What kind of gas do you run in your polaris?? Just wondering because my friend has a yamaha and the dealer said to run 91 with no ethanol... All fuel in manitoba has ethanol but 91 and up.... So far in my polaris I just run 87 with 10% ethanol...Bad?? Good??

 

I run Premium (~93 octane) whenever possible. If I'm out on the trail for a long ride and need to fill up 1/2 way, and the only thing available is regular 87, I'll use it and I've had no problems, but I always use Premium whenever it's available. It's only 5 gallons max at an additional $.010-.020... maybe an extra dollar total. My machine also sits for long spells too... and I just feel better putting the good stuff in.

 

I run 91 octane here in northern MN because it's the only grade that is non-oxygenated which is supposed to be for wheelers, cycles, small engines, etc. Before I knew any better I always used 87 octane without issues.

 

...so that's what I put into everything except the Dodge minivan. It's a few cents more per gallon but worth it, in my opinion. Besides, my Mercury boat engine requires at least 89 octane and runs better with 91. This way I just stock one type of fuel and use it in everything.

 

I use the good stuff too, 87 octane, just like I was told to do by my dealer & the book. The higher octane has less power than a lower # octane fuel, so I want all the power I can get.

 

^^^^ nailed it. your waisting your money on real high octane gas if it calls for the 87. from the way i understand it concerning the etho. gas it goes bad quick(starts to seprate) so if you use higher octane points it will be a little longer for the gas to reach down to the 87 octane. i dont think its real important on the 4 strokes compared to the 2 strokes as they run hotter and need the gas to help keep it a little cooler. just my opinion on it.

 

The lower the octane the more flamable gas is. Thats why engines with higher than normal compression usually 9.25:1 and higher need a higher octane fuel so that it doesn't detonate on the compression stoke before the plug fires. Thats the pinging the auto manuals associate with wrong type of fuel.

 

JD nailed it, high octane fuel in a low compression engine is purely wasting your money. Much like motorcycles, crotch rockets require high test while low compression cruisers love the bargain stuff...

 

I run 87 octane with 10% ethanol. I can't even remember the last time I saw gas that didn't have ethanol in it.

 

Agreed with Sten and JD. I wouldn't call lower octane "more flammable", I would say that it is less volatile. Higher octane just takes a little longer to get ignition than the lower will. I know that's being picky and I understand what you meant by it, but I just wanted to point it out. Calling it "less flammable" is like setting up 2 stock vehicles to only go 100mph, one is a Ferrari Enzo and the other being a old Lincoln town car. Both get to 100mph but one take longer to get there. Hince, 87 and 93 octane both have the same flammability but one ignites sooner. Sorry for nit picking