1994-2002 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Had a real learning experience with gasoline on my way to the SOC at Keystone a few years ago.
I live in Michigan, where we have 93 octane as the "premium" fuel. Got to Iowa, and all there was for premium was 92. Got to Colorado, and besides the altitiude, the price difference of gasoline in that State, compared to Michigan was "criminal". But, they sat the Bay Area of California had higher prices-----
Anyway, just to save a buck, -I put in the cheap stuff (85 octane) which would be 87 octane in most other parts of the USA. I normalyy would have put in premium, but the PRICES of Colorado gas in the Denver area were wowowow. The 2 cars car ran like slugs on the 85. I mean like a turtle racing a snail. I thought they needed service or something broke or WORSE even---
One SAAB was a 9-3HOT turbo, and the other was a C900 16V natural aspirated.
In fact, we ran them 2x from Keystone to Denver, and back, to use up 1/2-3/4 of the 85 octane out of the system.
When we refueled, I used premium 91 in both cars, and WOW --BOTH engines ran great again. Only my wallet hurt.
I expressed this to John Moss of SAAB. His explanation was echoed with a fellow long time SAAB owner--who is a GM fuel engineer-- who was present at the time.
The less boost=less gas=better mpg's that I write -----that Mike Lynch and others don't accept came from these guys, and is fully supported by outside fuel company engineers.
Hey, it's a free country. You don't have to accept what 2 of the best SAAB minds tell you, that's what makes this country GREAT !!
Moral of the story is that from then on, I only use premium 93 in my N/A engine C900--which is grrrrreat.
I use premium 93 in Michgan from March 15 -December 15. In January/February/ early March it's typically soooooo coooold here, that premium is somewhat of a disadvantage.
Lower grades of octane ignite easier in cold temps. In otherwords, the cars start-up quicker on 89 or even (gulp) 87.
After some additional present day readings, I'm coming to understand that the auto manufacturers have to list the oil and fuel that they EPA certify the car with. Hence the 87 gas and the 0W-30.
Oh, but the Mobil 1 0W-30 in these temps of Zero to 20 is FANDAMTASTIC!!!
TG
26 plus years of driving SAABs
1.26 million miles behind-the-wheel
More every day
posted by 66.227.17...
, Sun, 16 Feb 2003 15:23:36
, Sat, 15 Feb 2003 14:38:28
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