How often have your friends complained of fueling their dirt bikes, resulting in unending visits to the garage? This is what happens when you fuel your car with contaminated fuel. It causes serious damage to your engine and might lead to total damage!
Unfortunately, the few coins we save on the ‘cheap fuel’ as they refer to it, sometimes end up being more expensive. Below is an insight into what adulterated fuel is and how it affects our dirt bikes.
What is adulterated Fuel?
To start with, it is very important to enlighten those who have no idea what adulterated fuel is before discussing its effects. This type of fuel has an addition of inferior quality petroleum products.
In adulteration, the main products or additives added are diesel and kerosene. Kerosene is, however, treated as the main adulterant. In many countries, the Energy Authority collaborates with the government’s security officers to monitor operations at different sites. Their main aim is to identify the culprits of fuel adulteration and act accordingly.
This is a practice that has been ongoing for many years, and, it is an act punishable by law. Just because some people earn a living from it doesn’t mean what they are doing is right. his is treated as a move to deceive innocent riders and bike owners, which makes it a crime.
What are The Harmful Effects of Adulterated Fuel?
The temptations of buying cheaper fuel for your dirt bike are very real. It is not that we don’t value our bikes, but who doesn’t like saving a dollar or two! Most of the time, adulterated fuel seems so pure and genuine, which is why many why many of us have fallen for it.
What we don’t know, however, is that, we are trending on dangerous grounds. What seems to be a perfect and cheap deal might end up being the beginning of our nightmare. This has been a common experience among people using petrol engines and rare on compressed natural gas (CNG) and diesel engines.
Below are some effects that an adulterated fuel has on your dirt bike.
- Deterioration of engine parts.
- Increased levels of harmful emissions to our environment.
- Dirt bikes using modern engines have suffered more as it has refined systems tailor-made for better atomization of pure fuels.
- Compromised safety, failure of components and engine malfunctions.
- Increased emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen, particulate matter and oxides intoxicate the air.
- Loss of power, increased engine wear and crankcase dilution. Unburned gasoline accumulates in the crankcase, and then it dilutes engine oil.
Point to Note
Experts have also reported serious health problems arising from harmful tailpipe emissions, apart from the aforementioned vices of adulterated fuel. Although not all contaminated fuels are harmful, some emit cancer-causing pollutants.
In addition to that, it is important to mention that the sale of adulterated fuels has caused a great loss in revenue in many countries.
How Do You Identify Adulterated Fuel?
Detection of adulteration in fuels and especially petroleum is not easy. This is why this illegal business is still being run to date in developed and non-developed countries. The main reason for this problem is that the added compounds are already present in the fuel.
We will give a more direct way of doing this. Unfortunately, this is only done by an expert as it involves a lot of tests. It involves measuring different physicochemical properties. This is followed by spectroscopy and chromatography for determining the compositional variations of the fuel.
The tests are intended to ensure they agree with regulatory specifications. The inclusion of data treatments and statistical design will provide enough sensitivity to differentiate between adulterated and unadulterated fuels.
Point to Note
It is very difficult to discriminate diesel from its contaminants. This, therefore, demands unequivocal data interpretation and rigorous analytical strategies.
What Happens When Fuel Is Not changed in Dirt Bikes?
If the oil in your dirt bike is not changed for long, it will overheat the engine. This will ultimately affect your engine efficiency and make it less proficient. The engine condition will warp and wear out with time.
Change the fuel before it gets overly contaminated to avoid the engine burning up all the fuel. This can have very serious effects on the engine. Many people assume that just because Fuel could last thousands of years underground, it will do the same above ground. This is, however, not the case. Like any other product in the market, engine oil also has a shelf life.
Potentially unstable gas in a dirt bike will last for at least 30 days before it starts going bad. However, if the bike is not being used, its shelf life lessens even more. When gas is exposed to oxygen, it eventually changes the gas chemistry, which leads to varnish and gum deposits.
Point To Note
Unstabilized gas should not be used for more than six months. On the other hand, the shelf life of stabilized fuel is between 6 and 12 months.
How Do I Know My Dirt Bike Needs Fuel Change?
Sometimes we are tempted to think our bike is making some noise because it has run out of gas. But when we unscrew the gas cap, we are surprised to see the tank is almost full. Unfortunately, it is the fuel pump that has just given out!
A fuel pump that is on slow death or has already given out imitates what happens when your fuel tank runs dry. Many people think that they have run out of fuel. The truth is, the tank might have some fuel, but it will be of no use to you.
A failing or failed fuel pump has many additional symptoms, some of which include:
- Loss of power
- Sputtering
- No starts
- Surging
- Cut out, hard starts
- Poor idle
- Lack of rev
- Flame outs
- Hard starts
Point to Note
It is never easy to fix a failed fuel pump. Most fuel pumps for ATVs and dirt bikes have a filter and reside inside the fuel tank. The process involves a lot, and therefore, if you are not good at it, it is advisable to hire an expert to do the job for you.
Which Engine Fuel is Best for Dirt Bikes
Finally, you have your dream dirt bike in your hands, and you are very careful not to make a mistake. Unfortunately, you don’t know which oil will work perfectly well for you! Worry not. I have the answer for you. The best fuel type ranges between 87-octane to 92-octane.
