Back to "High test" gas?

roadhawg · 10-30-2012, 07:49 PM

i said a while back, right on this board that " I didnt notice any difference" between regular 87 octane and high test 92 octane.
So I let my friend/mechanic take it for a test drive today and he told me it was pinging real bad in 4th and 5th gear when you get got on it.
Said I should be using high test gas.
I cant notice it, is my hearing that bad? what did you say? huh? what?

Also said to find a gas pump with a dedicated high test hose, not one with all three reg, mid, high, together, as when they are together you may still be getting regular even when it says 92 octane!

So with that said, I will be using high test from now on.

redjay · 10-30-2012, 08:13 PM

I never noticed a difference in pinging on my 1600 Nomad when using regular or high test. It was bad with both. After a TFI install and Caddman mod the pinging was gone.

roadhawg · 10-30-2012, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redjay

I never noticed a difference in pinging on my 1600 Nomad when using regular or high test. It was bad with both. After a TFI install and Caddman mod the pinging was gone.

So you are saying all stock Nomads have pinging?

cactusjack · 10-31-2012, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadhawg

So you are saying all stock Nomads have pinging?

I'd say most of them do. I could never get mine to completely stop pinging, especially in the summer.

redjay · 10-30-2012, 08:34 PM

Nope, just that mine pinged a lot.

Bud2rat · 10-30-2012, 08:47 PM

I've noticed it the last 2 weeks that mine is pinging in high gear. I've always used regular unleaded. So, I've been trying the middle grade and it seems to work. Never really noticed any ping in the past. Maybe, just weak gas.

jandreu · 10-30-2012, 10:00 PM

I'll say it, all stock Nomads will ping unless you run hi-test gas!

**Top Cat** · 10-30-2012, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jandreu

I'll say it, all stock Nomads will ping unless you run hi-test gas!

My Nomad is stock and it will run fine on 87 in cooler weather, no ping.
In warm weather I have to run 91.
When it does ping it sounds like little stones or gravel being thrown up under the fender.

macmac · 11-17-2012, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Top Cat

My Nomad is stock and it will run fine on 87 in cooler weather, no ping.
In warm weather I have to run 91.
When it does ping it sounds like little stones or gravel being thrown up under the fender.

Them little stones sounds is a gremlin with a big hammer and a cold chisel my friend...... TFI on all stock bike with nothing else is still a wise investment. The engine will run cooler, you may gain a few MPG's, not a lot of power gain, and no more noise than you had..

But no ping and on lesser octane.

macmac · 11-17-2012, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jandreu

I'll say it, all stock Nomads will ping unless you run hi-test gas!

I will back that up! OR run a tuned TFI, in which case there will be No Ping on 87 octane anyway. I can't buy 86.

Also that 4th and 5th are both over dives and no hard accel should happen in either one.

The bike will go almost as fast as it can go in 3rd, at the top 75% of power in 3rd you can hit 4th and make the bike go as fast as it can go.

That's it, so then shifting into 5th means the bike will begin to slow down from as fast as it can go, to what ever 5th will maintain.

**Jared** · 10-30-2012, 10:09 PM

Is your mechanic familiar with Nomads? They make a lot of noise, especially if the solenoids are still connected. It's hard for me to imagine not hearing the pinging. The few times that mine has started pinging, it stood out like a sore thumb. Sounded like marbles bouncing in a tin can. You can usually down shift and the pinging will stop.

roadhawg · 10-30-2012, 10:38 PM

Solenoids have been disconnected.
I really dont hear no pinging but I will try high test gas to see if I notice any difference.
I do hear the normal engine tapping noise but all Kawasakis make this noise , yes?

**Jared** · 10-30-2012, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadhawg

Solenoids have been disconnected.
I really dont hear no pinging but I will try high test gas to see if I notice any difference.
I do hear the normal engine tapping noise but all Kawasakis make this noise , yes?

I don't know about all, but most. Especially the 1600s.

roadhawg · 10-31-2012, 09:58 AM

There is a place near here that actually has high octane gas WITHOUT ETHANOL!
They call it "racing fuel".
I am thinking about riding over there and trying this out.

I have seen more and more places with signs for selling ethanol free gas.
Is this a sign of the future?
Ethanol has gotta be one of the govts biggest boondoggles they ever came up with!

spoon059 · 10-31-2012, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadhawg

I have seen more and more places with signs for selling ethanol free gas.
Is this a sign of the future?
Ethanol has gotta be one of the govts biggest boondoggles they ever came up with!

I hope so. No ethanol free places by me though...

