petrol

[blackeagles]

from what i can see it is 'ok' to use lead free petrol in a 1978 cb400f but does anyone use an additive? or premium rather than the base petrol?

[Nurse Julie]

You have opened a can of worms with that question. Unleaded is fine as the Japs were well ahead of us with that and they were built to take unleaded. Other than that, I use the cheapest supermarket petrol I can find and never use an additive. All my carbs have Viton O rings fitted to help prevent problems from ethanol. This always works for me, I never have a problem and have no intention if changing.

[K2-K6]

I'd agree with above for all general usage.

These combustion chambers where designed right from the outset to run on such variable fuel around the world.  They have no real specific requirements for "special" technical enhancement of fuel. Most fuel nowadays is much more consistent supply than it used to be,  plus turnover at filling stations is much faster.

Storage of fuel systems for much more than a couple of months and you may look at it differently to avoid gumming etc.

[Nurse Julie]

I still leave fuel in over winter Nigel. No probs starting in spring but I know PD46's suffer terribly. Luckily, we have no PD46's 😀😀😁

[Rob62]

Premium fuel for me in all my classics and my car.. I don't like supermarket petrol I find premium runs better and gives better mpg. The only supermarket petrol I use is Tesco millennium 99RON when I can find it... that stuff is great value.

[gtmdriver]

This is well worth reading if you've got some free time.

http://www.realclassic.co.uk/techfiles/bioethanol_fuel_study.pdf

[Moorey]

I don’t think the problem of fuel going off is as bad as some make out. I have a cheap nasty Chinese genny that has had the same fuel in it for roughly the last 5 years. I start it every year and it will start 1st or 2nd pull and the same for my Honda rotavator and mower.  I never drain the bikes down or add anything to the fuel and don’t have problems.

[H2Eric]

Not had a problem for several years since I switched to using Shell V-power

[Athame57]

So far I've just used any unleaded, nothing has gone 'Bang' yet. 

[mike the bike]

I can't get the posh stuff round by me, it's all supermarkets and bog standard Texaco.

[blackeagles]

ok, thanks - a nice cross section so time to close it.

thanks again