MXA TEAM TESTED: VP RACING T2 PRE-MIXED TWO-STROKE FUEL

WHAT IS IT? T2 is a two-stroke racing fuel that is already pre-mixed with oil. It requires no mixing; just pour and go.

WHAT’S IT COST? $73.00 in 5-gallon containers.

CONTACT? www.vpracingfuels.com or (210) 635-7799.

WHAT STANDS OUT? Here’s a list of things that stand out with VP Racing Fuels’ T2 pre-mixed two-stroke fuel.

(1) Octane. T2 is a leaded fuel with a 105-octane rating (R+M/2). This is more than sufficient to provide all modern two-strokes with protection against detonation. T2 vaporizes better, burns cleaner, contains no ethanol and remains stable in a sealed container for up to two years. It should be noted that VP Racing’s T2 is formulated for modern water-cooled two-strokes. If you own an air-cooled two-stroke, please stick with VP’s C12 two-stroke fuel. C12 has a 113-octane rating and is recommended for compression ratios as high as 15:1. It is the go-to gas for ported, milled and air-cooled engines.

(2) No ethanol. Modern pump gas has ethanol in it. Ethanol-blended pump gas can foul carburetors and goes bad after just a few weeks in storage. To address those problems, VP Racing Fuels has introduced T2, which is ethanol-free fuel.

(3) Pre-mix ratio. T2 is pre-mixed at a 40:1 ratio with a top-quality, JASO FD-rated, certified premium two-stroke oil. Although VP does not say what two-stroke oil it uses in the T2 mixture, we would bet the pre-mix oil is Maxima and the fuel is VP Racing’s VPR fuel.

(4) Tech specs. T2 has a specific gravity of 0.732 at 60 degrees. Its Motor Octane Rating (MON) is 101, while its Research Octane Rating (RON) is 109 (resulting in a R+M/2 of 105 octane). It is a leaded and oxygenated fuel (with more oxygen than pump gas).

(5) Pricing. With 5 gallons of premium pump gas going for around $20.00 and a liter of pre-mix running $15.00, T2 retails for about $30.00 more than 5 gallons of conventional 91-octane fuel. The price is not comparable, however, because T2 does not contain any ethanol (pump gas contains at least 10 percent), and the octane rating of T2 is 14 points higher than premium pump gas. Plus, T2 is prepackaged in a metal container and has a life span of two years (while pump gas goes bad in a couple of weeks).

(6) Power. Thanks to its oxygen content and high octane rating, T2 produced more power in our KTM 250SX, Husky TC250 and Yamaha YZ250. Although the gains were modest across the board, the engine ran crisper. Pinging under a load was totally eliminated, and throttle response was better. The T2 offered a degree of consistency that pump gas can never guarantee. Consistent performance is especially important for riders on the road to far-away race events where they have to buy gas from strange stations. Although we didn’t have to re-jet for our mildly modified engine, it would be a good idea to carry a one-size-larger main and pilot with you to the track to deal with changing temperature and humidity conditions.

WHAT’S THE SQUAWK? Although it’s a better all-around two-stroke fuel, most stock two-strokes do not need 105-octane gas. This is a racing fuel for serious two-stroke racers or riders with modified engines.

MXA RATING: The decision to buy race gas for your smoker should be based on whether you want the power increase more than you want the money.