husky 94 octane?

[ZRrrr]

Found this on an Alberta Gov site:

Alberta's Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) was announced on December 11, 2008. The RFS will require 5% renewable alcohol in gasoline and 2% renewable diesel in diesel fuel.

 

[shawnmcgr]

in bc. chevron 94 is trucked in. doent come down the pipeline. hence the low sulfur. i stay with chevron to.

That's the truth, Chevron is the only refinery in van. All other gasoline/diesel comes down the pipeline or is trucked across the boarder from the Washington refineries.

 

[E-Zmoke]

This is starting to become quite the thread, 3 pages in and still not a solid answer...I looked into this last year and couldn't really find anything. I was using the Cheveron 94 in Revy and I stopped using it as I was told as well that it had Ethanol in it. I would really like to get a solid answer on this. I'm pretty sure we all agree Husky and Mohawk are crap but does the Cheveron 94 have Ethanol in it. Where is a safe place to fuel up?

 

[Harp]

Ethanol is an inexpensive way to increase octane rating and oxygenate gasoline.

Ethanol is hygroscopic, It attracts and holds water. This ethanol water cocktail can cause freeze up, corrosion of metal and rubber parts.

Spectro FC additive provides moisture management and counters ethanol-accelerated corrosion in the fuel system. It also contains a small amount of oil to provide lubricity and further inhibit corrosion. Spectro FC is highly concentrated, so half an ounce treats a gallon of fuel.

Better safe than sorry.

 

[whitegold]

I found this on another forum.... but i don't know how much truth there is to it...

the 94 octane does not get the ethanol but the other octanes do. also note that 92 octane has dropped a point to 91 octane due to the ethanol. Read more at chevron with ethanol - evolutionm.net

I know up here we can't even get the 94 octane at the chevron station. Does anyone else have any info on this?

 

[whitegold]

Ethanol is an inexpensive way to increase octane rating and oxygenate gasoline.

Ethanol is hygroscopic, It attracts and holds water. This ethanol water cocktail can cause freeze up, corrosion of metal and rubber parts.

Spectro FC additive provides moisture management and counters ethanol-accelerated corrosion in the fuel system. It also contains a small amount of oil to provide lubricity and further inhibit corrosion. Spectro FC is highly concentrated, so half an ounce treats a gallon of fuel.

Better safe than sorry.

Where can i get this stuff?? I've never heard of it....

 

[overkill131313]

I found this on another forum.... but i don't know how much truth there is to it...

the 94 octane does not get the ethanol but the other octanes do. also note that 92 octane has dropped a point to 91 octane due to the ethanol. Read more at chevron with ethanol - evolutionm.net

I know up here we can't even get the 94 octane at the chevron station. Does anyone else have any info on this?

that is what I read a few days ago but I want to talk to someone high up in chevron! going to do some phoning when I can find some time!

 

[retiredpop]

I don't know if this site is up to date or not but the link gives some info about which stations do not run ethanol.

Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada

 

[E-Zmoke]

So according to that chart, the ONLY Gas in BC that DOES NOT have ETHANOL in their fuel is CHEVERON 94 and SHELL 91 octane

Alberta non ethanol suppliers are Esso and Shell

 

[2manykids]

So according to that chart, the ONLY Gas in BC that DOES NOT have ETHANOL in their fuel is CHEVERON 94 and SHELL 91 octane

Alberta non ethanol suppliers are Esso and Shell

Strange they are the only 2 places that DO NOT turn on my engine warning light.

 

[dooryder]

never once had an issue with running ethanol fuels in any of our machines, in blue river, my sled runs 60000000% better on the husky fuel then the petros, so i say bull chit when people say its bad for the machine

 

[Modman]

Ethanol is bad for sleds. It's an alcohol and a potent solvent. When you first use it in your sled it will dissolve any deposits in the tank, system and pump and send them through the carbs/injectors. If you don't have fuel filters between the tank and the pump and the pump and the carbs, then you are potentially risking a burnt down motor if the debris gets lodged in the carb main jets/injectors.

