vibes go away. I'd heard rumors of this a year ago but didn't put much stock in it. Maybe there is some truth there. I'll find out one way or the other. 8)
1st off I would check the plugs (cause they are probably so fouled using the 93 octane that they need to be replaced) After replacing those use 87 octane only (as recommended by the owners manual) The VTX does not need a high octane (high octane for high compression engines only).
87 is all I run. I read a thread or two on this board about octanes and alot of them say it is not good to switch back and forth from 87 to 93.
I would stick to the 87 for a while.
When I bought my 1300C in February, 2004, the dealer recommended 93 octane. The owner's manual recommends 87 octane. I've been running 87 in mine except one time the station where I stopped was out of 87 and was selling 93 for the same price.
I ran one tank of 93 and couldn't tell any difference in performance.
My engine fells a little rough at those speeds, noticed that if I down shift it smooths out also noticed that it smooths out when the engine is hot , not just warmed up but hot.
Not overheated but fan running frequently.
The engine was designed to run on the lowest octane available. Your plugs are likely pretty cruddy from running the wrong fuel. Just because it says "Premium" doen't mean it's better when it comes to fuel. Higher octane is needed for higher compression engines, the X has a low compression engine and the high octane burns slower so you were never burning all the fuel before. Run a bottle of Techron Fuel System cleaner through 2 or 3 tanks(split 1 bottle between the 2 or 3 tanks, not 1 bottle per tank) and then run the 87.
This will explain it a lot better than I can; http://tech.vtxoa.com/index.php?action= ... artlang=en
My dealer said run 93 or the engine will knock & ping, I haven't tried anything else it & i've been wondering what the other grades of gas would do myself.
Nearly every dealer says "Run the Premium" and they really should read up on things. My best advice is not to listen to a dealer and read the owners manual as the manufacturer will know better than the dealer
To tag on to what chicago spike says, higher octane fuels are designed to be RESISTANT to detonation so as not to knock or ping (pre-ignite). When gasoline (or any fuel) is put under compression, it will heat up. If the compression is high enough (perhaps 10:1 or greater), low octane fuels will detonate just from the heat build up of the compression. If the octane of the fuel is high enough to resist the heat build up of compression, then it will detonate at the proper time when the plugs fire.
You are not doing your "X" a favor by using high octane fuel. You are not giving your "X" MORE POWER (ala Tim "the tool man" Taylor). The compression on the "X" is not high enough to merit using 93 octane. It's a waste of money and you may have some carbon build up from long term use of 93.
Anyone know which system of octane Honda used in figuring octane vs the methods used on gas in the U.S.? If I remember correctly for awhile there several different methods were used in different parts of the country and 87 octane in one place wasn't 87 in another. Anyone know the facts on this? Is this all standardized now?
Anyone know which system of octane Honda used in figuring octane vs the methods used on gas in the U.S.? If I remember correctly for awhile there several different methods were used in different parts of the country and 87 octane in one place wasn't 87 in another. Anyone know the facts on this? Is this all standardized now?
ctriba and chicago spike are right...you've fouled your plugs using the 93 octane. probably why your bike is not running like it should. best to follow spike's advice and get that stuff outta there.
Been running 93 octane premium in my VTx for the last 12,000 miles and recently said 'screw it this stuff is getting expensive' and went to 87 octane regular. Noticed an immediate increase in engine vibration, most noticeable between 70 and 80 mph indicated. :roll: Will finish out the tank and switch back to premium and see if the vibes go away. I'd heard rumors of this a year ago but didn't put much stock in it. Maybe there is some truth there. I'll find out one way or the other. 8)
I guess I havn't had a good blasting on here for a while so I guess it's
time.
Just got back for Florida a few weeks ago and I did a test of running 87
octane all the way to Florida (764 miles) and 93 octane all the way back.
And this is what i did. I got 40 mpg, riding 2 up, with gear about 500 pounds,
70 to 80 mph. Bike was sluggish with a slow throttle responce and vibrated bad.
Got to Florida and changed back to 93 octane and before that tank was out the bike it had started running like it should. Running around in Panama City, Florida the mpg went up to 50 mpg between tanks.
But is not a good reading.It's all in town.
I ran 93 octane all the back to Texas though the same states, and at some of the same stations.
