California gas

[Finklejag]

I just got back from a trip to see my parents in Socal. My mother has a 01 2.0L Beetle. I do all the maintenance on it. So everything is replaced often.

When I was driving the car this time. It was pinging something fierce. It happen most often when I was slowing down for traffic and then speeding up. I make my mother go to 76, Shell, or Chevron for gas. I told her not to go to Arco. My father fills his 02 PT Cruiser at Arco all the time. I told my mother it's not worth the extra $.05 a gallon you will save.

So what additive should I buy for her car? I usually buy Lucas or Techron for their cars. I have never heard her car ping this way though. I feel the problem is the stuff that they add to California gas that is causing the pinging.

What is everyones opinion on Valero gas? I see them popping up all over down there? I think I read somwhere that they bought a old Chevron refinery up in northern California.

 

[surfstar]

Valero here is the cheapest gas for the most part. Just filled up with it yesterday, actually.

I'd recommend a shell citibank gas card. You get 5% off of shell gas each time and it makes it the cheapest gas around, plus its a good top tier gas. I use shell gas 90% of the time now. Only works if they have one nearby, though.

Redline SI-1, or Gumout Regane to clean it up and then Lucas UCL or FP60 if they want an additive every tank.

 

[Big Jim]

What octane fuel are you using? What does VW recommend?

Once you find out if you are using the correct grade, catch up on maintenance including the air filter, injectors, and induction system.

I successfully use Chevron, Shell, Union, and Mobil in southern California and can't tell the difference between them. I will not use ARCO and have not yet formed an opinion on Valero.

 

[Finklejag]

She uses 87. This is what VW calls for. The car is five years old with only 25,000 miles. I replaced anything in the last two years, including the fuel filter.

 

[Big Jim]

"Replacing everything" won't blow the carbon out. That's the kind of maintenance I'm talking about. Also it may help to try higher octane to see if it helps. If it does help, it can be an indication that it really needs higher octane or it may be an indication that there is excessive carbon in the combustion chambers, dirty slightly restricted injectors causing it to run marginally lean, and even carbon shrouded valves that are interfering with cylinder filling.

 

[RD400]

Another thing to check is that carbon could also build up in the EGR system; usually the small vacuum line gets plugged. The hot weather we've had lately could just be magnifying the problem too. In the meantime, tell them to try 89 or even 91 octane until the problem is resolved.