Is Your Gas Better than My Gas???

[Platonic Solid]

I trailered my bike to the dealer today (first service on 04 Vstar 1100 - 400 miles). I had a heck of a time keeping it running long enough to get it on the trailer. It would only run on full and half choke. This is the first time it's been run since last fall. Prior to winter storage, I filled the tank with gas & Sta-bil mix - ran it to get the Sta-bil mix in the lines and carb - then shut the fuel off and ran it till it died.

I explained the problem to my mechanic. He started the bike and in 30 seconds says,"It's only running on one cylinder. Damn Connecticut gas! We should start a class-action suit against the state." He proceeds to tell me that gas here in Connecticut is formulated different than in other states. I'm not sure what he means, but I know the end result apparently is gas that tends to clog the carb. and other stuff. When I asked him what I can do to prevent this, he says,"Go to Mass. to fill up."

He also said they normally charge 1.5 hrs. labor to fix this, but since I purchased the bike there and was having it serviced there, they would take care of the problem for free - this time.

So what gives? Is gas different from state to state?

Svend

 

[my66coupe]

Different addatives from state to state, and month to month. I know california probably has it the worst.

Mike

 

[stangman67]

Is that a single or dual carb bike? I dont see how just bad gas could drop a cylinder entirely if running off of 1 carb. Sounds more like a ignition issue to me.

 

[Platonic Solid]

Is that a single or dual carb bike? I dont see how just bad gas could drop a cylinder entirely if running off of 1 carb. Sounds more like a ignition issue to me.

Dual Carb. The machanic spoke as if he sees this every day. Not sure if this is more prone to happening to Yamaha.

 

[Platonic Solid]

Different addatives from state to state, and month to month. I know california probably has it the worst.

Mike

What the heck good is putting additives in the gas if it destroys the engine. I suppose destroying engines is the ultimate form of polution control.

 

[StangDreamin']

Different addatives from state to state, and month to month. I know california probably has it the worst.

Mike

Had to add a little emphasis to your quote to tell you "That's nothing". There are more than two gasoline formulations (not just "grades", like regular and premium) in Arizona alone:

Maricopa (Phoenix) and Pima (Tucson) Counties have a "winter brew" and a "summer brew" with varying additives and levels of ethanol and oxygen. As far as I know; the "outlying rural areas" -that's everybody "not smart enough" to live in Arizona's Bastions of Enlightenment (Phoenix and Tucson)- get only one formulation each of Regular, Mid-Grade, and Premium year-round. The upshot of all this is that our gas out here in the wilds of Yuma is actually cheaper than both San Diego and Phoenix/Tucson

Now if only Phoenix, Tucson and Kalifornika would just pull their collective noses out of our refinery studies.