95 Gasahol

[Tywais]

Well yesterday went to the Jet station on Hang Dong road that I have been using for years only to find they only have 91 regular, 91 gasohol an 95 gasohol. I set there for a minute trying to decide what to do but since my gauge was low had them put in 95 gasohol. Mine is a 2 liter turbo charged and makes me nervous. Wonder if one could use 50% 91 regular with 50% 95 gasohol to dilute the alcohol content? Any one using 95 regular and know a station that still sells it?

Been postponing a new car until sometime in the new year. Guess better start looking again.

[sleepyjohn]

Well yesterday went to the Jet station on Hang Dong road that I have been using for years only to find they only have 91 regular, 91 gasohol an 95 gasohol. I set there for a minute trying to decide what to do but since my gauge was low had them put in 95 gasohol. Mine is a 2 liter turbo charged and makes me nervous. Wonder if one could use 50% 91 regular with 50% 95 gasohol to dilute the alcohol content? Any one using 95 regular and know a station that still sells it?

Been postponing a new car until sometime in the new year. Guess better start looking again.

Some cars are recommending not using gasohol, including mine, Suzuki Vitara. I believe it's to do with deterioration of seals or gaskets.

[tigerbeer]

tywais, its good u been postponing buying a new car. prices are going down for e20 compliant cars..

[Greenside]

I run my Honda fuel injection 125cc bike and Honda City car on 95 gasohol and so far it seems fine.

Sorry to be slightly off topic, but since you're taking about fuel what are your thoughts on NVG? I saw a promotion in Tesco Hang Dong Rd last week which made it look quite attractive at first sight.

[tigerbeer]

I run my Honda fuel injection 125cc bike and Honda City car on 95 gasohol and so far it seems fine.

Sorry to be slightly off topic, but since you're taking about fuel what are your thoughts on NVG? I saw a promotion in Tesco Hang Dong Rd last week which made it look quite attractive at first sight.

Greenside there has been many discussions on NGV and LPG in the motoring thread. LPG vs. NGV.

i however feel LPG is a better bet due to:

1. getting more mileage with a full tank compared to NGV

2. Hardly any filling stations of NGV in chiang mai.

3. at least 15 to 20 minutes for a fill up of NGV vs. 5 minutes for LPG.

4. Cheaper conversion to LPG compared to NGV.

nevertheless LPG is still petroleum and bound by market movements. seems like 15 baht is what we are looking at sometime towards the end of next year. NGV on the other hand is stable in its price and cheaper compared to LPG.

My car would be one year old this january and wondering on which conversion to do. I do at least 30k + a year and it would save me a lot. only thing is the warranty on the car since its still new.

anyone else has thoughts on this and can we let this be in the chiang mai forum please mods?

TB

[JimsKnight]

Bikewise Gasohol is reputably bad for carbaretor engines but fuel injected ones are supposed to be ok with Gasohol. (At least that's what some of the expats and thai mechs have said).

Whether this applies to cars or not may be a different story....

[Pond Life]

Greenside,

The recomended fuel for your Honda 125 injection is 91, youre not achieving anything by using 95.

Try the 91 gasahol, you wont see any change in performance.

[PeaceBlondie]

tywais, I confirmed today that the Jet station going southbound toward Hang Dong is all out of 95 benzene. However, just outside the gates of CMU, you might try the PTT station southbound on the canal road, about 2km south of Suthep Road, after the last 7-11. Late Thurs. night they were advertising one brand of fuel at 33.64 baht, so that should be 95 benzene.

[Dr. G]

Tywais why can you not use 91 regular ?

It works fine in my Porsche and has done so for a long time.

g

[higgy88]

So they are finally bringing 91 gasohol to market. Good. I´ve been waiting. Fuel prices are much too high and I am hoping to save a little more money. How much cheaper was the 91 gasohol from the 95? I assume about 1 baht a liter or so, and every baht helps.

[Donnyboy]

So they are finally bringing 91 gasohol to market. Good. I´ve been waiting. Fuel prices are much too high and I am hoping to save a little more money. How much cheaper was the 91 gasohol from the 95? I assume about 1 baht a liter or so, and every baht helps.

