98 octane - If that's the best they can do........

penno · Post by **penno** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:02 am

The one thing you do have to be careful with E10 is that Ethanol is a great solvent/cleaner. When they first deliver it to a service station they leave it the tanks for 10 days (it usually goes into an old ULP tank) where it does a great job of cleaning the tank walls of any shit that has accumulated over the past 20-30 years. Then they pump it all back out filtering the crap out before dropping it back into the tank. When you fill up the process then begins in your tank so if you've got a build up of crap expect filter blockages etc.

Mick ZX12R · Post by **Mick ZX12R** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:37 am

The plot thickens. Though it's a very good chance fuel had something to do with it in the early stages, it's an electrical issue now.

Bike is in for 24oookm service. Fuel injection is continually going into fault now every ride. If anyone has ever experienced a newish fuel injected car defaulting to "limp mode" to get you to the nearest service area, well it's just like that.

Should know more in the next couple of days. Let everyone know the outcome.

Cheers

P.S. Can anyone recommend a good, reliable Kawasaki dealer on the eastern seaboard? Excluding Newcastle.......

penno · Post by **penno** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 8:24 am

Not Kawasaki dealers but give Andy at Graeme Morris a call or see Heath at The Bike Doctor around the corner.

Jonno · Post by **Jonno** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 8:31 am

A job i had many years ago when ULP became mainstream, it was to fit out service stations with underground gas or fuel tanks, and all the pipes and pumps/browsers. I can tell you now ALL underground petrol tanks have water in them! Why, once installed we filled them half full with water to settle them in and once covered with dirt we didn’t want them popping through the cement. If they are empty they are like a big air bubble waiting to burst through. Anyway, the station owners pump the water out before fuel is pumped in to them but sometimes they don’t pump it all out, the remainder is suppose to evaporate, however the remaining water and condensation floats on top of fuel but when the fuel level drops very low such as a shortage e.t.c. the remaining water can be sucked up to the pumps with the fuel. Normally not a problem with normal fuel delivery. The suction pipe is usually set 6 inches from the bottom of these tanks so they would have to be very low on fuel for water to be picked up. even at 10 inches of fuel left water can be sucked into the pumps. There are no filters for water inline when we fitted them, just a rudimentary strainer for particles. Oh, a new petrol station doesn’t mean new tanks are buried beneath them either!

Hope that helps.

MickLC · Post by **MickLC** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 8:54 am

Jonno wrote:...however the remaining water and condensation floats on top of fuel...

Actually fuel has a lower specific gravity than water, so fuel floats on top of the water...

Jonno · Post by **Jonno** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 9:04 am

Mick C wrote:
Jonno wrote:...however the remaining water and condensation floats on top of fuel...
Actually fuel has a lower specific gravity than water, so fuel floats on top of the water...

It does so Damn yer right...

Opposite to what i said...

Six Addict · Post by **Six Addict** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 1:06 pm

just as a bit of an aside, in regards to who we use to fill up,

because of my route on the daily commute i pass about 4 shell servos, 1 bp, 1 mobil, 1 caltex and a united... i always end up for some reason filling up with shell... not sure why, maybe subliminal advertising, who knows...

i suppose i should give bp a go or something... seems like a lot of people like bp... oh and in over a year of riding ive only ever filled up on 95 once...rest of the time its 91...

myk1979 · Post by **myk1979** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 5:08 pm

My little 250 did tend to have a mega flat spot (strangely intermitent tho). After a good service and some playing around with different fuels i have found that since using BP the old girl has been running much better! I'm only running their standard ULP which i think (could be mistaken) is an E10 type, i haven't been too keen to go throwing PULP at her in case it's a bit much, plus i'd heard it was best to stick with normal ULP for that bike. With my car, however, i used to run only PULP 98 as it was an SS with a mildly worked engine running higher comprension and would ping itself to bits on anything less. I found the Mobil 8000 to be pretty good and never seemed to give any problems or lack in horsepower. That was about 6 months ago now tho, the SS had to make way for the newer more thrilling hobby

Mick ZX12R · Post by **Mick ZX12R** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:23 pm

G'Day All,

Well at the end of the day it didn't turn out to be a fuel problem, though thanks everyone it turned into a very interesting topic.

My preferred tuning shop could get any info out of the ECU, so I had to take my bike to the dreaded dealer. Low and behold within 5 minutes the problem was ascertained. Number 2 injector had failed 43 times. Yeay!! Problem solved............not even bloody close!!! Step in Kawasaki Australia. Step 1....prove it's a warranty issue. That out of the way, Step 2........are you positive it is an injector problem? Mind you, this is Kawasaki Australia speaking with my dealer. Step 3, before we agree, we want you to swap number 2 injector with all the other injectors to see if the problem follows across. Now I would do this at work with similar problems with electronics so I don't have a problem. But I would have the part on hand ready to go. Now the fun part!!!! Kawasaki Australia aren't prepared to supply the part under warranty if the dealer wasn't prepared to swap injectors around. Thankfully my dealer saw the insanity of the situation and bought the injector as a shop spare and will claim it back through Kawasaki Australia when the job is completed.

This was three weeks ago. Part ordered. Three weeks delivery at the latest. I rang today as it was three weeks today. Nowhere to be seen!!! Kawasaki Australia don't know where it is.

This is getting bloody ridiculous. I really like my bike (06 ZX12R). I bought it new and it is only 18 months old. I expect better. Bloody Japan is only 9 hours away.I can get parts from the States 6 days tops and they are 12 hours minimum away.

Is anyone on this forum working for Kawasaki Australia?. Wake the fuck up!!! Get your shit together Kawasaki Australia!!! My bike is in my garage gathering dust instead of road grime.

I shouldn't be surprised. Just look at how much input Kawasaki has at Phillip Island WSBK each year. If it wasn't for KSRC Aus, it would only be the Kawasaki riders who have ridden down and the Kawasaki fans.

I've had bloody enough. If I was 5'8" and not 6'5" I would have a Fireblade or Gixer tomorrow. My bike is awesome, but if I can't get parts I'm not riding.

By the way. Value of the part in question? $90.00

Fucking ridiculous.

swearbear9r · Post by **swearbear9r** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 6:44 pm

Shit mate sounds like u have a bit or hard luck with them

Sounds a bit poxy to me………… hope it sorts its self out mate……

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98 octane - If that's the best they can do........

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