82-octane is the best choice for a 4-stroke dirt bike. Two-stroke dirt bikes might require a special fuel mix. Ethanol-free higher octane 92-93 works better for a two-stroke. Lower octanes tend to detonate. Finding ethanol-free fuel is becoming increasingly rare as ethanol helps in boosting engine performance.
Point to Note
Although ethanol helps boost the performance of your engine, ethanol should be used sparingly. The highest percentage of ethanol in the fuel you choose should not exceed 10%.
How Many KM should I Service My Dirt Bike?
Dirt bikes are naturally meant to be dirty and messy. This, however, doesn’t mean that they don’t need any special care. Dirt bikes tear through water, dirt, mud, and foliage, among many others. You can expect to find just anything on a trail or around a track.
These machines need more care to remain in the right condition. How often you need to service your dirt bike is determined by how you use it. Routine maintenance like filter replacement, tire pressure and chain oil should be completed before every ride.
When it comes to extensive service and replacing different parts, you should service the bike every 100 hours. It can however go longer depending on the conditions of use. Although many people believe that dirt bikes are high maintenance, they are not very expensive or difficult to maintain.
Point to Note
It is very important to understand your riding habits and have basic knowledge of managing your bike. This will highly contribute to the success of your bike’s service requirements.
Is Motul Better Than Castrol?
This has become an endless discussion on different forums. Everyone has a reason for choosing either Motul or Castrol. Therefore, none is better than the other. Motul is known to make very good oils, and so does Castrol. Castrol oil is BMW LL01 approved, and it is more readily available than Motul.
People who love Motul believe it is far much better than Castrol. On the other hand, those who use Castrol believe it is better than Motul. The most important thing is to ensure you choose fuel that meets your specific automobile requirements for viscosity range and approval standards.
Checking your bike’s manual on the recommended oil viscosity range makes it easier for you to choose between the two.
What Does Bike Servicing Involve?
Over time, you will realize that your dirt bike suffers different types of wear and tear. Luckily, these are just minor and don’t have any major effects on your bike. However, this doesn’t mean you should ignore it and wait until the problem escalates.
If a small tear is ignored, things worsen with time, and in case of a mechanical problem, the truth will hit you hard! Therefore, below is a list of some of the servicing you should regularly do for your bike.
- Brake pads: Replace them if they are heavily used. The circles or lines on the surface serve as wear indicators.
- Gear Cables: Gear and brake cables stretch with frequent use. Most of the time, only the inner cable needs to be replaced.
- Chain: You should make it a habit to replace your chains every time you realize they are worn out. A chain measure tool will show you how worn out your chain is.
How Long does Motul Oil Last?
Total Base Number is the main determinant of how often you should change the Motul oil of your bike. TBN is simply the acid buffering aptitude of your oil. The level tends to decrease over time. The oil needs to be emptied once it gets too low since aged oil can no longer protect your bike against corrosion.
Mileage and riding conditions are also additional pre-indicators of oil life. If you ride your dirt bike more often under very rough conditions, you should change the oil regularly. Whether you ride your bike more often or not, you should change the oil at least twice a year.
Which is better, Servo or Castro?
Servo oil is a brand from IndianOil, and it has become the leading brand among grease and lubricants in India. Superbrands Council of India has conferred the “Consumer Superbrand”. The World Brand Congress has also recognized it for its brand leadership. And CMO Asia identified it as a Master Brand.
Although Servo oil was initially being sold locally, it has now become a significant brand in over 27 countries worldwide.
On the other hand, Castro Oil is the best brand for any rider who wants their bike to perform better. Not only but, it also offers you reliable energy-sufficient performance and helps you withstand the test of time.
It is undeniably true that Castrol offers very good services, but most of its products are quite expensive. Since Servo offers equally as much as Castro does, anyone on a budget prefers buying Servo products.
Can I Mix Fully Synthetic Fuels?
It is acceptable to mix fully synthetic oils from different manufacturers. Synthetic oils are almost the same when it comes to how they are made. The only difference is the percentage of each additive added to the oil.
Both conventional and synthetic oil contain additives specifically designed to improve its performance. People have different reasons for mixing synthetic fuels, while others do it for convenience and have no specific reason.
Point to Note
It is possible to mix regular oil with synthetic oil, but it should only be treated as an emergency measure. However, if you want to go for a balanced mix of conventional and synthetic oil, it is advisable to have a professional do it for you.
Does Motor Fuel Expire?
The answer to this question is a concrete “Yes”. The gasoline we use in our engines is far different from what is found underground because it is refined. Although this is an advantage as it makes it easy to use, it is also a disadvantage as it reduces the fuel’s shelf life.
The oil that spews out of the ground is black. However, what we use in our engines look very different from what is found in underground as it is quite clear. This is because, the black oil is unprocessed or what is known as crude oil.
Processed gas has a vitality characteristic that helps it vaporize at a given rate. The vaporization is beneficial for your dirt bike engine. Unfortunately, it has a downside as it vaporizes even when it is not being used. Its combustion ability will weaken over time. This is also what leads to its expiration.
Conclusion
You should only run your dirt bike on regular gas if you are ready to lose it soon. This is because; not using a 2-cycle oil is a catalyst to the degradation of your dirt bike’s engine. It is a simple recipe for disaster! Although it will serve you, it will last for only a few hours before it eventually breaks down!
