Using Petrol 91?

[Orangutan]

I have a Yamaha Nouvo Elegance been driving for about 3 months. I have been filling up with petrol 91, recently in the last few fill ups I noticed that there is green and red petrol 91. I've been getting red and my bike runs fine. What is the difference?

-O

[BigBikeBKK]

Oh dear... BIG difference my friend!

The "Red" 91 is gasoline, while the "Green" 91 is Gasohol (a mixture of gasoline and ethanol)

You say you've been using only the "Red" 91 Octane gasoline, so you'll have no problems, and IF your Yamaha Nuovo is designed to run on Gasohol, then you can use the "Green" 91 Octane gasohol and save yourself some Baht.

Best to check with your Yamaha dealer before you try running on gasohol, because if your scooter is NOT designed to run on gasohol, the fuel can cause you no end of problems with your engine and fuel system.

Good luck!

[moo9]

As the Elegance is rather new, you wouldn't have a problem to use one or either, I assume.

Just check your manual.

However I do not follow the biofuel hype and take regular as often as I can.

My HD can use Bioful Ethanol (which is the one offered in TH), but I who knows, what they put in your tank!

[Neeranam]

Have the done away with the normal 95? I could only see gasohol today.

[moo9]

Have the done away with the normal 95? I could only see gasohol today.

95 reg is almost fully replaced by 95 Gasohol by today. Same is planned to happen with 91 reg in during the next 2-3 years.

Cheers

[BigBikeBKK]

Have the done away with the normal 95? I could only see gasohol today.

95 reg is almost fully replaced by 95 Gasohol by today. Same is planned to happen with 91 reg in during the next 2-3 years.

Cheers

Interesting... What about all of the older vehicles that are not designed to run on gasohol. My understanding is that all engines can burn gasohol, but that older fuel systems that were not designed for gasohol will see serious deterioration and failure as the ethanol eats away at the rubber and plastic parts of the fuel system.

The mechanics at the Kawasaki Big Bike shop told me I should NOT use gasohol in my new 2008 Ninja 250R. I am assuming this is because the fuel system is not designed to withstand the ethanol. Seems some additional research is in order.

Ride On!

[Pdaz]

I asked my Ducati dealer ..

He said to use 95 gasoline if at all posible.. But if not available I can use the alternatives in this order of preferance

91 Gasoline

95 Gasohol

91 Gasohol

Lucky for me my local Shell station is still selling 95 gas.. For how much longer I don't know.

As has already been said you can't trust the gas stations anyhow... I can read Thai and many times I've had the attendant say ''95 ok'' This is until I point out that the pump says 95 gasohol in Thai not 95 gasoline .. God knows what is actually in the tanks and what sort of mix you get...

[Orangutan]

Thanks all for the explanations, I will continue to use 91 Gasoline. My manual is in Thai, I have looked at it closely for references/icons for fuel use and don't see anything. Although there is the number 91 printed on the gas cap.

I will as the Yamaha dealer at my next servicing if the bike can run on "Green" 91 is Gasohol.

-O

[Bengt]

I have a Yamaha Nouvo Elegance been driving for about 3 months. I have been filling up with petrol 91, recently in the last few fill ups I noticed that there is green and red petrol 91. I've been getting red and my bike runs fine. What is the difference?

-O

No problem to use gasohol 91 but it takes little more time before the engine is warm...I have same motobike and have been using gasohol for more than one year so its cheaper not only itself but the motobike consume less petrol too.

I have been meassure the consumtion and the average consumtion is less than 0.25 litre per 10 km.

[johngooding]

91 Gasohol, and 95 Gasohol only contain 10% alcohol. The normal 91 and 95 also contain a small amount of alcohol based chemicals used ever since lead was removed. All new motorcycles with Fuel injection systems coming in to Thailand will run on Gasohol without problems. The Kawasaki statement is very suprising and definately needs checking.

