What the hell is in our fuel?

[Kendo]

Well Bikerboy, with some great research, pretty much answered that question a while back but is anyone still having issues?

I had a new fuel pump installed at 32,000km, thankfully under warranty as I purchased the bike at 30,000km.
Well that was 15 months and 25,000km ago. Over the last couple weeks started to get that high pitch fuel pump noise again and tonight had trouble revving past 6-7000rpm. Same symptons as last fuel pump failure.
The bike has been run almost exclusively on BP Ultimate, with only 2 or 3 tanks of BP 95 when Ultimate wasn't available.

Will have to wait until the weekend to pull it out and inspect.

I know all filters eventually clog and need replacement but it seems a bit premature so I'm a little miffed.

Rant over. Needed to vent. Thanks for listening.

[Batfink]

Have you thought that the issue could be less about the fuel and more and the provider? In other words are you filling up at the same places?

[Kendo]

Have you thought that the issue could be less about the fuel and more and the provider? In other words are you filling up at the same places?

Yeah, fill up at the same place nearly every time. Newish servo, high fuel turnover, so theoretically safe as you can try to be. Different servo than prior to the last pump failure though.
I am wondering though, during that brief fuel shortage we had little while ago where a lot of servo's were out of fuel or very low, and I had to go elsewhere that maybe I got a tank or two of putrid fuel. Pump noise started just after that. Maybe coincidence, Can never be sure.

[Batfink]

Large turn over is still not regular fuel cell maintenance for any servo... These days the almighty dollar can have the effect of cancelling preventative maintenance which while has no immediate effect does snowball into a big problem down the track. All fuel cells attract water, water soluable particles and oxides created by water and if the cell is not maintained then while the fuel in the cell is fresh, the water and other associated contaminates will continue to get worse if not treated.

[Kendo]

Agreed, end of the day where you get your fuel is at best a reasonably judged gamble.

[GRUNTMAX]

1) Maybe the BP Ultimate is not BP Ultimate & watered down with that E fuel stuff.

2) Maybe you should switch to Shell & keep India gainfully employed.

http://store.schnitzracing.com/aem-320-l...usa-01-13/

[BikerBoy]

All the problems I was having back then Kendo was fuel related, and BP Ultimate was the one common ingredient
that kept appearing with others at the same time. The filter tests I got back showed high traces of copper and zinc
which BP said would cause the fuel to degrade and block the filters, but also claimed it's not found in their fuel or servo equipment....

[Thompy]

high turnover means the cells are being drained and filled a lot with the contaminants stirred often if the cells aren't cleaned.. but yeah its a crap shoot either way, murky contaminate or stale and clear.

I too use pretty much exclusively the bp ultimate, no issues for me as yet, I might think about other options now though.

Do the majority of us use the BP in preference to other branding?

Thompy.

[larra]

used caltex premium before,but after a tankfull of crap, switched to bp ultimate 4 years ago and been happy so far

[Kendo]

1) Maybe the BP Ultimate is not BP Ultimate & watered down with that E fuel stuff.

2) Maybe you should switch to Shell & keep India gainfully employed.

http://store.schnitzracing.com/aem-320-l...usa-01-13/

Thanks Gruntmax. Was looking at those last night. Still looking about though as I would prefer to find a pump that doesn't need modification to fit the pump bracket.
I've been searching for a link I think you posted up a while back for a Bosch unit.

---

All the problems I was having back then Kendo was fuel related, and BP Ultimate was the one common ingredient
that kept appearing with others at the same time. The filter tests I got back showed high traces of copper and zinc
which BP said would cause the fuel to degrade and block the filters, but also claimed it's not found in their fuel or servo equipment....

I remember reading your findings about copper and zinc, must of somehow missed that it was referring to Ultimate.
Out of interest, what are you using now and have you had any further signs of trouble.

[revhead]

ive been told to stay away from shell and bp ,since ive had my fuel issues,i only use 95 in mine,plus we have 3x servos in town,i use all 3x at diff times,the last time i used 98 it cost me a motor

[Lucky 85]

I have used BP ultimate in my 2008 Busa since new and I have done 30,000 K's and had no issues. There are 2 BP's here in Kalgoorlie and they are both high turnover fuel stations. On the odd occasion when I have not been able to get BP ultimate I always put in the premium stuff.
I remember back when on the world domination run over here in W.A, Outlaw went to pay for his fuel and the girl serving him said that is the first bike I've seen that runs on Deisel and he was like .. The pump had a blue handle the same as what the ultimate had. Lucky there was no issue with the bike after he drained it then put the right stuff in.

[simmo]

Tip when filling your bike never fill it at a servo that has a fuel tanker is unloading product or one that has a tanker leaving that site, it takes ages for all the crap & water to settle back to the bottom there tanks do not think for one minute any of the servo tanks are clean on the bottom

[Kendo]

ive been told to stay away from shell and bp ,since ive had my fuel issues,i only use 95 in mine,plus we have 3x servos in town,i use all 3x at diff times,the last time i used 98 it cost me a motor

It's getting tough. If no BP or Shell, independents are out because most use ethanol, which is a whole other debate, pretty much leaves Caltex, which others have claimed issues with, but could be down to just the particular servo they used.
Gonna see if I can talk to a few servo owners around my way and see if they will disclose their fuel maintenance routines, so perhaps get a greater safety margin from poor fuel. They will probably lie anyways.

Had fuel related issues not long ago with the car also.

You"d think at the prices we pay fuel should be nothing but top notch.

---

Tip when filling your bike never fill it at a servo that has a fuel tanker is unloading product or one that has a tanker leaving that site, it takes ages for all the crap & water to settle back to the bottom there tanks do not think for one minute any of the servo tanks are clean on the bottom

Yep, some wise old bugger taught me that one many years ago, see a tanker at a servo - find another one to fill up.
I here ya about the bottom of tanks, one reason I think there is a chance I got some real nasty fuel during that shortage when servos were running out.

[ROD]

Tip when filling your bike never fill it at a servo that has a fuel tanker is unloading product or one that has a tanker leaving that site, it takes ages for all the crap & water to settle back to the bottom there tanks do not think for one minute any of the servo tanks are clean on the bottom

Bugger I just filled the car this morning with a tanker there oh well at least it was only the car and will now keep that in mind