Thanks for that CW...I was wondering about sticking with one brand of gasoline, as my bike lives on Chevron 98% of the time (Shell makes up the other 2%).
Checkswrecks said:Deposits are from incomplete or inefficient combustion and combustion is least efficient at low rpm. That's the book answer. As a kid growing up on Atwood Lake in Ohio, my Dad made extra money fixing boat engines and that's where I got my start. I scraped a lot of pistons and heads for the guys who would come in with ski boats and just talk about idling to fish. Later as an A&P mechanic, I'd see the same in airplanes when comparing the same model engine when used mostly at cruise power versus trainers which did lots of idling.
Now, fuel injectors deliver fuel to the inlet sides of the inlet valves and the heat of the valve is used to atomize the fuel. The valves are hotter and flow is faster when at higher rpm which is one reason the inlet sides of the valves get so loaded with deposits, and it's worse at low rpm usage. An occasional high rpm run is not enough to blow this stuff out.
Personally, I'm a commuter and get good MPG which means lots of low rpm riding, so I've been a SeaFoam user for years. Never looked into the difference between it and the Yamaha version. I know there is a difference between SeaFoam and Techron, both of which are good and available at any most car parts store. I've seen the Yamaha Ring Free at West Marine for boat engines.
At the start or end of the season, SeaFoam is used as a soak then shock treatment before changing the oil and spark plugs, and it's always amazing how much crap is blown out the exhaust. It can also be used in the gas for ongoing use at 1-2 oz per gallon. The major oil companies do use additive packages in gasoline we buy at the pump, but data I've seen is that their dosage is a low. You would need to be religious about staying with a brand known to pump with one cleaning package, such as staying with Chevron where their gas has Techron. I don't know about Chevron, Yamaha, or other brands but SeaFoam makes a point to say that at some point (don't remember their number) less than 1 oz/gal, there is no benefit.
For those who have a place called The Container Store nearby, I saw little brown bottles in the one near us. Personally, I fill on the way to work and that night at home will add the SeaFoam to the tank. The 1-2 oz/gal is such a wide range, you don't need to be too accurate. I don't bother adding it when filling away from home.
Talk to the shop. There are a lot of reasons this could be less than optimal. If the piston design is not intended for the rod length of the '12 con rods, you could end up with anything from low compression ratio to interference. It may not be as simply as an updated ring design.tomatocity said:Thanks Checks. Finally some information I understand and can trust. I am still going to get a 2014 piston and rings for the rebuild. Can't justify using the old technology in a 98% new engine.
Good information. Were the connecting rods replaced in 2014?EricV said:Talk to the shop. There are a lot of reasons this could be less than optimal. If the piston design is not intended for the rod length of the '12 con rods, you could end up with anything from low compression ratio to interference. It may not be as simply as an updated ring design.
'12 con rod -23P-11650-00-00tomatocity said:Good information. Were the connecting rods replaced in 2014?
Good stuff OldRider - I've heard good things about that at some of the marina's back home. I've been using it since last fall, and at ~$40-50/quart I make sure to get every drop of that 15ML from the glass bottle in the tank! One thing is for sure, it has very little resemblance to any obvious similarities (smell, viscosity, color, etc...) to sea foam or any other fuel additive I've ever used.OldRider said:I did a bunch of research on this "ring Free" stuff and it was 100% positive, so I bit the bullet and bought a quart. I wanted a way to carry it pre-measured when on a trip as I intend to use it every fill up and I found these very high quality 1/2 oz. glass bottle on Amazon for $9/Doz. It adds maybe 75 cents to a fill up, so If it does what they claim, it is well worth it.
Karson, what made you consider using the Yamalube Ring Free Plus. Did you notice something or just have concerns?Karson said:Good stuff OldRider - I've heard good things about that at some of the marina's back home. I've been using it since last fall, and at ~$40-50/quart I make sure to get every drop of that 15ML from the glass bottle in the tank! One thing is for sure, it has very little resemblance to any obvious similarities (smell, viscosity, color, etc...) to sea foam or any other fuel additive I've ever used.
Trying to devise a way to make sure I don't make a major OOPS and accidentally drop a vial into the tank. It's smaller than the opening for the pump filler nozzle, so definitely something to keep an eye on. I've got a bunch of these little guys always somewhere on the bike, so I'll make sure I have one in my tankbag I can wrap/loop around the neck of the glass bottle.
The bottles I got off Amazon are just a little bigger than the filler hole and won't fall in. They're really thick glass. I even dropped one on the floor and it just bounced.Karson said:Good stuff OldRider - I've heard good things about that at some of the marina's back home. I've been using it since last fall, and at ~$40-50/quart I make sure to get every drop of that 15ML from the glass bottle in the tank! One thing is for sure, it has very little resemblance to any obvious similarities (smell, viscosity, color, etc...) to sea foam or any other fuel additive I've ever used.
Trying to devise a way to make sure I don't make a major OOPS and accidentally drop a vial into the tank. It's smaller than the opening for the pump filler nozzle, so definitely something to keep an eye on. I've got a bunch of these little guys always somewhere on the bike, so I'll make sure I have one in my tankbag I can wrap/loop around the neck of the glass bottle.
BTDT and it's trying at times. Worse in my case, because all the delays were due to the Warranty Rep in MI and not the shop. No one to give a proper yelling to.tomatocity said:Still trying to stay calm and not get in anybodies business 8) ??? :-X :-\ :exclaim: :exclaim: :exclaim:
Thanks for the encouragement. If I stay with the '12 I need to have the forks rebuilt/upgraded (San Francisco), ECU flashed, install the Akropovic, install the ACD, install PC8 and lighting, and ???Hungry Tiger said:Hopefully she's back by the end if this week. If you do the 600 mi break in, you might not think trade as much ... the new clutch basket smoothness and all. Plus I'm guessing the fully loaded performance of the ES rear is not going to measure up to the custom Ohlin.