VP Fuel question Leaded vs Unleaded

Trent179
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Edited Date/Time 8/25/2014 3:35pm
I have a 2013 KX450f and the Premium gas around where I live sucks.... Thinking about buying some vpr fuel... It's leaded/oxygenated fuel though. Is that ok in my bike? Anyone else tried the new vpr fuel they have? I'm trying to figure if I should get that or the VP t4 fuel.... The t4 is unleaded... any suggestions?
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bd
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8/23/2014 8:32pm
T4 is great for stock four strokes.
bgpn35
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8/23/2014 8:39pm
The vpr is all I run in my 14 yz450 and have had no problems. Just richen it up a little because I had a lean pop!
Trent179
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8/23/2014 8:51pm
Can you store that stuff for a while and it's still good?

The Shop

8/23/2014 9:08pm
Im running u4.4 had it remapped with a yosh full exhaust, i will never use pump gas. T4 runs very well and is a little cheaper probabaly your best bet for a stock engine
TeamGreen
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8/23/2014 9:11pm
You can run T4 w/out any tuning changes. KTM off-road runs it.
Berm
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8/23/2014 9:12pm
VP113 is a great option too. Buy it by the barrel and it is less than $9 a gallon. Oxygenated and leaded and can handle high compression...its essentially a better version of Turbo Blue or whatever else you can get at the pump.
Trent179
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8/23/2014 9:28pm
I hope I can run the vpr without making any mapping changes because I just ordered 5 gallons. lol
GuyB
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8/23/2014 10:03pm
Hmm, funny, we have an article coming dealing with VP shortly.
bvm111
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8/23/2014 10:18pm
Yes.... Funny WhistlingTongue
Junebug833
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8/24/2014 6:28am
I have a 2013 Kawasaki kx450f with a full Pro Circuit Ti-5 and I have ran Both t4 and U4.4 and the bike definitely likes the U4.4 better. I was having problems with starting the bike when I had the T4 in there then I spoke with a VP tech and he recommended I switch to U4.4 and the bike runs flawlessly and fires right up every time. I suggest U4.4.
mx-4-2
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8/24/2014 7:35am
Be careful on leaving any oxygenated fuel in your bike for any extended length of time. We use VP MR-12 but pump it out after every race. Otherwise we run av gas 100LL for practice days. Cheeper and has lead.
Travis_Hudson
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8/24/2014 7:44am
I run VPR in my two stroke and it runs great. I was told that you would see the real benefits out of a two stroke with it from my vp guy. But should run the T4 in a four stroke as a budget race fuel.
8/24/2014 8:39am
I'm running U4.4 and it's good. The power increase is noticeable and the bike has a nice mean sound when I'm hard on the gas.
I don't like the white residue it leaves in the muffler though. When I had the ecm remaped for the gas and parts, I original thought he didn't richen it up enough.. When I saw the white residue, I thought my bike was running super lean, it wasn't, it's just the lead. No worries.
Loftin79
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OK US
8/24/2014 8:41am
Trent179 wrote:
I hope I can run the vpr without making any mapping changes because I just ordered 5 gallons. lol
You will be just fine with the VPR. My VP fuel man told me I should run leaded fuel in everything unless im in a series with rules saying not to. And also a 4 stroke doesn't need high octane fuel like a 2 stroke does
loftyair
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8/24/2014 8:47am
I just want like 95-100 octane leaded fuel for my 2-stroke. Whatever is least expensive.
Bruce372
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8/24/2014 9:34am
sunocco makes some good fuels, the 260GTX 98 iis unleaded and has no ethanol so works good in thumpers, it wont make the power than some of the VP stuff does and you can run it at quite high compression. It is super good quality and doesnt go bad. I run it in my kids bikes and the power washer just so their carbs dont gum up.

sunocco 112 supreme leaded is a show in for VP C12 in 2-smokers.

for me, the sunocco stuff is easier to find and cheaper, but the VP stuff is good also.

pump gas is utter crap these daays
JA946
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8/24/2014 10:11am
Some people don't like lead in 4 strokes because they say the lead leaves deposits on the Ti valve coatings.

I'm not an engine builder or a fuel expert -

I was taught lead is GREAT for ALL motors because lead has a huge ability to keep things lubed. Remember, the lower the octane, the more power, but less detonation resistance. I went from the 100 unleaded I run in the 2 stroke to 110 leaded and didn't mind the difference, but the 100 unleaded has more throttle response. I was running U4.4 in the 4 stroke and LOVED it.

I'm going to try U4.4 in the 2 stroke and give her a go.
Trent179
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8/24/2014 1:39pm
What happens if you leave some in ur tank?
JA946
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8/24/2014 1:50pm
Trent179 wrote:
What happens if you leave some in ur tank?
With the new fuels - nothing.

With pump gas, bad deposit build up.
Eddie_E
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8/24/2014 4:37pm
JA946 wrote:
Some people don't like lead in 4 strokes because they say the lead leaves deposits on the Ti valve coatings. I'm not an engine builder or...
Some people don't like lead in 4 strokes because they say the lead leaves deposits on the Ti valve coatings.