My family has been using a Yamaha Nouvo Elegance for 6 months on 91 Gasohol with no problems, now the price is so much lower for gasohols it does not make sense using regular, unless there really is a problem. It seems there are many stories on both camps and a very full discussion on GTRider on gasohol. Some report problems, some say no problems. See http://www.gt-rider.com/thailand-motorcycle-forum/index.php

The fact is that the policy is to do away with the regular fuels, as reported 95 is much rarer and 91 is (maybe slowly) on its way out. So we had better get used to using Gasohol and take any actions neccessary to make it workable in our bikes.

[moo9]

There is also a difference in gasohol. HD is allowing Gasohol with 10 % Ethanol, Methanol is not accepted, as it might destroy fuel lines etc.

Luckily in Thailand Gasohol is Ethanol based.

From Germany I know that they dropped the biofuel idea, as the environmental balance sheet is not in favor of the Biofuel anymore. However Thailand seems to go another way.

I try to get regular 95 or 91 where ever I find it, stay away from the Gasohol. However...if they will replace 91 reg with Gasohol, many of us, mainly older bikes and cars will face some problems for sure.

[bloody tiger]

If you weren't aware:

there is currently no excise on gasohol products, this was lifted in June and will run for the remainder of the year. After this time the 3.5 baht excise will be re-introduced. Gasohol will still be far cheaper than regular.

I have been using gasohol now for about 5000km and have found no difference in consumption/power over tht period.

[billzant]

Above it says that newer bikes can run on 91 red and 91 green - gasohol. Is there a way of converting older bikes to use 91 green?

And is gasohol more environmentally sound?

Hope you are keeping well,

All the Best

Bill Z

[nonthaburial]

I drive a Kia Carnival and have been using 95 gasohol for over 2 months. I find the performance of the car unchanged and fuel consumption to have improved

[Bard]

And is gasohol more environmentally sound?

Hope you are keeping well,

All the Best

Bill Z

Ethanol based gas was believed to be more environmentally sound than regular gas. However only in Brazil have they managed to make it more friendly by using genetically modified sugarcane, the corn idea in US is 2% more friendly than regular gas so what is the hype, and that is costing valuable land which can produce crops. Hence we now see a massive increase in food prices. Consequently lot's of European nations have now thrown the idea away. Thailand's biggest expenditure is oil, the country produces around 10% of the oil consumed, so they tried to make biofuels to save import of oil. However they are unable to produce the amount of ethanol needed and have reportedly used methanol instead. So I would not put it on my motorbike if I don't have to, which hopefully will not happen.

[moo9]

And is gasohol more environmentally sound?

Hope you are keeping well,

All the Best

Bill Z

Ethanol based gas was believed to be more environmentally sound than regular gas. However only in Brazil have they managed to make it more friendly by using genetically modified sugarcane, the corn idea in US is 2% more friendly than regular gas so what is the hype, and that is costing valuable land which can produce crops. Hence we now see a massive increase in food prices. Consequently lot's of European nations have now thrown the idea away. Thailand's biggest expenditure is oil, the country produces around 10% of the oil consumed, so they tried to make biofuels to save import of oil. However they are unable to produce the amount of ethanol needed and have reportedly used methanol instead. So I would not put it on my motorbike if I don't have to, which hopefully will not happen.

Afraid to say, but soon you will have no other choice to do so!

I stay with the 91 reg now. 95 reg would bring me better performance and less consumption, but it is almost not available. Same will happen to 91 reg sooner or later. Then I will have to move the the 95 gasohol and knock on wood!

[Milo]

Noticed 95 gasoline disappear in Chiang mai over a year ago, now reappearing, due to demand maybe? Now disappearing here in Udorn, forced switch to 91 (would never use gasohol for the reasons already stated, unless just need to keep moving and will be filling with regular gas again fairly soon) hoping the same will soon occur. Watching a 'green' program (Invention Nation-Discovery) the other day, saying the gasohol not as environmentally friendly as we've been led to believe, as they're cutting down rain forest to make way for palms necessary for the palm oil. Typical!