The Nation

business page usually gives you up to date prices of PTT gas prices

Edited December 28, 2007 by Donnyboy

[Tywais]

business page usually gives you up to date prices of PTT gas prices

More direct route > PTT

[mogoso]

So they are finally bringing 91 gasohol to market. Good. I´ve been waiting. Fuel prices are much too high and I am hoping to save a little more money. How much cheaper was the 91 gasohol from the 95? I assume about 1 baht a liter or so, and every baht helps.

Using gasahol seems all well and good, but do you get as many miles per litre as you get with straight petroleum?

I wonder about the other consequences, in the US food prices are going up as farmers are planting corn over less profitable crops, and adding acreage.

Ecologically with the increase in production of corn on more acres, the use of fertilizers has increased, which means more fertilizer is draining into rivers. A dead zone where the mississippi river flows into the gulf of mexico is expanding.

So to save on portion of the planet we kill another.

[BlissfullyIgnorant]

Well yesterday went to the Jet station on Hang Dong road that I have been using for years only to find they only have 91 regular, 91 gasohol an 95 gasohol. I set there for a minute trying to decide what to do but since my gauge was low had them put in 95 gasohol. Mine is a 2 liter turbo charged and makes me nervous. Wonder if one could use 50% 91 regular with 50% 95 gasohol to dilute the alcohol content? Any one using 95 regular and know a station that still sells it?

Been postponing a new car until sometime in the new year. Guess better start looking again.

2.0L Turbo.. What is it? If it's what I expect (a 90's or early 00's jap import) then you probably don't want to run gasohol as there's little chance the fuel system was designed to stand up to the water content in it.

AFAIK, most PTT stations still sell 95 benzene, well at least the ones I go to do..

Edited December 30, 2007 by BlissfullyIgnorant

[Tywais]

2.0L Turbo.. What is it? If it's what I expect (a 90's or early 00's jap import) then you probably don't want to run gasohol as there's little chance the fuel system was designed to stand up to the water content in it.

AFAIK, most PTT stations still sell 95 benzene, well at least the ones I go to do..

It's a '94 Nissan Bluebird SSS 2.0, and yes - an import. I will try the PTT stations, the one PB mentions is on my way home so actually easier to get to for me. The problem with using 91 regular is the timing, suspect the engine will 'knock' without re-timing it which I don't really want to do. When I added the 95 gasohol last time I still had 95 regular in so it mixed about 70% with gasohol now. It's running fine but worry about the rubber parts. Thanks.

[PeaceBlondie]

Tywais, if you're on Huay Kaew near Central Kad Kaew, the big Shell station seems to advertise 95 benzene, as well. And, the PTT station on the outer moat...now I'm confused, maybe just south of D-K books? Anyway, most of the PTT stations advertise it. I can't read Thai, but anything selling for more than 33 baht should be 95 benzene. I learned to say "benzene, gaow hah, diem tank."

[higgy88]

Tywais,

For whatever it is worth, Shell Thailand has a limited warrantee where they say they will pay for any repairs that were caused by using their gasohol, and they have a list on their website identifying which cars they will cover. You may want to visit their website shell.co.th to see if your car is on their list.

For whatever it is worth, there were many pre-´90 vehicles that were gasohol compatable, but I can´t say what the Japanese may or may not have been doing during that time.

Also, gasohol is more suseptable to water contamination, but IMO there is little chance you will find any vehicles that can stand up to any more than trace amounts of water in the fuel. Right now you are probably not going to have any problems with that, but it will be a much different story when the rains start. If I had a choice between getting 95 benzene from a station in a flood prone area, or 95 gasohol from another station, I definitely know where I will be buying my fuel.

[BlissfullyIgnorant]

Ethanol-free benzene is branded "Alpha-X" at PTT stations, from what I can see there's two varieties - the yellow font one is 95 RON, the red/orange font one is 91 RON.

Running 91 RON anything in a turbo car tuned for 95 RON isn't something I'd do - detonation (pinging) is far more severe when you have forced induction. Being a '94 yours would have the SR20DET engine - helluva an engine for tuning.. Your new car is going to feel like a wet sponge by comparison

[Tywais]

Being a '94 yours would have the SR20DET engine - helluva an engine for tuning.. Your new car is going to feel like a wet sponge by comparison

Yeah, that's what worries me. The performance is very good, quick, agile handling and high torque. Really hate to go down in performance after being used to this one for so long and will miss that jet engine sound as it revs up. The Civic 2.0 is the closest in my price range in performance. My guess though the 'kick down' for passing will not be as quick and responsive as the Nissan. Plus the electric steering in the Civic concerns me. Not sure if it will feel the road as well. Haven't found a 2.0 yet to test drive.

