gaz??

[Pascal Laigle]

Hi Guys

I have a 1200gs BMW and BMW Thailand is a bit lousy on giving advice, actually i fill my tank with 91 benzine, but does anyone know if the 91 or 95 with gazhole will do something wrong or not to the engine

Thanks

 

[johngooding]

BMW state that the bike should be run on 95 Octane rather than 91, and I used 95 Gasohol in mine with no ill effects, sometimes when 95 not available, I filled up with 91 Gasohol E10, and never noticed any pinking or other problems.

 

[Pascal Laigle]

Thanks guys

Any particular brand better (PTT, Shell, Esso, Total etc...)
91 Gasohol better than 95 Gasohol
OR
95 Gasohol better than 91 Gasohol

 

[brian66]

Using Gasohol is like smoking. You cant see the damage for a long time and then its too late

 

[johngooding]

Pascal, there are around 50 threads in this section which have discussed this subject in great detail, they vary from pure personal prejudice to complicated scientific explanation. I suggest you read through them, it is entertaining stuff, and then make up your own mind where you stand.
I have a chemistry degree and a Masters degree in Polymer technology, I am very familiar with the effect of various solvents including alcohols on rubber and plastics, and also to some extent the effect on metals. Brian works in the oil industry and has very detailed knowledge of petroleum products and also of motorcycle engines, yet we have different stances and opinions on this subject. Maybe a big factor for me, is that as a pensioner subject to negative exchange rate fluctuations since I came to Thailand, I have to spend my money carefully, and the gasohols are definately cheaper and in the 9 different motorcycles I have owned and run I have used gasohol for several hundred thousand Km, never noticed any deterioration in performance or fuel economy and have never had to spend anything on repairing any non evident damage from gasohol, so I have undeniably saved quite a sum of money and I will continue to do so, and by taking care of my money can still afford to buy new motorcycles now and then. Brian on the other hand, still working in the oil industry, can easily afford to use more expensive fuel, and also buy any new motorcycles he takes a fancy to, so the economic saving from gasohol is not a factor for him.
Have a good read and let us know what your conclusions are.

 

[Pascal Laigle]

had a good read and I think the conclusion is nobody really know about the effects of gasohol some guys say ok some say never use it .
honda phantom or old bike if the engin get ****ed by gasohol it will be only few baht to repare it but a GS 1200 it will be another story.
So i still keep going to fill up my tank with 91 and 95 if some gas station still have it.
Saving money is a point but saving 100 baht per tank fill and spending a lot of money to replace an engin I think my choice is done.

Anyway thanks for your tips

 

[brian66]

Good One John !!!! trust you to have a logical and biased answer. Glad you dont smoke or you would say you havent had cancer yet.

Ask all the Ducati owners who have had to have deformed and cracked fuel tanks replaced. Ask all the marine people who have many many problems.

 

[johngooding]

Appreciate Ducati did not supply appropriate materials for gasohol containing tanks on some bikes, no doubt they have woken up and corrected this on newer models, and I have no knowledge of marine products, the question was related to an R1200GS, and of course I did own one of these for 22 months, covering 38,000km using mainly gasohol 95, with no problems. BMW have designed this bike to be compatible with fuels containing up to 10% alcohol, so if an engine does need replacing, I am certain it will not be due to gasohol use. The bike may not run so well on 91 octane fuel however, wether gasohol or not, and 95 non gasohol is quite difficult to obtain. Of course our opinions are biased, we are human after all, (may not apply to every poster however).

 

[Craig-EBC]

Hello Pascal,

I also ride a BMW 1200GS 2008, and always being faced with varing fuel availability when riding off the main routes which I prefer to avoid whenever possible.
BMW does advise to use 95 Octane fuel, but also says its ok to use 91 when higher quailty fuel is not available. They don't distinguish between Benzine or Gasohol, which I understand to mean, no problem with Gasohol.
Similar to John, I have some industry knowledge here having been involved 24 years in original component manufacturing for the Automotive industry. I believe BMW specifications will already be E20 compliant for this engine and fuel injection system and the fuel tank is plastic so also no concerns about rust if there is any moisture absorbtion by the Ethanol.
Personally I have noticed some pinking with 95 Gasohol and both 91 Benzine and 91 Gasohol (seems to get worse in that order as you'd probably expect) but only under hard acceleration or when the engine is really loaded going up mountain roads. Other times, I hardly notice the difference. The bike does seem to run best on 95 so I'll always fill up with that in preference, and I do think the fuel economy is better with regular fuel than Gasohol.

Just my experience of the 1200GS. All the Best,

 

[Franksmith]

hi guys,

yes its allways controversial, i also work in the oil industry and understand fuel. all my bikes I have run gasohol at times with no problems. but I have seen evedance of guys that had bikes that work in the oil industry like myself, and if they leave them sitting for lets say a month or more, they have had major issures with carbs. But it seams that if your on your bike all the time, it doesent seem to affect in anyway. the bikes were XR 400, KLX 250. But never an issue with performance. people have told me there bikes run better on gasohol. Seem to run much cleaner and so on. my KTM 690 can run on gasohol as it says on the manual, but I havent done it yet..

 

[furyrider]

I am glad to here that some of you see no trouble with gasohol. I have read many threads on other sights and here nothing but horror stories. I have been using the 95 when I can find it but I do think that Benzine is going to be a thing of the past from what I have been herring.
Know I do have a question for you all. I had been called back to Iraq and before I left I had just filled my tank. At first is was just going to be a few months but now I have no idea when I will get home it could be the end of Dec. My has been starting the bike once every 2 weeks and lets it run for 20 min. or so. Is this something that is going to help as fare as moister in the tank or should I try to get her to drain the tank. Or is there an additive I could have her pick up and add to the tank??

 

[Tom Forde]

Hi Pascal,
I too was worried about Gasahol.
As I am riding a 9 year old 650 GS Dakar, BMW recommended using min. 91 Benzene.
The accidental opportunity arrived on a 1500km ride a few weeks ago.
I filled up 4 times with Caltex 91 Benzene, with the Single 650 Rotex motor getting approx. 290km before the reserve light came on (approx 13 litres).
The last fuel stop was again at a Caltex station, unfortunately this station had run out of 91 Benzene, so I reluctantly used 91 Gasahol.
Within a few km's the motor sounded flat and I had the disturbing experience of at least 3 momentary stalls in the motor over approx 200km.
I have since filled up again with 91 Benzene at the 13 litre mark.
Fuel range had suffered also, 270km for approx 13litres of fuel.

I have owned this bike from new for the last 9 years with more than 80,000km on the clock. It gets serviced by BMW every 10,000km and oil/filter changed every 5,000km.
In short, I know my bike.

Maybe others who upgrade their bikes more frequently or don't do long trips may not experience any problems.

Because it is a single maybe it is more touchy to Gasahol than say a multicylinder bike, who knows.

Anyway I will stick to min. 91 Octane, it is cheaper in the long run, and personally I believe my bike runs better.

Cheers
Tom

 

[Pascal Laigle]

Hi Guys

Since the last talk with all of you i started to fill up my tank (1200GS) with 95 gasohole and the bike is running better.
Cheers