How it runs in 4 stroke turbo automobile in the summer and how it runs in a 2 stroke sled in the middle of winter are two different things. The fuel itself is not that different IMO and 10-15% ethanol is not a big deal, if both were run in comparable climates, it probably wouldn't be an issue, its the side effects of adding ethanol (that attracts water) to a fuel used in winter that poses problems. Ethanol also dissociates (separates) from fuel because its only held in weak suspension, and it attracts water (much of which comes from condensation in the tank or the tanks at the local station). The more water in the tank and the carbs the greater the chance of water in the carb bowls.

Here is what I have found over the years about water in the fuel and carb bowls - All this water in the fuel can cause ice in the tank and carb float bowls, the ice plugs the jets, the motor burns down. When the sled is back at the shop in a nice warm environment, the ice melts in the tank and the float bowls and the motor is torn down and no one can understand why it smoked a piston/cylinder. The little particles of ice in the float bowls that plugged the main jet has turned to water and the issue essentially "melted" away (pardon the pun). It doesn't take much for this to happen, a real sharp turn, a roll over, something just enough to finally break loose that piece of ice or suck up some water in the float bowl and the motor goes down.

Even those running carb heaters can experience this because the water in the float bowl will only be liquid until the sled is shut off. As the carbs heat and cool they will also attract moisture which may find it's way into the float bowls. Same for EFI sleds, tip it just the right way so the tank pick up gets a good slug of water that's hiding in the bottom of the tank and you're going to have a poor running sled (might not burn down but doesn't run well for a little while).

Guys who fuel at regularly used stations or where there is a large amount of fuel turnover from tanks in good condition, generally don't have too much of an issue. Older stations with old tanks can have significant amounts of water in them. Same thing for guys who ride every weekend and maybe don't keep their sleds in a heated garage (with higher humidity than outdoors), the water and ethanol may not have a chance to dissociate as much in their sleds compared to someone who only rides one weekend a month and their sled sits the other 28 days. I run methy alcohol (gas line antifreeze) to remove water from the fuel in my tank.

As stated ethanol is also corrosive to some parts, not too much in the way of an issue for sled stuff, and because the % is only 10% or less, there is enough dilution IMO.

Long post made short - None of this is good for an engine. Ethanol belongs in cars doing the daily commute in California, not in a snowmobile in Canada in the winter IMO.

 

[overkill131313]

Ethanol is bad for sleds. It's an alcohol and a potent solvent. When you first use it in your sled it will dissolve any deposits in the tank, system and pump and send them through the carbs/injectors. If you don't have fuel filters between the tank and the pump and the pump and the carbs, then you are potentially risking a burnt down motor if the debris gets lodged in the carb main jets/injectors.

How it runs in 4 stroke turbo automobile in the summer and how it runs in a 2 stroke sled in the middle of winter are two different things. The fuel itself is not that different IMO and 10-15% ethanol is not a big deal, if both were run in comparable climates, it probably wouldn't be an issue, its the side effects of adding ethanol (that attracts water) to a fuel used in winter that poses problems. Ethanol also dissociates (separates) from fuel because its only held in weak suspension, and it attracts water (much of which comes from condensation in the tank or the tanks at the local station). The more water in the tank and the carbs the greater the chance of water in the carb bowls.

Here is what I have found over the years about water in the fuel and carb bowls - All this water in the fuel can cause ice in the tank and carb float bowls, the ice plugs the jets, the motor burns down. When the sled is back at the shop in a nice warm environment, the ice melts in the tank and the float bowls and the motor is torn down and no one can understand why it smoked a piston/cylinder. The little particles of ice in the float bowls that plugged the main jet has turned to water and the issue essentially "melted" away (pardon the pun). It doesn't take much for this to happen, a real sharp turn, a roll over, something just enough to finally break loose that piece of ice or suck up some water in the float bowl and the motor goes down.

Even those running carb heaters can experience this because the water in the float bowl will only be liquid until the sled is shut off. As the carbs heat and cool they will also attract moisture which may find it's way into the float bowls. Same for EFI sleds, tip it just the right way so the tank pick up gets a good slug of water that's hiding in the bottom of the tank and you're going to have a poor running sled (might not burn down but doesn't run well for a little while).

Guys who fuel at regularly used stations or where there is a large amount of fuel turnover from tanks in good condition, generally don't have too much of an issue. Older stations with old tanks can have significant amounts of water in them. Same thing for guys who ride every weekend and maybe don't keep their sleds in a heated garage (with higher humidity than outdoors), the water and ethanol may not have a chance to dissociate as much in their sleds compared to someone who only rides one weekend a month and their sled sits the other 28 days. I run methy alcohol (gas line antifreeze) to remove water from the fuel in my tank.

