Gasoline Containing Alcohol - Honda BF45A Owner's Manual

4. PRE-OPERATION CHECKS
Recommended fuel
Your engine is designed to use any
gasoline that has a pump octane num-
ber ( v) of 86 or higher, or that
has a research octane number of 91 or
higher. Gasoline pumps at service sta-
tion normally display the pump octane
number.
We recommend that you use unleaded
fuel because it produces fewer engine
and spark plug deposits and extends
the life of exhaust system components.
Never use stale or contaminated gaso-
line or an oil/gasoline mixture. Avoid
getting dirt, dust or water in the fuel
tank. Use of a lower octane gasoline
can cause persistent "pinging" or
heavy "spark knock" (a metallic rap-
ping noise) which, if severe, can lead
to engine damage.
@!!@ If "spark knock" or
"pinging" occurs at a steady engine
speed under normal load, change
brands of gasoline. If spark knock
or pinging persists, consult your
authorized Honda dealer. Failure to
do.so is considered misuse, and
damage caused by misuse is not cov-
ered by Honda's Limited Warranty.
Occasionally you may experience
light spark knock while operating
under heavy loads. This is no cause
for concern, it simply means your
engine is operating efficiently.
GASOLINES CONTAINING
ALCOHOL
If you decide to use a gasoline con-
taining alcohol (gasohol), be sure its
octane rating is at least as high as that
recommended by Honda. There are
two types of "gasohol": one containing
ethanol, and the other containing
methanol. Do not use gasohol that
contains more than 10% ethanol. Do
not use gasoline
containing methanol
(methyl or wood alcohol) that does not
also contain cosolvents and corrosion
inhibitors for methanol. Never use
gasoline containing more than-5%
methanol, even if it has cosolvents and
corrosion inhibitors.
Fuel system damage or engine perform-
ance problems resulting from the use of
fuels that contain alcohol is not covered
under the warranty.
Honda cannot endorse the use of fuels
containing methanol since evidence of
their suitability is as yet incomplete.
Before buying fuel from an unfamiliar
station, try to find out if the fuel contains
alcohol. If it does, confirm the type and
percentage of alcohol used. If you notice
any
undesirable operating symptoms
while using a gasoline that contains
alcohol, or one that you think contains
alcohol, switch to a gasoline that you
know does not contain alcohol.
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