Ethanol is killing my gas mileage


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CtrlAltDl

New Member
We have up to 10% ethanol in our gas here in WA state in the winter and it just kills my gas mileage.

I seem to average about 44 MPG in the summer and 38 in the winter.

My Commuter (Yamaha FZ6R) | Fuelly

Don't the idiots in the other Washington know that Ethanol is for drinking not for fuel!!!
:iconbeer::iconbeer::iconbeer:
 
G

Gilbuddy

Member
I got my FZ6R in October 2011 and have averaged ~35mpg from day one. I've been replacing filters, syncing throttle bodies... basically everything I could think of to try and improve my mileage. Hopefully it is just the same issue and I don't have something wrong with my bike.
 
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DragonBlu

Member
Gilbuddy said:
I got my FZ6R in October 2011 and have averaged ~35mpg from day one. I've been replacing filters, syncing throttle bodies... basically everything I could think of to try and improve my mileage. Hopefully it is just the same issue and I don't have something wrong with my bike.
Click to expand...
Are you doing a lot of stoplight to stoplight riding or is it a lot more freeway? Just curious.
 
D

DragonBlu

Member
CtrlAltDl said:
We have up to 10% ethanol in our gas here in WA state in the winter and it just kills my gas mileage.

I seem to average about 44 MPG in the summer and 38 in the winter.

My Commuter (Yamaha FZ6R) | Fuelly

Don't the idiots in the other Washington know that Ethanol is for drinking not for fuel!!!
:iconbeer::iconbeer::iconbeer:
Click to expand...
I have noticed mine drops in the winter also. 70 miles round trip to work everyday in my cage for the last 17 years. We also have the 10% here.
 
N

Nastybutler

Cynical Member
Elite Member
[rant]
Ethanol is the biggest crock of crap ever! What genius in Washington DC decided that turning food into fuel was the answer to our energy needs?! In order to switch all vehicles in the US to ethanol, we'd all starve to death. Brilliant plan Senator!

And if we can't one day use it to power all our vehicles (and we can't), then what's the fracking point? So the farmers can get subsidies, that's why. Fracking politicians.
[/rant]
 
C

CtrlAltDl

New Member
If it is all city driving then that would sound about right.

Or if your keeping it in the lower gears for a little too long. Which by the way is a lot more fun! :D
 
alaskanflyboy

alaskanflyboy

Premium Member
It's always got the ethanol in it, the winter fuel is just "oxygenated" whatever the heck that's supposed to mean. Though, I'm pretty sure the ethanol was the culprit for my head gasket and both intake gaskets eroding out of my cage. I know quite a few mechanics that say it's hell on anything rubber (i.e. gaskets, hoses, etc.).
 
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Gilbuddy

Member
My daily commute is ~12 miles each way, mostly city traffic with a few miles of highway. Unfortunately, there is quite a bit of stop-n-go, stretches where traffic rolls at 5mph as it queues up at on-ramps, and long lines at lights during rush-hour. I make up for it with spirited riding in between.

I guess maybe 35 mpg doesn't sound as bad anymore. :rolleyes:
 
H

Hellgate

New Member
What kills your mileage is cold weather start ups that require the cold idle circuit to be on longer.
 
C

CtrlAltDl

New Member
Hellgate said:
What kills your mileage is cold weather start ups that require the cold idle circuit to be on longer.
Click to expand...
My motorcycle is always in a non-insulated garage, so that could certainly account for some of it.
 
A

anson650

Member
Ethanol in gas not only ruined my gas milage, but partially digested the glue in my aftermarket fuel filter clogging the floats on the FJ. Cost me $XXX. and the end of the riding season came too soon. On the advice of a trusted mechanic I use Startron in EVERY tank. I use Sta-Bil in the others.
Idiot politicians...
Anson
 
B

BKP

New Member
Excellent article (inside cover) of this month's Motorcycle Consumer News (September Issue) on ethanol.

Dave Searle goes into graphic detail on the negative effects of ethanol... how it's made, how it compromises gasoline, how fragile it is in terms of absorbing water, how bad it can be for entire fuel systems... and one eye-opener is how many "10% ethanol" gasoline products actually have a much greater percentage of ethanol... and, there are testing kits available for about $25 that can confirm that for you, if you find you're having fuel line issues, corrosion, etc...

Check it out... good read...
 
B

BKP

New Member

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geekmaster

Member
And I live in a state that's not even listed on the ethanol-free site. In fact, I think ethanol is mandated in our gasoline. :mad:
 
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