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camerahunter Samba Member
Joined: July 23, 2009 Posts: 567 Location: Tacoma
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Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:08 pm Post subject: What kind of gas is best for the 1.9L engine? |
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I searched around for a while but can't find much on this topic. Gas has changed quite a bit over the years and I want to get some advice as to the best grade and brand to use. I have been using Shell Nitrogen enriched regular 87 grade fuel lately and it seems ok but the 85 van seems to get poor fuel economy.
Is Chevron, Union 76, Texaco, etc any better?
Is running a higher grade like 89 any better and worth the extra money?
What about premium? Any better mileage with that?
I know I could do a battery of tests to figure this out for myself but I am sure someone has already done that and hope they will share.
Thank you,
David _________________ 1984 - Daily driver |
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firepilot Samba Member
Joined: February 10, 2009 Posts: 273 Location: Boise
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Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 1:07 pm Post subject: |
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Higher octane gas is not going to mean higher gas mileage in the Van. Its just an anti knock rating, not a measure of energy in the gas. I could see a 2.1 DJ engine needing higher octane gas, and knocking without it, but the standard US 2.1 will not benefit by high octane gas. _________________ 86 Westy Syncro |
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Captain Pike Samba Member
Joined: December 30, 2003 Posts: 3340 Location: Talos IV, Piedmont Arizona
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Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 1:17 pm Post subject: |
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If you want to know what is going on back there than do a compression test. _________________ LEARN TO SELF RESCUE
59 Panel bus, 1966 Single cab. 73' 181. 73 Westy. 91' H6 Vanagon 3.3L.
.....................All Current....................... |
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camerahunter Samba Member
Joined: July 23, 2009 Posts: 567 Location: Tacoma
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Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 1:33 pm Post subject: |
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OK, I didn't think the higher octane helped any.
The van actually runs well, plenty of power and no real issues. It runs better then any other Van I have had, this is my 4th in 14 years.
I guess I'm really wondering about the whole additives stuff.
They all have their own and say they are the best. It's hard to get away from them unless I go to Safeway but everyone says that gas is terrible.
Thank you,
David _________________ 1984 - Daily driver |
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Mzwo Samba Member
Joined: November 11, 2009 Posts: 194 Location: Vienna, Austria
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Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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do you guys use the same octane rating as us? we don't get anything below 92, and even that's being phased out, 95 is standard ...
DJ needs 98, by the way.
Matt |
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RCB Samba Member
Joined: September 05, 2005 Posts: 4143 Location: San Francisco-Bay Area
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Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 2:36 pm Post subject: |
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Maybe its the Moon Phase or the pollen count but my 82 Westy seems to like Chevron Regular, and for sure didnt like any grade of Arco. |
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randywebb Samba Member
Joined: February 15, 2005 Posts: 3815 Location: Greater Metropolitan Nimrod, Orygun
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Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 2:40 pm Post subject: |
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Chevron has a good additive, Techron.
I dunno if it is really better than other brands (or in what regions of the US it might be better), but...
Some years ago other co.s advertised that they had something as good (or something similar) and Chevron successfully sued the other co.s, so...
I just put whatever into my Vanagon & Subaru winter beater car. I do run the Pooschey on Chevron. I am probably getting the same gas or at least base stock as you are in Taco-Mar...
I do run a bottle of Techron thru everything 1x year or so. _________________ 1986 2.1L Westy 2wd Auto Trans. |
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RGS Paul Samba Member
Joined: April 20, 2007 Posts: 663 Location: Los Alamos, NM
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Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 2:47 pm Post subject: |
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Mzwo wrote: |
do you guys use the same octane rating as us? we don't get anything below 92, and even that's being phased out, 95 is standard ...
DJ needs 98, by the way.
Matt |
No we don't. The US uses a stupid octane number that is an average of the research octane number and the motor octane number because no one wanted to say one number was better, Europe uses the RON so your numbers are higher. God I wish we could reliably get 98 RON here, 10:1 compression here we come!
Paul _________________ '87 Syncro 7-Pass. Adventure Touring Vehicle
"Simplicate, then add lightness." Colin Chapman |
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Howesight Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2008 Posts: 3273 Location: Vancouver, B.C.
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Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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High octane is not required for any Vanagon engine that is stock. Any Vanagon engine re-built with higher compression ratio should use a grade higher than 87 octane to protect against knock. These engines don't have knock control systems, and the engine is so far behind you, it's hard to hear knock, so increasing your compression ratio means you must increase octane as a countermeasure. This is why GoWesty requires their engines to be run on premium fuel - - they have increased compression and cam timing which increase the likelihood of knock.
As for gas mileage, higher octane gas only helps modern vehicles that have knock control systems. If the system senses knock, it retards ignition timing until knock disappears. Retarded timing reduces engine efficiency and therefore gas mileage.
Oil companies put additives in gasoline to prevent corrosion and reduce or clean gasoline "varnish" deposits and carbon deposits. For some reason, they put more of those additives in premium fuels.
I suggest you use regular gas and add injector cleaner once or twice a year to clean the varnish off fuel injector nozzles and carbon off the backs of the intake valves. No need to run premium fuel just to get that cleaning! |
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