E10 and spark plug grade

[DAVE BRADY]

Hi,

From what I have read, fuel with ethanol burns at a lower temperature.  The spark plugs specified for our bikes are for non-ethanol petrol and indeed petrol with lead in it.  Perhaps selecting a different plug will help our bike to run better on E10.  If the plug is designed for a high compression racing engine it will have an insulator that will allow heat to be dissipated away from the electrode and to the head.  A lower compression engine will have a plug that will keep the electrode hotter.  I think the temperature of the electrode is key to a clean plug and good ignition.
So if our engines are running cooler due to the ethanol perhaps a plug 1 or 2 steps down.  Champion N5 or NGK B6ES instead of N3/B8ES.  N4 would be B7ES.
Thinking back to the 2006 Rally in the US the ethanol in the fuel did have an affect and following the advice of the late Peter Twyman, I fitted B6 plugs to my bike and had no issues with fuel.
Any thoughts on this?

Dave.   

[DAVE BRADY]

Hi,

Below is part of a post about a Merc. but follows the same idea.

"NGK Canada published a TSB in 2006 in which they state that due to ethanol being introduced in gas, drivers have been reporting these symptoms:

1. Reduced gas mileage
2. CEL light, code showing lean condition

They recommend the following to remedy both issues:

A. One step colder
B. Narrower gap by 0.010", not to go below 0.035""

Dave.

[idie]

That is what I have done on my Shooting Star, gone from N4 To N5.

[cee-b]

Or just don't use E10 - isn't there enough about it on your other thread?

[DAVE BRADY]

Hi,

I am just trying to cover all eventualities.  Quite few petrol stations do not have an E5/Super unleaded option, especially abroad, and the extra cost cannot be ignored if on a long trip or covering a reasonable annual mileage.  Also, although not necessarily imminent, I would think that E5/Super Unleaded will not be around for that much longer so preparation for that is probably sensible. 

Dave.

[BEEZABRYAN]

Thank you Dave, your efforst are appreciated