Amsoil, fuel brand, & engine pinging

[Bobby Johnson]

I have been a loyal fan of Shell gasoline ever since I first obtained my drivers license about ten years ago.

I currently drive a 2001 Isuzu Trooper and the engine has pinged during the spring, summer, and fall ever since I have driven it. I am using Shell's V-Power since the Trooper not only pings the least on this octane but also seems to obtain slightly better fuel economy over using Shell's 87 octane. My owners manual for the Trooper says that light engine pinging is normal and should not be a concern. However, I do not like engine pinging in general. To keep it as low as possible I make sure that the air filter, egr valve, pcv valve, and spark plugs are regularly checked on my Trooper. I also use FP60 with every tankful of gasoline.

Today I ran low on fuel and was forced to fill up at a BP gas station. I hadn't gone very far before I realized that the engine pinging I had been living with was gone. Once I realized this, I stomped on the gas pedal many times during my 100 mile trip home in order to see if I could make the Trooper's engine ping. Even though I was pushing it past the rpm level where the pinging usually would start, it did not ping one time.

I have posted three oil analysis reports using Amsoil's Series 2000 with the first two and the Series 3000 with the third. The latest report can be found here: Trooper with Series 3000

In all three reports, the TBN seemed to go down rapidly. What I am wondering is it possible for Shell's gasoline to cause the S2000 and S3000 to degrade faster than what would be considered normal? I am also wondering if it was also not so much the gasoline having a direct effect but the fact that it was causing my engine to ping which in turn was the cause for the S2000 and S3000 to have a shortened life. In short, could I be on to something or is it just wishful thinking?

Sorry for the long post. However, I wanted anybody who read this to be able to understand where I was coming from. I plan on using BP's gasoline for one or two more tankfuls to see if the engine pinging does not come back.

Thanks in advance for considering my questions.
Bobby Johnson

 

[ConfederateTyrant]

Bobby, this was two years ago, but the Shell stations, along with Texaco, around my area were shut down temporarily due to high sulfur in the fuel. I am unsure of the effects of sulfur from gas on an engine's motor oil, but I do believe that high sulfur from diesel fuel is detrimental to a diesel engine's oil, though I could be mistaken.

The reason I am thinking that is because of the new CJ diesel spec engine oil supposedly having a low TBN, which is perfectly fine for low-sulfur, on-road, diesel fuel, but there are worries about the still left over high-sulfur, off-road, diesel fuel causing lower drain intervals until the off-road fuel is taken off the market. There were a couple of post about the new CJ spec, TBN, and fuel type combinations.

Though this issue should have been taken care of, it's some "food for thought" so to speak.

 

[Bobby Johnson]

ConfederateTyrant,
I honestly do not know if the refinery supplying the local Shell stations uses sulfur in their formulations.

Right now I am wondering if anybody else on this forum has had their oil ananlysis reports improve just by switching gasoline brands. I know plenty of people would say there is a big difference from one brand to another just by how their vehicle runs.

I am thinking of trying BP long term to see if the engine pinging stays away permanently. I would also like to see if using gasoline that does not make my engine ping would help to keep the S3000's TBN high and copper levels down. Does anybody, through tests done on their oil, know if different gasoline brands will have a dramatic and noticeable effect on an engine's oil? Am I barking up the wrong tree by even thinking this?

Thanks,
Bobby Johnson