Honda-SOHC
SOHC.co.uk Forums => CB350/400 => Topic started by: oapcb400 on July 16, 2018, 09:19:25 PM
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my VW has its turbo turned up a bit and is advisable to use top fuel, with supermarket petrol to be avoided like the plague. i'm finishing an 18 month rebuild of a 400F and its ready to return to the road for the first time for 23 years. My question, is any brand of petrol more friendlier to 40 year old carbs than any other, with all the Ethanol problems. I know i won't need the 97 octane.
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I always use supermarket fuels and have never, ever had a problem. My carbs have Viton O rings fitted instead of Nitrile, so more fuel resistant.
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I use mostly Supermarket fuels in all vehicles and haven't had a problem yet.
If you use it up quick enough moisture doesn't get a chance to build up.
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What you do need to be wary of is the not the octane rating but the presence of Ethanol in the fuel.
Currently most of the petrol supplied in the UK is E5 and contains 5% ethanol. It is due to move to E10 in the near future. Unlike most other countries there is no requirement in the UK to show the % or even the presence of ethanol in petrol so most people are unaware that it is even there.
Some of the premium grades are ethanol free but this also varies depending on whereabouts you are in the UK.
The ethanol itself will attack the older types of flexible fuel lines but it is also hygroscopic and will absorb water which can cause corrosion of the metallic components in the fuel system. The ethanol can also oxidise on standing to form ethanoic (acetic) acid which is also corrosive and can damage carburettor bodies and brass jets.
Here's a list of biofuel safe materials.
(http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e254/gtmdriver/BiofuelSafeMaterials_zps6f39bffb.jpg) (http://s41.photobucket.com/user/gtmdriver/media/BiofuelSafeMaterials_zps6f39bffb.jpg.html)
If you cannot be sure of the fuel supply the best thing you can do is to use a fuel additive such as Frost Ethomix and replace all the rubber hoses with biofuel safe materials.
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Info in the letters page in this months OBM, in ESSO's website f.a.q it appears there is no ethanol content in their premium grade fuel, alas Devon and Cornwall are the exception.I appreciate its irrelevant to those geared up to accept ethanol, but interesting nonetheless
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BP Ultimate in the North West was still Ethanol free back in April. Just got a can yesterday so will test it again when I get chance.
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There is a survey going on at present about fuel. The results will be fed into the Government consultation document (or something like that). If you don't complete the survey and make your views known, you have no right to worry or whinge about changes to fuel in the future 😀😀😀
https://paulc1.typeform.com/to/Bt7HKS