Gas - 90 Octane

usranger74 · 05-03-2010, 08:21 PM

My 07 Nomad (new to me) needs 90 octane or better gas. Problem is, in rural NE and IA (and maybe everywhere) a lot of gas stations do not carry Premium gas. The closest you can get to it is 89 octane which has 10% corn it]n it.

Also noted - a lot of stations that do offer Premium gas offer it with 10% corn.

Several questions if I may

1. If I can't find Premium, should I use regular w/o corn (87 octane) or mid-grade with corn and 89 octane.

2. Does anyone use an octane booster?

I seldom ride Interstates where this is not a problem, but out in the hinterland I need a "gas" plan

Txs

Bill

ells · 05-03-2010, 08:39 PM

Mid grade will be fine as long as you don't get pinging. Running one of the fuel processors (see lots of threads here) would allow you to use regular all the time without worries.

**Cajunrider** · 05-03-2010, 08:43 PM

What Ells said +1.

MarkG · 05-04-2010, 12:03 AM

I use 87 with no pinging and have never had any problems. Some of the guys can't go that low.

AlabamaNomadRider · 05-04-2010, 12:09 AM

I use 89 octane or better. I do have the Cobra FI2000R fuel processor so could probably use the 87 octane. I try to get the straight gas if at all possible. Nothing against corn but I don't want it in my fuel tank. Unless you have a fuel processor I would use the 89 octane. I would try to run as close to the 90 octane as possible.

zoom45 · 05-04-2010, 05:57 AM

I use 87 and it's fine but mine is a carbed bike. I can't tell any difference in 87 or 93.
Zoom45

**ringadingh** · 05-04-2010, 07:44 AM

As long as it doesn't ping, your ok with 87 - 89 octane. Thats something you will have to try for yourself and see how it runs.
Usually climbing an uphill grade at 50 - 60 mph will let you know if its pinging or not.
Or you can install a fuel processor like others have said and then you should be able to run regular gas with no problems.

snarleybill08 · 05-04-2010, 08:55 AM

yep, i got the cobra 2000r fuel proccessor and run 87 all the time. more. power too.

jd01 · 05-04-2010, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoom45

I use 87 and it's fine but mine is a carbed bike. I can't tell any difference in 87 or 93.
Zoom45

Same here

**Jared** · 05-04-2010, 10:51 AM

I use the cheap stuff too and I don't get any pinging. In Utah the gas doesn't have any ethanol.

usranger74 · 05-04-2010, 12:08 PM

Good day:

I want to thank you for the good advise. In fact I am adding cobra 2000r fuel processor.

As far as pinging goes, heck I don't know If I would hear it!! Is it really that loud?

Bill

**ringadingh** · 05-04-2010, 12:15 PM

You should be able to hear it ping, its like a fast paced knock in rapid succession that youll hear mainly when the motor is under load.

ponch · 05-05-2010, 04:57 PM

I live in Iowa and the 89 makes my bike ping. Oh well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by usranger74

My 07 Nomad (new to me) needs 90 octane or better gas. Problem is, in rural NE and IA (and maybe everywhere) a lot of gas stations do not carry Premium gas. The closest you can get to it is 89 octane which has 10% corn it]n it.

Also noted - a lot of stations that do offer Premium gas offer it with 10% corn.

Several questions if I may

1. If I can't find Premium, should I use regular w/o corn (87 octane) or mid-grade with corn and 89 octane.

2. Does anyone use an octane booster?

I seldom ride Interstates where this is not a problem, but out in the hinterland I need a "gas" plan

Txs

Bill

flavor · 05-06-2010, 09:03 AM

Hot day going up a hill with less than 90 octane was a definite ping for my bike. Now with the Dobeck TFI, I could probably pee in the gas tank and the bike wouldn't knock.

macmac · 05-06-2010, 09:36 AM

There is more bang for the buck in regular gas.. A part of the reason I go further is that bang. Hi octanes has pre ignition reducers in it which slow the burn rate, so it won't fire the mix before it should, and for high compression engines, which the Nomad isn't.

The ping is solely caused by the overly lean mix. The area of overly lean is at idle, and lower rpm power bands exactly where we want power.

The corn is just filler, and does nothing but take up space. More or less this means you have 10% less fuel in the tank that is useable.

The best thing I can say about corn in the fuel is that if you get rain in the tank you stand a better chance of mixing the rain into the gas.

These engines are not designed to burn ethanol, we are just being cheated of 10% gas every fill up. Unless you live in Utah I guess.

I can get 100% gas from Marinas if i want, since most won't sell fuel that attracts water. So far I never have. Pumps there are designed for a boat to pull up to, and so I would need a truck and a few gas jugs, and before I usually get done with a ride I need more fuel.

So far as I am concered we all need a fuel modual, even if it is the only thing we ever do to a Nomad.

Just installing them I can see the engine look relived and not need to strain to just run at idle.

