|
|
General Discussion
Started by Anonymous at 03-03-2008 5:59 AM. Topic has 21 replies.
  
|
|
Sort Posts:
|
|
|
|
 03-03-2008, 5:59 AM
|
|
Anonymous
|
|
|
Probably the dumb question of the day, but what is the correct or best octane rating for a CX500's fuel?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
03-03-2008, 6:05 AM
|
Whiskey Sowers
 
Joined on 01-26-2008
Knoxville,TN
Posts 89
|
|
|
|
the manual says just "regular grade." But in 1980, who the hell knows? lol....i run 93.
1980 CX500C "Big Orange Betty"
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-03-2008, 7:12 AM
|
HotFoot
Joined on 09-17-2007
SW Lower Michigan, USA
Posts 290
|
|
|
|
That's not a dumb question....wondered myself.
I've just assumed the highest commonly available octane would be the best choice given the changes in fuel over the last 25 years or so.
When the diff in price for a fill-up (higher vs lower octane) means approx $16 vs $15 it's not something I'll fret over.
Then again maybe the best option is the cheap gas plus a dose of Lucas additive, Marvel Mystery Oil or whatever provides some top engine lube and maybe a slight boost in psuedo-octane.... something that fools the engine into thinking it's getting the premium stuff.
Flu Cheers,
Hoppy
'80 CX500 Deluxe (Roadworthy)
'79 CX500 Custom (Parts)
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-03-2008, 8:11 AM
|
larryb22
Joined on 12-13-2007
Buchanan Michigan
Posts 144
|
|
|
|
|
I'll be running regular low octane gas and not the mid or high octane.
My reasoning, most cars are using the 87 and very few the high octane. So IMO the high octane fuel is a slow mover and may be in the storage the tanks for months. It might not be in as good of condition as the popular lower octane (fresher) fuel.
I might be wrong, but that's my gut feeling.
Larry
1996 BMW K-1100rs. SW Michigan.
2008 Yamaha xv250.
1995 Kawasaki Vulcan 500.
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-03-2008, 8:14 AM
|
dozer1
Joined on 05-26-2007
Frederick, Maryland
Posts 612
|
|
|
|
It is a waste to run anything but 89 or even 87, whichever is the lowest octane gas your local station has. Makes absolutely no difference in how the CX runs and is just more money out of your pocket. im sure if you filled them up with cheap vodka theyd run for a while theyre so bulletproof.
1980 CX500 Ratbike "Stella"
1979 CX500 Deluxe(Parts)
Dozer1 AKA Snowplow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TK5VY90ILs&feature=related
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-03-2008, 9:46 AM
|
mildhog
Joined on 11-21-2007
Chesapeake, VA
Posts 856
|
|
|
|
Mine runs fine on 87.
Arnie in VA
1980 GL1100I Goldwing
1982 GL500I Silverwing
1983 GL650
(The stable is full)
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-03-2008, 1:15 PM
|
bobisslack
Joined on 07-18-2007
Knox Vegas
Posts 228
|
|
|
|
Yep...87 octane and a little seafoam in every third tank seems to work wonders for me.
'80 cx500c
Gotta keep my knees in the breeze.
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-03-2008, 2:27 PM
|
WayneDW
Joined on 07-28-2006
Minneapolis
Posts 1,655
|
|
|
|
Me too on 87, save the 60 cents for a can of pop (or, "soda" for you easterners)!
Wayne
1983 GL650 Silverwing Interstate
WWW.fossilapostles.com
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-03-2008, 2:42 PM
|
Cobram
Joined on 06-23-2007
Boston, MA
Posts 1,549
|
|
|
|
 HotFoot wrote: | | Then again maybe the best option is the cheap gas plus a dose of Lucas additive, Marvel Mystery Oil or whatever provides some top engine lube |
|
I asked about this on the board a while ago, consensus was that the CX had hardened valve seats, so no need to worry about premature wear from using unleaded gas.
