Non ethanol fuel

[Taffy]

Hi there all, Does anyone know how or where to get non ethanol old fashioned petrol.I thought this modern fuel would be ok in my A10 but it's not really very happy on it ,any sugestions please?

[alanp]

Hi Taffy, can you expand on 'not really very happy' please to see if we can help. Everyone with old classics I know, including numerous A10s with high compression, including my RGS engined A10, are happy enough with modern fuels except the worry about the possibility of problems with fuel with some ethanol content. However, even then the problem with its effect on old lining material in petrol tanks is the most common fault and you don't want to leave it in your carb over winter.
Keep in mind that there are very many ways the old bikes can play you up that are not ethanol related so, in my experience, there is absolutely no need to go searching for special fuels for our bikes.
Alan

[Taffy]

The motor & fuel system are all newly rebuilt and "ethanol safe" the set up is prety much factory standard settings as close as possible anyhow.Howeaver after running a few tankfulls through the motor it feels to be holding back somewhat and with all the talk about ethanol petrol being bad for old motors I thought I'd try a few tank gulls of old fashioned petrol if available to compare the difference .

[bsa- bill]

Hi Taffy
If set to factory settings it should not be far away although modern fuel does sometimes appear to run rich, I say appear because it has been said that the sooty deposit on plugs are a result of the additives in fuel and not actually soot -
If the motor has been rebuilt I'd be inclined to leave it as it is until you have a good few miles on it, it could be just tight, does it smell hot?, better running a bit rich on a rebuilt engine.
For re-assurance, you could double check the timing and the brakes (dragging)

[Goldy]

The Federation of Historic Vehicle Clubs list the garages that still sell leaded petrol. http://fbhvc.co.uk/fuel-information/#f3      but as others have said your bike should run ok on leaded.

[Taffy]

Thanks for the advice I shall run a few more tankfulls and see how it goes.Shame they font do rocket fuel at the local pumps eh

[lawnmowerman]

Hi Taffy

If you really want to rule out modern fuels causing your problems and you know any flyers then try a tankful of Avgas - it is petrol as we used to know it as they are not allowed to mess around with aircraft fuel. It has the added advantage of being around 102 octane but is quite expensive.
I blend it 50/50 with the modern fuel for everyday use and fill the tank with neat avgas for the winter layup.
Oh and by the way it is illegal for road use..................

Jim

[A10Boy]

For what its worth, my iron headed Golden Flash runs very sweetly on ordinary unleaded and castrol Valvemaster plus. As does my more sporty AJS.

You might need to fine tune the carb settings, std factory settings are usually OK, but are in all honesty only a starting point.

Cheers

[BSA_54A10]

Unleaded fuel burns faster than real petrol so you usually need a little more advance to get the best out of it .
Next you will need to go at least one grade hotter plugs some find they need to go up 2 grades.
Modern fuel dose not burn properly in modern fuel injected computer controlled water cooled engines which is why you forked out $ 1,000 to $ 3,000 for an after burner in your exhaust ( called a catalytic converter ) so it has no hope in our engines with air ; fuel ratios determined by viscosities ( size of the jets ).
Usually you also go up one size in the main jet.
Idling a cold motor will cause crud to be deposited on your plugs ( which is why the one grade hotter ) which will randomly short out the plug as will labouring at large throttle settings.
Also your timing may have slipped a little if all the nuts & bolts were not quite tight enough ( my typical mistake , but tuning is easier than rethreading )

[A10Boy]

This has got me thinking about trying some 4 Star leaded. I have looked on the net for an updated list of garages which sell it and am struggling a bit. If members know of places where its sold why not post details here for all to see?

I found one 20 or so miles from me - H J Taylor in Willersey near Evesham on 01386 852338 it's £1.87 / Litre. Next time I'm out that way in the car I'll get a couple of jerry cans full. Perhaps it would be better to use this over winter when the mileages and fuel usage is low.

[t20racerman]

Hi there

Have you tried any of the premium high octane pump fuels such as Shell Optimax? This is 98 Octane and other brands rated at 98 or even higher are available in most big garages. It does make a real difference.
Not BSA related, but when going on my little Suzuki T20 to a bike rally - loaded up with gear and thrashing the nuts off it - I always fill with Super Unleaded if I can. It reduces the pinking by a large amount (otherwise I have to feather the throttle rather than give it a a handfull) and certainly runs better on it.

AVGas was suggested by lawnmowerman and we use this on in all of our racebikes. Worth a try as a 50/50 mix but unless you have a friendly contact at a small local airfield, it is almost impossible to get now - it is illegal to even sell it to anyone other than a plane owner, and only then when put DIRECTLY into the plane!
Wonderful stuff though, light blue and smells wonderful..... 

[muskrat]

G'day gents,
                 we are lucky down here in that 95 and 98 unleaded without ethanol and 91 with. I only use 98 in all my bikes. The '51 A7 with low (7.5:1) comp runs well at 5/16" btdc. The cafe  with high (10.5:1) comp needs to be boosted to 105 and timed at 1/4" btdc or it pings it's head off.
Cheers

[A10Boy]

Tried some 99 octane Super Unleaded. The flash seemed to run quite hot on it so went back to ordinary unleaded and valvemaster and it runs sweeter. With 7.25:1 compression it probably didnt need it.

[Roadrocket649]

I had serious problems with Ethanol, after coating a tank with ethanol resistant material.

Two miles down the road the throttle started sticking and the whole carburettor gumed up

The fuel had only been in the tank two days

A friend advised Total did an ethanol free fuel , but the nearest garage was 20 miles away, so I did a search on the internet

A guy in Holland advised that over there, BP Ultimate is ethanol free

I downloaded a BP spec sheet which appears to confirm this

I have run 1100 miles since without a problem  on BP Ultimate

Roadrocket649

[bikerbob]

Hi there
Sorry to here that you have had a problem with Ethanol could I ask what product you used to seal your tank as this would help other members. I have recently resealed both tanks on  my bikes an A10 and an A65 with different sealers the A10 is sealed with a product from Tank Care Products and the A65 I sealed with a sealer  called Gold Seal which I got off Ebay. Both tanks  were done about 4 months ago and to date no problems.
As an aside I did some months ago raise the problems relating to Ethanol with my MP and he contacted the Minister responsible who replied to me twice the latest reply was in May and he informed me that in the UK the standard was upto 5% in petrol and all petrol stations are not expected to comply until 2013/14. He is not aware of any company supplying 10% at that time also it would be a legal requirement at that level to lable the pumps warning people " Not suitable for all vehicles: consult vehicle manufacturer before use". I would also say that you may have some redress against the supplier of your sealant as Ethanol resistant implies that it should be alright to a certain level I would say at least 5% as that is the highest legal requirement in the UK.