As stated ethanol is also corrosive to some parts, not too much in the way of an issue for sled stuff, and because the % is only 10% or less, there is enough dilution IMO.

Long post made short - None of this is good for an engine. Ethanol belongs in cars doing the daily commute in California, not in a snowmobile in Canada in the winter IMO.

VERY GOOD INFO Modman!

 

[whitegold]

I found a tidbit of information to see if the fuel that you are burning has ethanol in it....

There's a good way to check for alcohol. Take a baby food jar and put small amount of water in it. Take a magic marker and mark where the water level is in the jar. Then add some gas, put on the lid and shake it well. After it sits awhile check and see if the water is still at the mark. If it is, no alcohol.... if the water level is above the mark, then it has alcohol in it..........................
__________________

 

[ZRrrr]

Right from Tech SUpport at Shell Canada:

"In Aberta and B.C., gasoline bronze (87 octane) contains up to 10% by volume ethanol; Gasoline silver (89 octane) contains up to 5% by volume ethanol; and Gasoline premium (91 octane) contains NO ethanol."

 

[briguy99]

Right from Tech SUpport at Shell Canada:

"In Aberta and B.C., gasoline bronze (87 octane) contains up to 10% by volume ethanol; Gasoline silver (89 octane) contains up to 5% by volume ethanol; and Gasoline premium (91 octane) contains NO ethanol."

I have always used Husky/Mohawk marked premium with no ill effects but this thread got me motivated to send an email to thier corporate office. Hey , I got a reply! Here it is......





Thank you for your inquiry regarding our marked premium offering at our Valleyview Husky Market location in Kamloops. Our marked premium is 91 octane and does not contain ethanol.



Should you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to give me a call at the number below.



Thank you,

Jason Rende



District Manager - Interior/Northern BC

Jason.Rende@huskyenerg


So I am thinkin that all 91 octane gasolines in BC might be ethonol free??

Oh well gonna keep using their fuel or Shells marked premium.

On a technical aspect...Modman is right...ethonol is a powerful solvent and when introduced to an older fuel system...it strips all varnish and any other crud that may have built up and plugs filters/screens/etc ...but dont let it sit very long as it was stated...very short shelf life.....goes bad (phase seperation) really quick!! Thats when it looses its octane and the ethonol starts grabbin all the water it can find!

 

[Modman]

I have always used Husky/Mohawk marked premium with no ill effects but this thread got me motivated to send an email to thier corporate office. Hey , I got a reply! Here it is......





Thank you for your inquiry regarding our marked premium offering at our Valleyview Husky Market location in Kamloops. Our marked premium is 91 octane and does not contain ethanol.



Should you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to give me a call at the number below.



Thank you,

Jason Rende



District Manager - Interior/Northern BC

Jason.Rende@huskyenerg


So I am thinkin that all 91 octane gasolines in BC might be ethonol free??

Oh well gonna keep using their fuel or Shells marked premium.

On a technical aspect...Modman is right...ethonol is a powerful solvent and when introduced to an older fuel system...it strips all varnish and any other crud that may have built up and plugs filters/screens/etc...but if used from new lil harm will happen as most engines are now designed to run on up to 10% blend....but dont let it sit very long as it was stated...very short shelf life.....goes bad (phase seperation) really quick!!

The other thing that I forgot to mention that makes ethanol go "bad" is that the added octane in ethanol fuels is based on the ethanol in suspension. Fuel will naturally hold .5% of water in suspension, anything more than that and it starts to drop out. Ethanol molecules bond to a water molecule and together they are significantly heavier than water, so they separate faster (dissociation). As the water percentage in ethanol based fuels increases and as the ethanol dissociates, the octane rating of the fuel drops significantly because the ethanol is what is giving it the added octane rating.

What this means is that as the ethanol separates from the fuel, it removes a significant amount of octane rating of the fuel. Standard e-based fuels that have been sitting for a while will have significantly reduced octane and therefore can cause engine failure in applications where higher octane ratings are required to avoid detonation.

If your sled is newer and your e-based fuel is fresh, you're probably going to be alright. I'm not willing to take the chance with my sleds, but lots of people run it with no issues.