1978 CX500 - I live on a one-way street that's also a dead end. I'm not sure how I got here, or how I'm going to get out.
Four wheels move the body; Two wheels move the Soul.
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-03-2008, 4:30 PM
|
hugemoth
Joined on 01-21-2008
Bend, Oregon
Posts 111
|
|
|
|
I always run the cheapest gas I can find, usually 87 octane. Once in a while on trips I gas up in a higher altitude town that sells 85 and that works fine too.
Q
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-03-2008, 7:17 PM
|
shimdiddle
Joined on 02-14-2008
Posts 35
|
|
|
|
A lot of you are thinking WAY too hard about this. The correct answer to "what octane should I run" is always, unquestionably:
Which ever grade of fuel prevents your engine from knocking.
You run the cheap stuff and the engine knocks, run the highest. The middle fuel always sits past it's shelf life.
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-03-2008, 7:53 PM
|
|
Anonymous
|
|
|
|
Since my bike is winterized each year, the first and last tanks of gas each year are premium to try and give it enough octane to run in the spring. Other than that it runs better on regular than the higher test gas available.
David From Wisconsin
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
03-03-2008, 7:59 PM
|
kattmann
Joined on 02-03-2008
Goleta, California
Posts 49
|
|
|
|
I will chime in on this one.
When I purchased a 2000 Rebel with 682 miles on the odometer two years ago the owner stressed that 92 octane was the best for the bike. I followed suit because this bike was a six-year-old new bike.
Here and there one day I accidently put in 87 octane. No pings and mileage was about the same, so I contiuned with 87 octane.
No problems.
I also have a '94 Jaguar XJ6 which is suppose to run only on 92 octane. By accident a tankful of 89 octane (the stuff with the short shelf life) went in and guess what, no pinging.
I guess, as the disclaimer says, mileage will vary.
The XJ6 is now being fed 89 instead of 92 octane, save few $$$.
Ride a motorcycle, $ave a lot of $$$!
Gato viejo, raton tierno
--------------------------
- '82 Silverwing Interstate
- '00 V-Star 650 Custom
www.dosgatos.com
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-04-2008, 8:06 AM
|
Randall-in-Mpls
Joined on 07-06-2007
Minneapolis, MN
Posts 2,630
|
|
|
|
| WayneDW wrote: | | Me too on 87, save the 60 cents for a can of pop (or, "soda" for you easterners)! |
|
It's not just us easterners (I'm a MD transplant.) Except for a few isolated pockets of linguistic strangeness, the usual term is soda. (I was planning to link to popvssoda.com, but it appears to be a dead link.)
In college, my wife (then my financee) had a class on American regional dialects. She kept asking me, "What would you call..."
R
'78 CX500 - Black Maggot --> Green Grub / Yellow Grub / Red Grub ???
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-04-2008, 9:38 AM
|
rotorpup
Joined on 10-27-2007
Baltimore, Ohio
Posts 67
|
|
|
|
I have an 82 GL500 Interstate Silverwing and my manual says to run 91 to 93 octane. I don't know if there's a big difference between the engines in the CX and the GL, but that's what my manual says. I'm about half afraid to try any lower ocatne because the bike runs pretty good on the "good stuff".
1982 GL500 Silverwing Interstate
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-04-2008, 2:18 PM
|
Whiskey Sowers
Joined on 01-26-2008
Knoxville,TN
Posts 89
|
|
|
|
in the south it's neither pop nor soda......It's a "coke."
1980 CX500C "Big Orange Betty"
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-04-2008, 4:11 PM
|
|
Anonymous
|
|
|
|
Root Beer Coke?
Sprite Coke?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
03-04-2008, 4:25 PM
|
mildhog
Joined on 11-21-2007
Chesapeake, VA
Posts 856
|
|
|
|
There is no rootbeer or sprite. Only coke. Even if it's a pepsi, its a coke.
