Contaminated Fuel

[jambo]

Originally Posted by hovi5

So How Do We Avoid This Dodgy Fuel?

Don't put Petrol in the bike.... Only way to be safe

I got sent this link this morning as an email, possibly might splash out on the expensive stuff next tank if there's this much rubbish floating about. As TSM says at least most bikes are too simple to cook an expensive lambda sensor

Interesting this...

Last weekend I filled up my ZX7R with fuel at a Total I never normally use near Durham, and it ran like a proper bag of crap, like it was running on three cylinders at low speeds, felt down on power, spluttering and popping. Didn't get the same MPG as usual either.

Filled it up at the weekend at my normal Shell garage and it's been fine ever since.

Strange one.

Originally Posted by TSM

Aparently the damage it does is to the Lambda sensors, as most bikes dont have them then all should be fine apart from bad running.

Lambda sensors are suseptable to damage from a very rich mixture and leaded fuel.

IIRC, the latest GSXR's have a number of sensors within the fuel chain, including one on each throttle body.

Question
I don't know much about "Lambda" sensors, but when I was fixing engines, the injectors only injected fuel (just petrol or diesel), the air came in through the inlet valve(s). So how does this sensor work, it needs to measure fuel, air (quality & flow), engine speed etc... So surely it must be more than a single sensor, or as usual, am I talkin' round things again ??

.

Originally Posted by Jelster

Question
I don't know much about "Lambda" sensors, but when I was fixing engines, the injectors only injected fuel (just petrol or diesel), the air came in through the inlet valve(s). So how does this sensor work, it needs to measure fuel, air (quality & flow), engine speed etc... So surely it must be more than a single sensor, or as usual, am I talkin' round things again ??

They're in the exaust flow Measure the amount of oxygen in the exhaust. That tells you how efficient the engine is burning the fuel, which you can then use to work out the ideal fuel/air mix

i take it deisel is not affected then?

Originally Posted by Baph

They're in the exaust flow Measure the amount of oxygen in the exhaust. That tells you how efficient the engine is burning the fuel, which you can then use to work out the ideal fuel/air mix

Ah, so the "contaminants" are not being burnt off then, and the remains (or results of combustion) is what is damaging the sensors... I see, feel much more knowledgeable now...

.

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by jambo

Don't put Petrol in the bike.... Only way to be safe

I got sent this link this morning as an email, possibly might splash out on the expensive stuff next tank if there's this much rubbish floating about. As TSM says at least most bikes are too simple to cook an expensive lambda sensor

No need to worry if you have carbs - as your ZX6 does, it only affects FI, which have such sensors, carbed engines don't. Of course depending on what the contaminant turns out to be, it could still affect the running of any engine however it's fuelled, carbs or FI.

[Spanner Man]

Morning all.
I've been banging on for years about the quality of the cheapo petrol that you get from Supermarkets, & retailers such as Jet etc.
My advice has always been stick to petrol from people who actually drill the oil out of the ground. My own preference has always been for Esso, but Shell, Total, BP, or Texaco are usually pretty good.
Although when I was in West London every now & again bikes would come in with a Diesel mix in the tank. On every occaison the customer had just filled up at a BP station. This was I suspect due to filling errors at the depot. Tankers were leaving with Diesel instead of unleaded in their tanks.
In many instances the customer got a refund, not only for the fuel, but for most of the other charges that occured as a consequence. Like recovery & labour etc.
So, get a reciept every time you fill up, because you never know. The most expensive one I ever did came to over £300! That was a brand new 2000 Fireblade and the spark plugs came to £100, for at the time you could only get them from Honda.

Cheers.

Hopefully it won't affect our Lambada sensors- so we can still stay away from ****e euro-hickvillageinspired dance songs.

[northwind]

That's the Forbidden Dance!

With my cynical hat on, I predict that contaminated fuel is going to get the blame for everything from worn wheel bearings to leaky sunroofs for the next 6 months