Lake Powell Fuel

[calvinnhobbes]

Headed to Lake Powell for the first time, couldn’t be more stoked! Going with a big group of experienced Powell boaters, doing the houseboat thing, etc.

Curious what other Tigé owners do about low octane fuel while boating at Powell. I have a 2018 RZX2 with a Raptor 400. Specs recommend mid grade 89 octane.

I’m reading that only one fuel doc has 91 octane. Not sure where we will end up but I have to assume that dock is not an option.

Do I add a booster for the week? If so, any recommendations on brand?

I can’t imagine going to Powell without my baby but, man, I can’t stomach the thought of potentially damaging her.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[freeheel4life]

Only the 460 Raptor and the 575 REQUIRE high octane fuel to stop pre detonation. Your 400 will be just fine on some 87 for the week. Octane booster is negligible gains.

[bsreid]

I always run premium in mine. Going on a trip here next weekend and staying on the lake. Not going to stop me from buying regular Marina fuel. Might loose a bit of performance, I’ll just run some high octane afterwards.

[freeheel4life]

Its funny to me the fuel hangup. Really people should be more focused on running non ethanol IMO especially with long layup periods. It's hard to convince people to go out of their way for it though(for those that trailer)

[UNSTUCK]

I know my boat has two different octane rating stickers but I think it has three. 87, 89, and 91. I guess I can the hang up a bit. I run 87 and it works fine. Although I do run the ethanol free 88 too sometimes.

[freeheel4life]

Ethanol free is all that matters to me at this point unless you are supercharged. 87 ethanol free is better than a 91 WITH ethanol IMO as long as you arent running the 575. That's just my opinion and far beyond "manufacturers spec".

Yellow/orange fuel came out of a fuel trail that's been in storage since September. Clear is pump gas. You cant see a layer of water in it but I took it from the rail. Will stand by the fact that 87 non ethanol is better that a 91 ethanol, as long as you arent supercharged. That's just my take on it though.

[TeamAllen]

Antelope Point Marina has 87, 89 & 91 octane, all ethanol free.

[sandm]

free, I'm with ya on some... lots of people assume that running a higher octane or premium fuel is better for the engine. read a story a long time ago and granted not real scientific about a motorcycle that called for lower octane and ran premium for it's life as a test. it actually did more harm as the engine was not tuned to detonate the higher octane fuel which has a different burn rate.
if you are very high compression or boosted motor premium is a must but beyond that using a lower grade, most of the time per the manufacturers specs, is better for the engine.

ethanol, that's a whole nother can of worms... I try to stay away during the layup period as ethanol blended gasoline has a shorter shelf life and can have lots of problems with phase separation and grabbing sediment out of the tank but during the season if you are heading out weekly it's not much different than running ethanol in the car.

[freeheel4life]

Sounds like Antelope Point is the spot.

[calvinnhobbes]

Thanks everyone, appreciate the comments!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Skidude04]

Ethanol free is all that matters to me at this point unless you are supercharged. 87 ethanol free is better than a 91 WITH ethanol IMO as long as you arent running the 575. That's just my opinion and far beyond "manufacturers spec".

Yellow/orange fuel came out of a fuel trail that's been in storage since September. Clear is pump gas. You cant see a layer of water in it but I took it from the rail. Will stand by the fact that 87 non ethanol is better that a 91 ethanol, as long as you arent supercharged. That's just my take on it though.

So for a 440 that calls for 89, ethanol aside, are we sayin that running 91 if it has ethanol also will show no added benefit?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[UNSTUCK]

Not really. Spark advance tuning is based on the intended octane rating. Your engine can’t sense a higher octane and therefore can’t make the tune changes to make it worth while. Now if you are running your engine flat out 100% there is a chance you could still get some knock running 89 and in that case running 91 would prolong the timing retard. So you wouldn't see increased performance but you would be able to maintain normal performance a bit longer. I guess some might call that increased performance.

[chpthril]

So for a 440 that calls for 89, ethanol aside, are we sayin that running 91 if it has ethanol also will show no added benefit?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Never a benefit to running a higher then recommended octane, just negative to running lower then recommended.

My approach is a little different. For me, i want to make sure ive got a safe octane level. No ethanol is secondary.

[freeheel4life]

For me, i want to make sure ive got a safe octane level. No ethanol is secondary.

^^This is what I should have said.

[TeamAllen]