Arnie in VA
1980 GL1100I Goldwing
1982 GL500I Silverwing
1983 GL650
(The stable is full)
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-04-2008, 5:04 PM
|
FlyBoy007
Joined on 12-09-2007
Vero Beach, Florida
Posts 13
|
|
|
|
On my swingarm (right side) is a sicker that says use min. of 91 RON fuel.
For what is worth.
79 Cx500C
08 GL1800 ABS GoldWing in Black
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-04-2008, 5:04 PM
|
Vanmor
Joined on 01-11-2008
Northeast Arkansas
Posts 323
|
|
|
|
Whiskey's Right.
It goes like this.....
"Hey, You want a coke ?"
"Yeah you gotta DR. Pepper?"
"No. But I got some Pepsi."
"Ok, that's good."
Makes perfect sense.
I had a tank full of something when I bought my CX. I went out Saturday and put premium in it. $8 bucks to fill up a bike.
I bought my Ford Ranger brand new in 91'. I ran premium in it because it was my first new truck. I ran Exxon fuel and found I could not run Exxon regular. The manual said to run regular but all I got was pinging or valve rattle.
I had to use a different brand while out of town and they only had regular. No detonation problems. So I experimented over a month with differnt brand fuels. Turns out Exxon was the most expensive and also the worst. I have run Citgo regular in my vehicles ever since. I do run premium in my Triumph chopper.
Vance
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-08-2008, 8:05 PM
|
Sidecar Bob
Joined on 03-02-2006
Kawartha Lakes, Ontario
Posts 1,901
|
|
|
|
|
This has been beaten to death here many times so I will sum it up:
- Several years ago a forum member who drove his bike over the same route every day experimented with high & loe octane fuels. He bought regular for several fill ups and after he was reasonably sure that anything else in the tank was sufficiently diluted he checked his mileage for a couple of tankfuls. Then he bought "premium" for several tankfuls to make sure any remaining regular was sufficiently diluted and checked his mileage for a couple of tankfuls. There was no difference.
- The Octane level refers only to the fuel's ability to resist igniting prematurely due to compression in a hot engine. This is usually done by including substances that make the fuel burn cooler. In other words, burning "premium" fuel actually produces less energy than burning regular. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rating
- Using higher octane fuel than needed often results in incomplete combustion, which in turn results in carbon deposits in the combustion chamber. Carbon retains heat more than the metal and the deposits reduce the volume of the combustion chamber. The resulting higher compression, hotter cylinder can require higher octane fuel in order to prevent knocking that wouldn't have happened if the higher octane fuel hadn't been used in the first place.
- There are several different octane rating systems in use in different parts of the world, and the same fuel that is sold as 87 in North America would be rated at 91-92 in Europe.
Most our bikes run quite happily on 87 (R+M/2) octane fuel. It's all I used in my GL500 when I had it and it's all I use in my 650 now. If your bike knocks you would be better off to do something about the carbon deposits than to waste money on higher octane fuel.
Mr. Honda ('83 GL1000/Dnepr) summer
The Famous Eccles ('84 GX650EI/Velorex700) winter
WHY I HAVEN"T BEEN AROUND MUCH LATELY
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
03-09-2008, 1:11 PM
|
mcreviver
Joined on 05-06-2007
Williamsport, PA
Posts 888
|
|
|
|
When I first put my GL-650 together, right out of the crate, I used regular fuel. It protested and made the strangest sound, which I figured was detonation. I had to run premium in that as long as I owned it and there was never so much as one chip in the oil filter. My 2000 ST1100 gets a steady diet of regular and seems quite content. My 96 Prelude Si needs premium (dammit) but if you run regular in it you would never know except for a little bit less performance. The electronic ignition and knock sensors vary the timing to accomodate the lower octane, but your oil will get dirty sooner and make more sludge, or so I've been told.
Ron in PA
|
|
|
|
|
Report
|
|
|
|
|
Honda CX500 & G... » CX500 GL500 Tra... » General Discuss... » Re: Octane
|
|
|
|