Severe engine damage from leaded fuel?

nate 415
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nate 415
My manual says that running leaded fuel in my 13 yz250f will cause SEVERE engine damage. I am running 100 low lead aviation fuel mixed 50/50 with ethanol free 91 pump gas. bike runs great btw. I have run this mixture in many 4 strokes over the years with zero problems. I've never seen any damage on tear down much less severe. No lead deposits, nada.
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fourfourone
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fourfourone 9/23/2018 5:01pm
9/23/2018 5:01pm
I ran 50 50 vp110 leaded and 93 pump on my kx250f for almost 70 hours. sold the bike and it was running perfect. Been running it in my yz450 for the last 5 hours. no issues. I mainly use it to keep my gas fresh when the bikes sits
TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 9/23/2018 5:07pm
9/23/2018 5:07pm
I run VP Leaded 110 sometimes. I usually run T4. Over 100 hours on a stock RM-Z450. No Problemas.
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downard254
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downard254 9/23/2018 5:26pm
9/23/2018 5:26pm
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say the manufacturers have that written in there to appease the EPA. We don’t want to promote people using those fuels that have been deemed hazardous now do we. JMHO.
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AJ565
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AJ565 9/23/2018 5:31pm
9/23/2018 5:31pm
Also if a bike has an O2 sensor lead can build up on it and cause it to read skewed. I’m sure it could also build deposits in the fuel injectors over time.
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downard254
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downard254 9/23/2018 5:58pm
9/23/2018 5:58pm
AJ565 wrote:
Also if a bike has an O2 sensor lead can build up on it and cause it to read skewed. I’m sure it could also build...
Also if a bike has an O2 sensor lead can build up on it and cause it to read skewed. I’m sure it could also build deposits in the fuel injectors over time.
Good point AJ, hadn’t considered these newer fuel injected bikes running O2 sensors. Guess I’m stuck in the carb era.
mxrider971
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mxrider971 9/23/2018 6:50pm
9/23/2018 6:50pm
My brother and I ran straight VPR for years. VPR is leaded. Never had any problems using it and the bikes ran noticeably cooler.
nate 415
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nate 415 9/23/2018 6:56pm
9/23/2018 6:56pm
blusmbl wrote:
https://www.shell.com/business-customers/aviation/aeroshell/knowledge-c…

Written for airplanes but the cliff notes should still apply.
Thank you so much for that. As a flight instructor some aircraft I fly consistently lead foul the lower plugs, the article gave some practical advice I will implement. Note my YZ spark plug does not lead foul
slothy
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slothy 9/24/2018 6:58am
9/24/2018 6:58am
AJ565 wrote:
Also if a bike has an O2 sensor lead can build up on it and cause it to read skewed. I’m sure it could also build...
Also if a bike has an O2 sensor lead can build up on it and cause it to read skewed. I’m sure it could also build deposits in the fuel injectors over time.
downard254 wrote:
Good point AJ, hadn’t considered these newer fuel injected bikes running O2 sensors. Guess I’m stuck in the carb era.
not sure what dirtbikes are running o2 sensors yet? i haven't seen any -but i haven't looked hard either lol
Marty1028
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Marty1028 9/24/2018 6:59am
9/24/2018 6:59am
downard254 wrote:
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say the manufacturers have that written in there to appease the EPA. We don’t want to...
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say the manufacturers have that written in there to appease the EPA. We don’t want to promote people using those fuels that have been deemed hazardous now do we. JMHO.
What downard said, leaded fuel will be just fine. It says it to please the epa.
ZB93
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ZB93 9/24/2018 9:27am
9/24/2018 9:27am
I ran exclusively leaded VP race fuel in my YZ250Fs since 2008, zero damage.
barnett468
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barnett468 9/24/2018 10:28am
9/24/2018 10:28am Edited Date/Time 9/24/2018 10:30am
I would simply cal yamaha and ask for the tech line and ask them about it. There is no noticeable benefit to using leaded gas in that.
Derek Harris 9/24/2018 10:44am
9/24/2018 10:44am
No damage issues.

You will make more hp with straight pump gas however and better throttle reaponse than 100ll 50/50

And all the hate on ethanol isnt fully warranted - jetted properly it makes great hp with great throttle response and excellent piston cooling

Im always curious what people think vp uses in their power producing fuels...thats better than ethanol for storage etc. I think they would be surprised if they saw behind the curtain - only so many compounds out there that burn, stay in a liquid form, and produce good power...with good economy...
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resetjet
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resetjet 9/24/2018 11:12am
9/24/2018 11:12am
Avgas is designed for air cooled piston engines. CHT upwards of 400 degrees. Water cooled engines dont run anywhere near that hot causing lead buildup. I would assume it would take a real long time to cause severe damage. However 93 pump gas is probably a better choice. Most of the ethanol crap you hear is bogus at 10% anyway.
Moto96
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Moto96 9/24/2018 1:21pm
9/24/2018 1:21pm
resetjet wrote:
Avgas is designed for air cooled piston engines. CHT upwards of 400 degrees. Water cooled engines dont run anywhere near that hot causing lead buildup. I...
Avgas is designed for air cooled piston engines. CHT upwards of 400 degrees. Water cooled engines dont run anywhere near that hot causing lead buildup. I would assume it would take a real long time to cause severe damage. However 93 pump gas is probably a better choice. Most of the ethanol crap you hear is bogus at 10% anyway.
Thats false. Lots of Ultralight craft are water cooled and run Av Gas. Shells site specifically talks about this.

Pretty sure they dont want stuff falling out of the sky.
Tiki
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Tiki 9/24/2018 4:03pm
9/24/2018 4:03pm
Lead acts a a lubricant if I'm not mistaken.
BroFoSho
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BroFoSho 9/24/2018 4:50pm
9/24/2018 4:50pm
Not sure what bikes run O2 sensors off the showroom floor???
And doesn't the 2013 YZ250F have a carb? It's fine to run leaded fuel if you wish

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