When to run Higher Octane & Best Fuel Mixture

[jkross]

I just bought my first Banshee - a '99 that was alledgedly rebuilt from the ground up in 2002. Not EXACTLY sure what all has been done to it...The seller claimed the motor was built in 2002 by a race shop in Oregon - WhiteKnuckleRacing - I have some receipts. However, from all the receipts, all I know for CERTAIN, is that it has a "mild port," and a shaved head. There is no airbox - only two K&N, clamp-on filters clamped directly to the carbs. The whole motor is polished - it looks really nice. I don't want to screw it up and I don't trust the guy I bought it from to tell me what to run in it...he only had it a few months and didn't ride it hardly at all - said it was too fast for him.

 

My questions:

 

1. When do you HAVE to run higher octane or race gas? Do the over-the-counter schucks-type octane boosters work? How do I know that I need to run????

 

2. What oil mixure should I use? I need to know the ratio and what the best brand is. I hear synthetic may not provide the best protection - but that the "Castor" bean oil provides the best protection. Too much conflicting info - so I thought I'd ask you all - the ones actually doing the riding.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all in advance.

[suzuki0702]

im not a pro on high compression but u need it when your compression is high. higher octance = higher compression. id suggest running a compression tester...i think anything under 150 can run on 93?? maybe somebody who knows more can chime in.. i use castor 927 never had any problems! just keep it mixed up when temps drop under 50 shake up the can and what not!

[knight_ripper]

I think its anything over 140 psi per cyl and you should run at least 50-50 pump gas/110 race gas.

 

far as pre mix oil is concerned....there can be only one.

 

BEL RAY synthetic pre mix oil.

 

Used at 32:1 you cant go wrong.

[BANSHEEMANIA]

I have 155psi and I run 94 octane with no problems. I've been told 150psi is when it starts getting questionable on pump gas. ??????????????????

 

 

 

Oh yeah, I use Yamaha 2R at 32:1

Edited August 28, 2006 by BANSHEEMANIA

[BigRed350x]

OK, 155psi is the limit for any kind of pump gas. Anything higher than that you should run higher octane fuels. I'd say up to around 170psi you can run 100 octane or a 50/50 mix of race gas or anything over 110. I run 4 gal of 112 and 1 gal of 91 when I use the store bought race gas.

 

Any oil is good, just make sure you mix it at the same ratio each time. The ratio will vary brand to brand. Some call for 100:1 others call for 20:1. I'm usually somewhere between 50:1 and 32:1 depending on what I'm doing and what parts I've stuck on my shee. Right now I'm at 40:1 with Amsoil Interceptor. I've run the Amsoil Interceptor since I had my 87 banshee and never once had a failure due to lack of lubrication.

Edited August 28, 2006 by BigRed350x

[dajogejr]

Alot depends on "If your jetted correctly" in the first place. I'll agree...150ish is pump/race gas mix numbers. Your milage may vary...

 

But, if you're not that high of compression, race gas is a waste of money...it will offer no help...other than smell good.

 

You should probably buy a good quality compression tester, Sears sells a motorcycle/small engine tester for about 50 bucks.

 

I'd rather spend 50 bucks and know I need to run race gas/mix...then not know. Also...it'll give you a good baseline as to what compression this fresh motor has...and when it's rebuild time later...

 

Now...throw one more thing in the factor...is the timing factory, or does it have an adjustable plate...

 

Also...don't waste time on octane boosters. By the time you figure out X amount of gas, Y amount of booster and Z amount of oil...it's probably easier to just get race/pump mixed....peroid.

 

I've always run super M at 40:1...but, there's plenty of other threads about what kind of oil to run.

Benoil and 927 castor are a favorite among the alcoholics, it stays mixed with meth longer than normal oils do.