- Posts: 21
- Thank you received: 0
Best Type Of Gas To Use
- Thistle
- Topic Author
- Offline
- User
i am running both bike on the top gas but was wondering if this is necessary to do so or if i could drop them down to regular?
thanks
Dave
KZ550C1 1980
KZ650H1 1981
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Bluemeanie
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 2519
- Thank you received: 14
1980 KZ650F1, Bought new out the door for $2,162.98!
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- bountyhunter
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 7246
- Thank you received: 337
1979 KZ-750 Twin
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Thistle
- Topic Author
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 21
- Thank you received: 0
Switched to regular 89 gas and the bike runs great! Much better than with the 91 or 93. In fact I was experiencing some mild hesitation on the low range and it felt like "pulsing" at an even speed with about 4k on the revs. I was thinking that maybe some little blockage in the recently cleaned carbs was causing this. Changed the gas and wow...... the 'pulsing went away and also the low revs pick up much improved.
Thanks for the tips!
Dave.
KZ550C1 1980
KZ650H1 1981
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- slowman
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 73
- Thank you received: 0
If the station is selling 10% ethanol I get 89.
Avoid ethanol if you can help it... it'll dry out all the rubber parts of your fuel system.
1979 Kawasaki KZ1000 LTD
The only thing better than the sound of a carburettor opening is the sound of 4 carburettors opening simultaneously!
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- coppertales
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 321
- Thank you received: 0
1982 KZ1100 A2
1982 1100 SPECTRE
1982 1100 SPECTRE
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Limey
- Offline
- User
- 3 Years in the U.K. - Brought the KZ with me!
- Posts: 240
- Thank you received: 0
If the station I'm at is not selling 10% ethanol I get 87.
If the station is selling 10% ethanol I get 89.
Avoid ethanol if you can help it... it'll dry out all the rubber parts of your fuel system.
Unfortunately, you can no longer avoid ethanol. It used to be only the "cheap" gas brands had ethanol, but our beloved President said that in order to save oil(?), we must all use ethanol! In MI, they used to have a placard on the pump stating it contained ethanol - no longer! There is a simple test to figure it out if you are interested.
I doubt if any of our bikes will be affected by it, they are new enough that the effects of ethanol in fuel were known, and avoided. But if you have any gasoline powered equipment from the '60s or early '70s, be careful. Fuel lines and carb seals are the most likely problems!
Eric
Newmarket, England (for 3 years)
Pentwater, Michighan (Home)
1978 KZ650
2000 ZG1000
2006 Suzuki Burgman 650
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Saki Jockey
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 154
- Thank you received: 0
Rob A.
550 A4
GTA,
Ontario, Canada
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- slowman
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 73
- Thank you received: 0
For reference, if anyone is in the Madison area... the ONLY non-ethanol station in Madison, WI is now Bennett's Sinclair on the corner of old Highway 12 North and Century Ave. way up in Middleton. There was a Shell that just switched over the other day. Bennett's is the ONLY place I go for gasoline.
My car doesn't like ethanol either. I have an old '84 BMW 3 series and the Motronic 1.0 computer just doesn't know what to make of the 10% corn!
1979 Kawasaki KZ1000 LTD
The only thing better than the sound of a carburettor opening is the sound of 4 carburettors opening simultaneously!
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- 76 LTD
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 278
- Thank you received: 1
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- kzwolfsr
- Offline
- User
- Posts: 1221
- Thank you received: 16
1979 KZ SR650, stock candy persimmon red and crossover pipes
1981 KZ 1000LTD with non stock and more comfortable handle bars and 4 into one V&H
Original man of the Caribbean
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
- Biquetoast
- Offline
- User
- King Jeremy The Wicked
Octane is a detonation (and ignition, for that matter) INHIBITOR.
The higher the octane, the LESS likely the fuel is to completely burn, or detonate.
High octane fuel is only required in engines with HIGH(er) compression to avoid detonation.
Some people who have normal engines use the next octane up (89-ish?) when in extreme conditions that might increase the likelihood of detonation (pinging); like extreme heat, etc.
All of our engines, unless modified for performance, should be running on regular ol' regular.
The use of high(er) octane fuels in our regular engines will only cause hesitation and carbon build-up from unburned fuel.
...Okay, I re-checked the above for accuracy, but if anybody catches an error there, let me know....
(1.) '75/'76 KZ400D - Commuter
(2.) '78 KZ750B3 Twin - Commuter
(3.) '78 KZ750B3 Twin - Commuter
(4.) '75 KZ400D - Sold
kz750twins.com
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.