[hedonist44]

As the Elegance is rather new, you wouldn't have a problem to use one or either, I assume.

Just check your manual.

However I do not follow the biofuel hype and take regular as often as I can.

My HD can use Bioful Ethanol (which is the one offered in TH), but I who knows, what they put in your tank!

Been hearing from quite a few guys with harleys that the ethanol 95 is ok if you ride often, but if you let your bike sit for any amount of time at all, it will srew up your o-rings and seals in the carbs. The newer H-D's all have fuel injection, so not sure about these. I know I will not put the Ethanol in my 97' H-D and will put up with the 91 gas with the occasional pinging, even though I have retarded the timing

[withnail]

Thanks all for the explanations, I will continue to use 91 Gasoline. My manual is in Thai, I have looked at it closely for references/icons for fuel use and don't see anything. Although there is the number 91 printed on the gas cap.

I will as the Yamaha dealer at my next servicing if the bike can run on "Green" 91 is Gasohol.

-O

If your bike is the same as mine then on the gas cap it says 91 on a green background with gasahol written on it in Thai แก๊สโซฮอล์

In which case you're fine. Saying that I don't use it if there's 91 red at the pump.

[PeaceBlondie]

My 2008 CBR150R has an E10 decal on the gas tank, and I have seldom used benzene. At 37 km per liter and at 16.24 baht per liter, I'm happy.

[neverdie]

I ONLY run Aviation Gas......its the only thing that my high performance HONDA WAVE 100 will run on.

[Travelmate]

On my tank it says "Use only octane 95"

[withnail]

A friend told me that although the gasahol is cheaper it goes quicker. Can anyone confirm if there's any truth in that?

[PeaceBlondie]

A friend told me that although the gasahol is cheaper it goes quicker. Can anyone confirm if there's any truth in that?

Do you mean the fuel economy is worse? Mine has never been better. I often got 31 or 33 on benzene, and now get 37 on gasohol. Do you mean faster as in power and accelation? I cannot tell a difference. YMMV.

[dotcom]

Based on volume ethanol is less efficient that gasoline. It is also hygroscopic meaning it attracts water. It is only fit to drink over ice.

It will get poorer mileage & deliver less power.

[withnail]

A friend told me that although the gasahol is cheaper it goes quicker. Can anyone confirm if there's any truth in that?

Do you mean the fuel economy is worse? Mine has never been better. I often got 31 or 33 on benzene, and now get 37 on gasohol. Do you mean faster as in power and accelation? I cannot tell a difference. YMMV.

Based on volume ethanol is less efficient that gasoline. It is also hygroscopic meaning it attracts water. It is only fit to drink over ice.

It will get poorer mileage & deliver less power.

So which one is it?

[VocalNeal]

A friend told me that although the gasahol is cheaper it goes quicker. Can anyone confirm if there's any truth in that?

Do you mean the fuel economy is worse? Mine has never been better. I often got 31 or 33 on benzene, and now get 37 on gasohol. Do you mean faster as in power and accelation? I cannot tell a difference. YMMV.

Based on volume ethanol is less efficient that gasoline. It is also hygroscopic meaning it attracts water. It is only fit to drink over ice.

It will get poorer mileage & deliver less power.

So which one is it?

But after putting a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe FFV through an array of fuel economy, acceleration, and emissions tests, and interviewing more than 50 experts on ethanol fuel, CR determined that E85 will cost consumers more money than gasoline.......The fuel economy of the Tahoe dropped 27 percent when running on E85 compared with gasoline.

Another report says Toyota's Camry gets almost identical mileage on E10.

CAVEAT EMPTOR

Consumer Reports

Personal experience. VW Gol in Brazil 650kms on a tank of petrol, 450km on a tank of 100% alcohol

30% less. BUT that is 100% alcohol. Ok with a little petrol added so locals don't drink the alcohol.