I'm not an engine builder or a fuel expert -

I was taught lead is GREAT for ALL motors because lead has a huge ability to keep things lubed. Remember, the lower the octane, the more power, but less detonation resistance. I went from the 100 unleaded I run in the 2 stroke to 110 leaded and didn't mind the difference, but the 100 unleaded has more throttle response. I was running U4.4 in the 4 stroke and LOVED it.

I'm going to try U4.4 in the 2 stroke and give her a go.
Lead in fuel DOES leave a coating on the valve faces.

Anybody who remembers when cars switched to unleaded witnessed the lifespan of valves in car engines being cut in half when they switched to unleaded. The side effect of lead is that the coating on the valve gives a surface to wear while running rather than wearing away the face of the valve and seat. High spots wear faster and low spots fill in slightly improving the valve seal without wearing the faces.

Modern cars have steel alloys that are way better than they had in the late 70's so it's not an issue for any car built after 1980. An engine that is subject to high wear on the valve faces and seats (Ti Anybody?) should benefit from a little lead.

Lead also had a bad side in cars as it coated every garden and school playground with lead back before 1980. If you want to know why you dad is a little forgetful, this could be some of it.
mx-4-2
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8/24/2014 5:06pm
Trent179 wrote:
What happens if you leave some in ur tank?
JA946 wrote:
With the new fuels - nothing.

With pump gas, bad deposit build up.
As I said above, I would not recommend leaving a oxygenated fuel in your bike. The warning stickers on the cans state to drain the bowl on carburetors immediately after use. Given the corrosive nature of it, I would not want to trust my luck with the fuel pump and injector on our bikes.

Do a web search. This is what I found:

Oxygenated fuels can also be harder on components in your fuel system. It's probably because oxygenated fuels typically contain greater amounts of methanol in the blend, but you will need to keep an eye on rubber components like the power valve plunger, carburetor gaskets, and your fuel pump and pressure regulator. Oxygenated fuels aren't as corrosive as alcohol fuels, but they certainly are more aggressive than standard race gas. And if you are racing an older fuel cell, you may need to consider replacing the foam. Newer foams are unaffected by new fuel blends, but older foam can be dissolved by oxygenated fuels. If you start running an oxygenated fuel and notice your engine stumbling or trash in the carburetor, make sure to check your fuel cell.


Read more: http://www.circletrack.com/enginetech/ctrp_1212_oxygenated_racing_fuels…
Berm
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8/24/2014 6:15pm
What typically happens when leaving the harsh VP fuels in the tank/carb is that the o-rings get eaten away. I've replaced 3 petcock o-rings and 5 o-rings on the little fuel-in elbow where the line connects to the carb. This is on 5 different motors/tanks/carbs over the course of 5 years though.

I drain the gas from the bowl after the race day is done, but leave it in the tank because I'm too lazy. However, in the off season, I will drain the tank and carbs completely.

This is with VP113, MRX01, MRX02, and MR12.
JA946
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8/24/2014 6:16pm
Berm wrote:
What typically happens when leaving the harsh VP fuels in the tank/carb is that the o-rings get eaten away. I've replaced 3 petcock o-rings and 5...
What typically happens when leaving the harsh VP fuels in the tank/carb is that the o-rings get eaten away. I've replaced 3 petcock o-rings and 5 o-rings on the little fuel-in elbow where the line connects to the carb. This is on 5 different motors/tanks/carbs over the course of 5 years though.

I drain the gas from the bowl after the race day is done, but leave it in the tank because I'm too lazy. However, in the off season, I will drain the tank and carbs completely.

This is with VP113, MRX01, MRX02, and MR12.
This is what I do.

I drain the bowl after a day of riding with ANY fuel.
Trent179
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8/25/2014 11:58am
I ended up buying a 5 gallon bucket of the U4.4.... hope I don't mess my bike up running it... should I have it re mapped or can I just run this stuff? This fuel stuff is confusing. Lol. I'm not looking for power gains really, just wanting to run good fuel instead of crap pump gas...
TeamGreen
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8/25/2014 12:45pm
Trent179 wrote:
I ended up buying a 5 gallon bucket of the U4.4.... hope I don't mess my bike up running it... should I have it re mapped...
I ended up buying a 5 gallon bucket of the U4.4.... hope I don't mess my bike up running it... should I have it re mapped or can I just run this stuff? This fuel stuff is confusing. Lol. I'm not looking for power gains really, just wanting to run good fuel instead of crap pump gas...
You can run it. Your bike WILL run better if it's remapped...and get all it can out of the fuel.
Trent179
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8/25/2014 1:38pm
Trent179 wrote:
I ended up buying a 5 gallon bucket of the U4.4.... hope I don't mess my bike up running it... should I have it re mapped...
I ended up buying a 5 gallon bucket of the U4.4.... hope I don't mess my bike up running it... should I have it re mapped or can I just run this stuff? This fuel stuff is confusing. Lol. I'm not looking for power gains really, just wanting to run good fuel instead of crap pump gas...
TeamGreen wrote:
You can run it. Your bike WILL run better if it's remapped...and get all it can out of the fuel.
How do I re map it? Just take it to a kawi dealer?

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