Quick gas question.

[Highfly]

How much regular gas would it take to screw up your octane rating in a tank that is filled with premium.


I had the sleds out this weekend. Both the 600 and the 800 were a little boggy on the bottom end at the beginning of the day. Both cleared up. The 600 was on the pipe running strong as it usually does. My 800 had piles of bottom end but was falling on its face on the top end. I've been out on the 800 4-5 times total (this year and last), it has about 350 miles on it. It has altitude compensation set up for jetting. It's ran 100% every time I have been on it until this weekend.

When I was filling the 800 I grabbed the wrong nozzle at the pump and put $2.00 worth of regular gas in before I noticed it. Would this be enough to effect performance on the top end?

 

[Highfly]

I should mention when I say falling on it's face it wasn't totally bogging out and quitting. It was still pulling but the 600 would have given it a run for its money. It just wasn't all there.

 

[cdnemsguy]

The octane rating does not equate tp hp. all it does is slow the burn so you wont have detonation on your high compression cylinders. The bog must be a jetting, plug or clutch issue, not the fuel i would think.

 

[tukernater]

The octane rating does not equate tp hp. all it does is slow the burn so you wont have detonation on your high compression cylinders. The bog must be a jetting, plug or clutch issue, not the fuel i would think.[/QUO Not true Bad gas retards the timing witch takes away HP .I notice reg gas big time.On The doo's anyways.

 

[Highfly]

The sled does has a Premium and non Premium switch on the key, I never thought to take it off Premium to see how it would run.

I did just have the clutch done but I had it out last weekend (the weekend before last) and all was good.

I will check the plugs and the vacuum lines for the altitude compensation. Thx for you reply.

 

[Highfly]

The octane rating does not equate tp hp. all it does is slow the burn so you wont have detonation on your high compression cylinders. The bog must be a jetting, plug or clutch issue, not the fuel i would think.[/QUO Not true Bad gas retards the timing witch takes away HP .I notice reg gas big time.On The doo's anyways.

This is what I was hoping to hear.

 

[ferniesnow]

I wouldn't worry about the $2.00 worth of Regular gas in a tank. I don't think we have the whole story here; how much of last years gas was in the tank? Are these carbed sleds or injected?

If the 800 ran great last year and this is the first start-up trip this year, IMHO, it would be the left over gas. If the sled was stored in the sunshine during the summer, the summer heat would definitely affect the quality of the remaining gas in the tank.

KISS, keep it simple silly! So look at the easy things first; gas and then the plugs. Good luck.

 

[Modman]

I wouldn't worry about the $2.00 worth of Regular gas in a tank. I don't think we have the whole story here; how much of last years gas was in the tank? Are these carbed sleds or injected?

If the 800 ran great last year and this is the first start-up trip this year, IMHO, it would be the left over gas. If the sled was stored in the sunshine during the summer, the summer heat would definitely affect the quality of the remaining gas in the tank.

KISS, keep it simple silly! So look at the easy things first; gas and then the plugs. Good luck.

X2 - $2.00 in a whole tank is? less than 5%? I think these are carbed sleds. Change the plugs and see what happens, if they havent been changed since you bought it, now is a good time. Might just be gummed up from last years old fuel if it wasn't changed out.

 

[Highfly]

I wouldn't worry about the $2.00 worth of Regular gas in a tank. I don't think we have the whole story here; how much of last years gas was in the tank? Are these carbed sleds or injected?

If the 800 ran great last year and this is the first start-up trip this year, IMHO, it would be the left over gas. If the sled was stored in the sunshine during the summer, the summer heat would definitely affect the quality of the remaining gas in the tank.

KISS, keep it simple silly! So look at the easy things first; gas and then the plugs. Good luck.

Thanks FS!

It had 1/4 of gas in it from last year (I ran them a few times during the summer). I topped up it up with premium, so added 3/4 of a tank of premium. We went out and was a short day so only burnt 1/4 of a tank. Topped up again but put the $2.00 worth of reg in it.

Sleds are in the garage year around.

They are both carbed sleds.

I am hopefully jumping the gun on this. Was curious how finicky they are on the gas. Being it has a Premium/Regular gas switch I was hoping this all made sense.

 

[Highfly]

X2 - $2.00 in a whole tank is? less than 5%? I think these are carbed sleds. Change the plugs and see what happens, if they havent been changed since you bought it, now is a good time. Might just be gummed up from last years old fuel if it wasn't changed out.

I haven't touched a thing on it. OK I'll check the plugs to make sure it's burning OK and take new plugs with me. If it continues I'll swap them out on the trail. I'd like to know for sure if that was the problem. For all I know they are the original plugs.
At the end of the day if it runs good I'll still swap out the plugs.

 

[moyiesledhead]

Take your carbs apart and clean them. It was a fall ritual on all my carbed sleds. They always ran better after a good cleaning.

 

[Highfly]

Take your carbs apart and clean them. It was a fall ritual on all my carbed sleds. They always ran better after a good cleaning.

Any tips? I'll check out U-Tube to see if I can find a tutorial. Is it straight forward, just pull apart and spay them out with carb cleaner?

 

[moyiesledhead]

Any tips? I'll check out U-Tube to see if I can find a tutorial. Is it straight forward, just pull apart and spay them out with carb cleaner?

Carb cleaner's Ok, but blow all the passages and jets clear with air. It's the little tight spots that get gummed up. If you've never had one apart try to find an exploded diagram of one so you can get it back together. Not a difficult process, but there are a few parts to keep track of. Might as well check/set float levels while your in there too. Gotta balance them when they're back in the sled too (if it's dual carbed that is). Can use vacuum gauges if you have them, but I've had just as good luck doing them by eye.

 

[deucesdeuces]

If you need a hand ive cleaned 100's of sled carbs and dont mind helping. I come threw airdre a fue times a week

 

[ferniesnow]

If it is indeed the carbs being gummed up, I found a good cleaning with alcohol worked well. Sometimes I got lazy with the old gas and mixed a little de-icer in and started them up and ran them until they were hot and let the alcohol doo it's work. Then I would put in the new gas and most times everything was good to go.

Like moyiesledhead said, a fall ritual making sure they were clean and not gummed up. The leaded fuel of the olden days didn't have these problems over the summer but we had water in the carb problems…..remember that Ken?

 

[imdoo'n]

fernie and modman have hit the nail on the head, u put less than 2 liters in a tank of 40 litres, your problem is not gas mixture. pour some seafoam in the tank, should clean carbs spotless. u may have h2o in the tank and seafoam will take care of that also. do the easy peasy stuff first. fernie and modman now there stuff.

 

[ferniesnow]

fernie now there stuff.

Hahahahaha……….on most days! If I don't forget what I have learned……..

 

[Titan]

fernie and modman have hit the nail on the head, u put less than 2 liters in a tank of 40 litres, your problem is not gas mixture. pour some seafoam in the tank, should clean carbs spotless. u may have h2o in the tank and seafoam will take care of that also. do the easy peasy stuff first. fernie and modman now there stuff.

Seaform is the shiz nit
Great stuff

 

[Highfly]

I had the sled out this weekend. I didn't touch a thing other than add new Premium gas. It ran like a top!