Fuel Power's effect on Octane

[peterr]

Ugly3

I don't doubt it. We do appear to have crummy gas here. I just wonder what aspect of our crummy gas it is and whether the crummy gas out west is crummier than our crummy gas in central canada.

I have always assumed that our domestic CDN crude production was higher in sulphur and until a couple of years ago when the Feds introduced tighter regulations, that made its way into pump gas.

Like some other posters I have noticed differences in gas brands, although I am compelled to use premium gas in my Porsche. Definitely PetroCanada seemed worst. I used to used Sunoco 94 which was fine but ethanol-y. Am using mainly Esso 91 now. I have not noticed brand differences in 87 Octane in the Honda.

In the US I look for Chevron stations. Seems like much better gas.

Warning
My comments on speed are largely related to surprise that the 55 mph limit is actually enforced in areas of the US. I expect our Canadian cops to impose absurdly low speed limits on us, because Canadians expect this kind of interventionist waste of police resource, and because the government is not shy about using the cops as tax collectors.

My only speeding tickets have been on the last day of the month. Two of three were in the last half hour of the last day of the month. Revenue Quota? You think?

If we need more public money for roads, just tax me.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ugly3:
Actually, it was the end of May. My speed in the US was higher as I was on the interstate in the US and 2 lane roads in Canada. Several others on BITOG have had similar experiences, particularly in western Cananda.

---

 

[peterr]

quote:

---

Originally posted by tom slick:

quote:

---

Originally posted by peterr:
Maybe I am missing something but isn't the 91 octane gas at the CA gas stations 91 AKI or RON+MON/2...

---

We use the ROM+MON/2 method to determine octane.

---

Right. So the original poster's statement:
"My motor requires 91 octane (RON) or with an AKI of at least 87. 91 octane is usually the highest octane fuel I can find at CA gas stations."

This car's requirement is for normal 87 pump gas. The 91 gas at California pumps is way more than required and probably has little to no positive effect on cars requiring 87 gas (as discussed in previous threads on high octane gas in cars not requiring it).

 

[thegoose]

quote:

---

Originally posted by oilyriser:
Originally posted by Ugly3:
"Last year I went fishing 800 miles into Canada. As soon as I started using gas from Canada the MPG dropped. I am going fishing again this year and will be using FP with the gas in Canada. I will post the results.

"

Yep, we have crappy gas here in Canada. They did reduce the sulphur to
My car pings, and hesitates on acceleration when I use the "87 octane" gas in Canada, but whenever I fill up with "87 octane" in the US, the car works way better, with no pinging or hesitation. Also, my gas milage is always higher in the US than in Canada. If Ontario switched to gasohol like the gov't is threatening to do, the mpg difference will be even worse.

For my car, Shell Canada's 87 seems to give the least pinging and hesitation, followed by Esso. Petro Can and Sunoco are the worst.

---

Don't wish to hijack this post but I find it interesting that people find differing MPG results using different companies.
Here in Regina, all gas stations are supplied by the same refinery. Can I assume then that it is the additives that are responsible for the differing MPG results people are claiming?
If so, assuming that companies such as Shell,Esso and the like have a certain minimum standard (recipe?) they require, which gas stations fuel gives people their best MPG?


If (moderators) you wish to move this post to a more relevent section, then please do so.
I think it will be a hot issue in light of oil prices the way they are.

[ April 24, 2005, 01:30 PM: Message edited by: thegoose ]

 

[TheTanSedan]

Have been using FP-60 for several years now, a combined mileage of over 60k on several vehicles; over 40k on our 2001 XJ Cherokee.

We only use EXXON

The Jeep (L6-242/AW-4/3.55/3,460#) gets 18 mpg in business use, and 22+ on all-Interstate tanks.
The use of FP-60 has allowed (as posted previously), the use of 87-octane (per manual) at times (high speeds or heavy loads or hot) when only 89-octane would do.

The very best mileage has occurred with 89-octane and FP-60 during summer trips (95-105F), with the vehicle loaded to around 4,200#; sometimes pulling a trailer (reduced, but still good, around 16-18 mpg at 60-65 mph). A lot of weight and high heat have, thus far, demanded 89 octane.

Vehicle was not started on FP-60 until in excess of 40k. Different spark plugs and a more aggressive piston-top cleaning, may, this year find the use of 87-octane exclusively.

The use of FP-60 has allowed a savings of the cost differential between 87 and 89 octane for likely 90% of all miles AND a mpg increase.

Other vehicles ran better -- more smoothly -- but a mpg increase wasn't seen on two of other three. Of course there haven't been any problems with "bad gas" etc.

Octane boost? No, seems more like a better, faster fuel burn. Very consistent fuel performance as a result of using FP-60.

 

[TheTanSedan]

As a final note on that JEEP: Prior to being totalled, the LC-cylinder soak was extended to overnight. New sparkplugs installed. ARX run done. 87-octane performed better than it had in some time what with hot/humid conditions. Piston tops must have cleaned up better.

 

[DJ]

One of my car used to read a little detonation at the top of second gear the pcm caught it and corrected long before you could hear it. This year using FP/Neutra to clean things out and that is all gone. I believe this is solely from the cleaning, which is all they really claim anyway. If I get bored I do have some 93 octane tuning for the car I might try that with 89 but I am fairly sure it will pick up some knock.

 

[Ugly3]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ugly3:

quote:

---

Originally posted by MolaKule:

quote:

---

Increased combustion efficiency may be a reason, either due to the effect of spray patterns or chamber deposits/hotspots.

---

FP has never claimed to be an octane improver and this has been stated in various threads many times. When a combustion chamber is clean, there are less carbonaceous materials present to cause hot spots which result in preignition and knock.

FP has compounds that clean the combustion chamber and fuel system, and provides a more even rate of burning across the flame front.

It does provide some extra energy from its concentrated ingredients.

The net effect is that some people can use a lower octance fuel when using FP.

---

Last year I went fishing 800 miles into Canada. As soon as I started using gas from Canada the MPG dropped. I am going fishing again this year and will be using FP with the gas in Canada. I will post the results.

---

This year I used FP with all the gas I bought in Canada. The MPG went up from my USA (no FP) experience. No doubt the FP made the difference.

In the States I was getting ~23 MPG running 75 MPH. Started using Canadian gas and FP and the MPG went to ~23.5 to 24.0 MPG (last year I lost 2 MPG with Canadian gas). This was 700 miles in the US and 800 in Canada.

 

[onequick99si]

My 99' civic si requires preimum fuel at least 91 oct according to the manual however I would like to run the medium grade 89 oct gas since the prices have gotten so high. If I added fp60 to the tank at each fill up would I be ok running the lower grade fuel, the only reason I am asking is that I have heard it's hard/bad for an engine to run on a lower grade gas than recommended from the manufacturer??

 

[DJ]

To really know for sure you would need to find out if your engine has knock sensors which it most likely does and then you would have to have a scanner to monitor them.

 

[LarryL]

You can probably run a lower oct fuel with nothing. The theory is that the LC will clean a lot of the deposits out. That could lower the static compression and make the engine less likely to ping. And there could be deposits in only one or two cylinders causing the pinging and LC is worth trying to reduce those kind of problems.

Pick a place like a long hill and try to make the engine ping. Add LC or change the gasoline, don't do both at the same time, and retest. In the future use the same place as a reference and try again. Only way to know is test, change only one thing at a time and have at it. Let us know what's happening.

 

[DJ]

On many cars today you will never hear a ping as the knock sensors pick it up long before that point and the pcm pulls timing to stop it.