45mpg and the bike runs way better
G P.S. my owner's manual that came with this bike states
Your engine is designed to use any gasoline that has a pump octane number of 86 or HIGHER.
I guess I havn't had a good blasting on here for a while so I guess it's
time.
Just got back for Florida a few weeks ago and I did a test of running 87
octane all the way to Florida (764 miles) and 93 octane all the way back.
And this is what i did. I got 40 mpg, riding 2 up, with gear about 500 pounds,
70 to 80 mph. Bike was sluggish with a slow throttle responce and vibrated bad.
Got to Florida and changed back to 93 octane and before that tank was out the bike it had started running like it should. Running around in Panama City, Florida the mpg went up to 50 mpg between tanks.
But is not a good reading.It's all in town.
I ran 93 octane all the back to Texas though the same states, and at some of the same stations.
45mpg and the bike runs way better
G P.S. my owner's manual that came with this bike states
Your engine is designed to use any gasoline that has a pump octane number of 86 or HIGHER.
You might as well not even post this stuff cause most of these crackers aren't gonna listen to you anyway. Been there and done it!
I switched back to Premium 93 last night after running the tank almost bone dry to get all the 87 out. Engine had been running noticeably rougher between 70 and 80 mph in 5th on the 87 octane stuff.
The engine immediately began running smoother on the premium, waaaaay smoother. These guys think we're making this sh*t up cause we have nothing better to do but waste our time.
I won't even argue with them anymore. Glad it worked out for you Big G. 8)
By the way, I have conducted this experiment three times over the last 15 months, same results each time, runs like crap immediately upon switching to 87, immediately cleans out upon switching back to premium.
Hell, what do I know though?
ctriba and chicago spike are right...you've fouled your plugs using the 93 octane. probably why your bike is not running like it should. best to follow spike's advice and get that stuff outta there.
I agree with KRUZ I have run BASE racing fuel every third tank with the highest octane I can find at the pump, the bike runs cooler, has better response and the tailpipes are clean not blacked by carbon....My 1300r is a year old now with no mods to the engine and have now problems with vibration, cold starts (dont use choke) and average about 160 miles per tank before hitting reserve....Cant say what happens to the bike with 87 NEVER ran it.....
So why start the post then?
You want to run 93 - go ahead - but instead of calling us "crackers" - your time may be better spent trying to figure out why we can all run 87 and you can't. :wink:
I agree with KRUZ I have run BASE racing fuel every third tank with the highest octane I can find at the pump, the bike runs cooler, has better response and the tailpipes are clean not blacked by carbon....My 1300r is a year old now with no mods to the engine and have now problems with vibration, cold starts (dont use choke) and average about 160 miles per tank before hitting reserve....Cant say what happens to the bike with 87 NEVER ran it.....
I agree with KRUZ I have run BASE racing fuel every third tank with the highest octane I can find at the pump, the bike runs cooler, has better response and the tailpipes are clean not blacked by carbon....My 1300r is a year old now with no mods to the engine and have now problems with vibration, cold starts (dont use choke) and average about 160 miles per tank before hitting reserve....Cant say what happens to the bike with 87 NEVER ran it.....
I switched from 93 octane down to 89. Then Michael posted that I should try 87. When using premium fuel, my plugs had a black soot on them and the bike would shutter and then smooth out after the first mile after warming up .
I cleaned the plugs with a wire brush and compressed air and that problem was solved.
The bike now runs very smooth with 87 and has as much power or maybe more than with the higher octanes (I don't have a dyno).
Sometimes I had what I thought was more vibration with the 87 octane and at other times it seemed very smooth. After experimentation, it was changing the the brands of fuel that was causing the vibration.
I live near Port Everglades and all name brands appear to get their 87 octane from the same tanks as well and they appear to share other tanks for higher grades :shock: . The only difference I can see is each brand has it's own fueling dispensers. That seems to be where each fuel brand supplier must inject their own additives as it flows into the tanker truck (wonder how they get that tiger through the hose).
Anyway I think some of the additives (cleaners, yellow cats etc. :?: ) may actually downgrade the fuel's smooth combustion qualities causing the vibration. This is all I can figure out and may open a new can of worms :eat1: .
Try different brands of 87 octane :idea: .
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