10-30-2012, 07:49 PM	#1
roadhawg Advanced Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Starke Florida Posts: 856	Back to "High test" gas? i said a while back, right on this board that " I didnt notice any difference" between regular 87 octane and high test 92 octane. So I let my friend/mechanic take it for a test drive today and he told me it was pinging real bad in 4th and 5th gear when you get got on it. Said I should be using high test gas. I cant notice it, is my hearing that bad? what did you say? huh? what? Also said to find a gas pump with a dedicated high test hose, not one with all three reg, mid, high, together, as when they are together you may still be getting regular even when it says 92 octane! So with that said, I will be using high test from now on. __________________ "Ride it like you stole it"! 2008 1600 Nomad 56K miles "BlueBelle" 2004 1500 Nomad 102 K miles "Black Beauty" ABATE Black Creek Chapter Amvet Rider Post 86 http://www.facebook.com/AmvetPost86 Weston A. Price Foundation member. Vegetarian...... An old Indian word meaning "Bad Hunter" Legalize Freedom! Question Authority! "Im in love with the waitress, and I dont even know her name" "Boys" Gone Wild" ! Mainstreet Station 2012 Daytona Bikeweek Login or Register to Remove Ads Last edited by roadhawg; 10-30-2012 at 08:28 PM.
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10-30-2012, 08:34 PM	#5
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 6,978	Nope, just that mine pinged a lot. Login or Register to Remove Ads
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10-30-2012, 08:47 PM	#6
Bud2rat Sr. Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: St. Pauls, NC Posts: 2,089	I've noticed it the last 2 weeks that mine is pinging in high gear. I've always used regular unleaded. So, I've been trying the middle grade and it seems to work. Never really noticed any ping in the past. Maybe, just weak gas. __________________ Robert Torrey VBA# 02077 Vroc# 27672 1996 800A Customized (SOLD) 2001 1500 Nomad (The Mistress) 2013 Voyager 2014 SE Rally - Elkins, WV 2016 SE Rally - Helen, Ga
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10-30-2012, 10:00 PM	#7
jandreu Sr. Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Makawao, Hawaii Posts: 1,409	I'll say it, all stock Nomads will ping unless you run hi-test gas! __________________ James Andreu '07 1600 Red/Silver VBA Member #1356 jandreu@hawaiiantel.net
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10-30-2012, 10:09 PM	#11
Jared Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Greeley, Colorado Posts: 6,772	Is your mechanic familiar with Nomads? They make a lot of noise, especially if the solenoids are still connected. It's hard for me to imagine not hearing the pinging. The few times that mine has started pinging, it stood out like a sore thumb. Sounded like marbles bouncing in a tin can. You can usually down shift and the pinging will stop. __________________ Jared VBA #1051 (Former President)
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10-30-2012, 08:13 PM	#2
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 6,978	I never noticed a difference in pinging on my 1600 Nomad when using regular or high test. It was bad with both. After a TFI install and Caddman mod the pinging was gone.
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10-30-2012, 10:38 PM	#12
roadhawg Advanced Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Starke Florida Posts: 856	Solenoids have been disconnected. I really dont hear no pinging but I will try high test gas to see if I notice any difference. I do hear the normal engine tapping noise but all Kawasakis make this noise , yes? __________________ "Ride it like you stole it"! 2008 1600 Nomad 56K miles "BlueBelle" 2004 1500 Nomad 102 K miles "Black Beauty" ABATE Black Creek Chapter Amvet Rider Post 86 http://www.facebook.com/AmvetPost86 Weston A. Price Foundation member. Vegetarian...... An old Indian word meaning "Bad Hunter" Legalize Freedom! Question Authority! "Im in love with the waitress, and I dont even know her name" "Boys" Gone Wild" ! Mainstreet Station 2012 Daytona Bikeweek
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10-31-2012, 09:58 AM	#14
roadhawg Advanced Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Starke Florida Posts: 856	Ethanol free gas There is a place near here that actually has high octane gas WITHOUT ETHANOL! They call it "racing fuel". I am thinking about riding over there and trying this out. I have seen more and more places with signs for selling ethanol free gas. Is this a sign of the future? Ethanol has gotta be one of the govts biggest boondoggles they ever came up with! __________________ "Ride it like you stole it"! 2008 1600 Nomad 56K miles "BlueBelle" 2004 1500 Nomad 102 K miles "Black Beauty" ABATE Black Creek Chapter Amvet Rider Post 86 http://www.facebook.com/AmvetPost86 Weston A. Price Foundation member. Vegetarian...... An old Indian word meaning "Bad Hunter" Legalize Freedom! Question Authority! "Im in love with the waitress, and I dont even know her name" "Boys" Gone Wild" ! Mainstreet Station 2012 Daytona Bikeweek
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