05-03-2010, 08:21 PM	#1
usranger74 Sr. Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: La Vista, NE Posts: 4,060	Gas - 90 Octane My 07 Nomad (new to me) needs 90 octane or better gas. Problem is, in rural NE and IA (and maybe everywhere) a lot of gas stations do not carry Premium gas. The closest you can get to it is 89 octane which has 10% corn it]n it. Also noted - a lot of stations that do offer Premium gas offer it with 10% corn. Several questions if I may 1. If I can't find Premium, should I use regular w/o corn (87 octane) or mid-grade with corn and 89 octane. 2. Does anyone use an octane booster? I seldom ride Interstates where this is not a problem, but out in the hinterland I need a "gas" plan Txs Bill __________________ Bill (usranger74) Blake 2016 Goldwing VBA # 1505 Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

05-03-2010, 08:39 PM	#2
ells Sr. Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Boulder County, Colorado Posts: 2,014	Gas - 90 Octane Mid grade will be fine as long as you don't get pinging. Running one of the fuel processors (see lots of threads here) would allow you to use regular all the time without worries.
	0

05-03-2010, 08:43 PM	#3
Cajunrider Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: (SE Louisiana) Posts: 8,340	Gas - 90 Octane What Ells said +1. __________________ 2016 Electra Glide Ultra Limited CVO Palladium Silver / Phantom Blue 110 cu in SE 2012 Electra Glide Ultra Limited (Traded 6/22/16) Tequila Sunrise / HD Orange Vance & Hines true dual headers Rinehart 4" slip ons Screamin Eagle Super Tuner Screamin Eagle Stage 1 intake Dyno tuned H.O.G.# 4514015 2007 Nomad 1600 (Traded 6/23/12) VBA #482
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05-04-2010, 12:03 AM	#4
MarkG Sr. Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chandler, AZ Posts: 1,255	Gas - 90 Octane I use 87 with no pinging and have never had any problems. Some of the guys can't go that low. __________________ Mark Griffin 2021 Manhattan Metallic K1600GTL 2016 Silver K1600GTL - sold 2015 Red/Blk Cross Country Tour - sold 2008 Red/Blk Nomad - sold KE7HG VBA 00176, IBA 65686, MOA 211564 Mesquite '08\|Custer '09\|Cortez '10\|Maggie Valley '11\|Kanab '12\|Estes Park '13\|Red Lodge '16\|Custer '18
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05-04-2010, 12:09 AM	#5
AlabamaNomadRider Sr. Contributor Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Boaz, Alabama Posts: 13,742	Gas - 90 Octane I use 89 octane or better. I do have the Cobra FI2000R fuel processor so could probably use the 87 octane. I try to get the straight gas if at all possible. Nothing against corn but I don't want it in my fuel tank. Unless you have a fuel processor I would use the 89 octane. I would try to run as close to the 90 octane as possible. __________________ Gene Cross, Jr. Boaz, Alabama KawaNOW/VBA #1181 Login or Register to Remove Ads
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05-04-2010, 05:57 AM	#6
zoom45 Sr. Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Terry, Mississippi Posts: 1,434	Gas - 90 Octane I use 87 and it's fine but mine is a carbed bike. I can't tell any difference in 87 or 93. Zoom45 __________________ Bobby Risher Terry, MS Kawanow member # 124 South Central Group 2000 Nomad 1500 (carbed) 128,000 miles
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05-04-2010, 07:44 AM	#7
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	Gas - 90 Octane As long as it doesn't ping, your ok with 87 - 89 octane. Thats something you will have to try for yourself and see how it runs. Usually climbing an uphill grade at 50 - 60 mph will let you know if its pinging or not. Or you can install a fuel processor like others have said and then you should be able to run regular gas with no problems. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
	0

05-04-2010, 08:55 AM	#8
snarleybill08 Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 273	Gas - 90 Octane yep, i got the cobra 2000r fuel proccessor and run 87 all the time. more. power too.
	0

05-04-2010, 10:51 AM	#10
Jared Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Greeley, Colorado Posts: 6,772	Gas - 90 Octane I use the cheap stuff too and I don't get any pinging. In Utah the gas doesn't have any ethanol. __________________ Jared VBA #1051 (Former President)
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05-04-2010, 12:08 PM	#11
usranger74 Sr. Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: La Vista, NE Posts: 4,060	Gas - 90 Octane Good day: I want to thank you for the good advise. In fact I am adding cobra 2000r fuel processor. As far as pinging goes, heck I don't know If I would hear it!! Is it really that loud? Bill __________________ Bill (usranger74) Blake 2016 Goldwing VBA # 1505
	0

05-04-2010, 12:15 PM	#12
ringadingh Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Newmarket Ontario Canada Posts: 35,387	Gas - 90 Octane You should be able to hear it ping, its like a fast paced knock in rapid succession that youll hear mainly when the motor is under load. __________________ 2002 Nomad aka Bountyhunter VBA #27 VROC #18951
	0

05-06-2010, 09:03 AM	#14
flavor Sr. Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: RI Posts: 1,352	Gas - 90 Octane Hot day going up a hill with less than 90 octane was a definite ping for my bike. Now with the Dobeck TFI, I could probably pee in the gas tank and the bike wouldn't knock.
	0

05-06-2010, 09:36 AM	#15
macmac Sr. Contributor Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Tamworth New Hampster 06 1600 Posts: 12,484	Gas - 90 Octane There is more bang for the buck in regular gas.. A part of the reason I go further is that bang. Hi octanes has pre ignition reducers in it which slow the burn rate, so it won't fire the mix before it should, and for high compression engines, which the Nomad isn't. The ping is solely caused by the overly lean mix. The area of overly lean is at idle, and lower rpm power bands exactly where we want power. The corn is just filler, and does nothing but take up space. More or less this means you have 10% less fuel in the tank that is useable. The best thing I can say about corn in the fuel is that if you get rain in the tank you stand a better chance of mixing the rain into the gas. These engines are not designed to burn ethanol, we are just being cheated of 10% gas every fill up. Unless you live in Utah I guess. I can get 100% gas from Marinas if i want, since most won't sell fuel that attracts water. So far I never have. Pumps there are designed for a boat to pull up to, and so I would need a truck and a few gas jugs, and before I usually get done with a ride I need more fuel. So far as I am concered we all need a fuel modual, even if it is the only thing we ever do to a Nomad. Just installing them I can see the engine look relived and not need to strain to just run at idle. __________________ 06 1600 Nomad Just call me Mac molon labe come and get it
	0

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