[Tywais]

Just an update. Thanks to PB for pointing out the PTT on the canal road. Had to fill it up again today and yep, they had it. The car definitely took a performance hit with the gasohol. Stuttered on me a few times with the gasohol but now it's peppy, quick and smooth as silk again.

[hill16]

Hi guys,

Pardon my ignorance but can anyone tell me what type of fuel I should be using for a new Honda Click automatic please? I have been putting in 95 but I don't know (a) if this is the correct fuel or ( if this is gasahol or the other stuff?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated for this motorbiking novice .

Thanks,

Hill16

[Pond Life]

Any new Honda bike is designed to run on 91.

Look in the owners manual (even if its all in Thai).

Somewhere you'll find a symbol looking like a star, it will be either red or yellow with 91 or 95 printed in the middle.

I'm betting you'll find its 91.

[mcgriffith]

A second to Pond Life's post. Definitely 91 PETROL, not 91 gasohol, or anything else.

I have two 07 Honda motorcycles; on the cover of both owner manuals, there is a prominent red circle, with a large "91".

[Pond Life]

I personaly dont have a problem putting Gasahol in my 3 yr old Honda Wave injection.

But I sure dont waste my money on 95.

If it runs good it probably is good.

[mcgriffith]

Absolutely right on, Pond Life. Any vehicle with fuel injection (as opposed to carburetors) has sensors that will adapt the engine to run well on various grades of fuel, altitude changes, etc. This is why for automobiles there is no problem with E10 (or the new E20) fuels in the newer models- they have been engineered to run with ethanol mixes. The problem arises with older model cars, and with carbureted motorcycles.

The ethanol in the fuel is hydrophilic- it attracts water from the air. Even the air inside the fuel tank. This water can often block some of the minuscule passages in a carburetor. Result- rough running, sputtering, weak acceleration. Also in some older model autos, that were built before ethanol fuels were widely used, the ethanol itself can react with certain fuel system components (rubber, plastic, even some metals) and cause corrosion or damage.

Newer autos have fuel system parts specifically designed to be tolerant of ethanol.

[Pond Life]

I agree with you McG but it seems we might have to eat our words a bit.

I had a root around on the Honda Thailand website.

I found the specs for Dream 125 & Wave 125 i.

I cant read Thai but it seems to me theyre saying you can run a Dream (carb) on 91 or 95 with or without 10% alcohol.

But the same spec sheet for Wave 125 i (Injection) does not mention 10% which I'm assuming means theyre not recomending gasahol.

The wording for Honda Click fuel is same as Dream.

I'll attach the stuff i found & maybe someone who can read Thai can put us straight.

The full spec sheet is for the Dream & the small added on bit at bottom is the fuel spec for Wave i.

Honda_Fuel.doc

[db1tau]

My girlfriend told: for the wave i it means benzene without lead 91 octane or gasohol 95 octane

[Pond Life]

Thanks db

[Ta22]

gasahol is not really good for the older engine especially the carbaretor one .

some company like toyota ever offer a engine upgrade for free .. last years . maybe you need to find more info .

fuel injection engine work better with gasahol ..

my father mix 50 % with gasahol and standard he said it give his cars more power . but his cars was never ecomonically whahhaha benz 230

anyway . some say it heat up the engine more . which eman if you traevlling for long hour like 4-5 hour trip i suggest stop and rest your engine every 2 hour - - when you STOP to rest . DO NOT turn off engine wait for like 5 min for it to slow down .. before you turn the engine off .

[hill16]

I agree with you McG but it seems we might have to eat our words a bit.

I had a root around on the Honda Thailand website.

I found the specs for Dream 125 & Wave 125 i.

I cant read Thai but it seems to me theyre saying you can run a Dream (carb) on 91 or 95 with or without 10% alcohol.

But the same spec sheet for Wave 125 i (Injection) does not mention 10% which I'm assuming means theyre not recomending gasahol.

The wording for Honda Click fuel is same as Dream.

I'll attach the stuff i found & maybe someone who can read Thai can put us straight.

The full spec sheet is for the Dream & the small added on bit at bottom is the fuel spec for Wave i.

Honda_Fuel.doc

Many thanks Pond Life. Very useful info so as I don't blow up my Honda Click engine and risk the wrath of 'she who must be obeyed'