TwinCam
Aurora Groupie
Oldsmobile, A legend in automotive history
|
Post by TwinCam on Sept 6, 2004 11:21:32 GMT -6
Noticed how expensive Premium gas is??? I have been buying regular grade and adding a bottle of 70% Isopropyl alcohol to my tank. Have had no prob's with such as knocking, pinging...nothing. There are great benefits to the alcohol. It cleans any carbon deposits, keeps water out of the tank, and in winter will prevent fuel line freeze-up. Think of the money saved ;D 1.77 Reg. @ 19.4 gal= $34.00 + $.78 (alcohol) OR 1.97 prem. @ 19.4 gal= $38.21 Savings of $3.43 over Premium ;D
|
|
|
Post by JimW on Sept 6, 2004 21:02:01 GMT -6
You can also do a mixture with Toulene. I have the mix specs somewhere for the L67 powered cars
Please be aware the risks involved, make sure you KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING. This is directed to members that havent tried this.
|
|
scottydl
Super Moderator
There's nothin' like an American V-8...
Posts: 7,373
Staff Member
|
Post by scottydl on Sept 7, 2004 9:19:19 GMT -6
Noticed how expensive Premium gas is??? I have been buying regular grade and adding a bottle of 70% Isopropyl alcohol to my tank. You can do this???!? Can this be done on a regular basis? Or is this one of unknown-risk tricks like dropping moth balls into the tank to increase HP..? I love the idea of savings through "home remedies", but I'm concerned about the risks to the engine.
|
|
|
Post by JimW on Sept 7, 2004 9:37:33 GMT -6
Scotty, Bill Wren concocted a toulene/87 octane mix that works to achieve race gas, there are home remedies, but unless you are skilled, I would pump the 91+
|
|
scottydl
Super Moderator
There's nothin' like an American V-8...
Posts: 7,373
Staff Member
|
Post by scottydl on Sept 7, 2004 11:46:54 GMT -6
Yeah I would definitely not considered myself skilled in fuel mixing... a bottle of rubbing alcohol I could handle, but that seems almost TOO easy!
|
|
|
Post by omegaic on Sept 7, 2004 22:40:44 GMT -6
If you want to save money on gasoline, a 4-Liter V8 is not the car for you.
|
|
scottydl
Super Moderator
There's nothin' like an American V-8...
Posts: 7,373
Staff Member
|
Post by scottydl on Sept 8, 2004 8:19:27 GMT -6
If you want to save money on gasoline, a 4-Liter V8 is not the car for you. Yeah yeah, I know, I know. But I'm always looking for ways (and I'm convinced there always ARE ways) to cheapen things up, no matter what the circumstances.
|
|
|
Post by JimW on Sept 8, 2004 9:45:09 GMT -6
Just out of curiousity, who knows why we need 91+ fuel in the Classic? Anyone know...
|
|
scottydl
Super Moderator
There's nothin' like an American V-8...
Posts: 7,373
Staff Member
|
Post by scottydl on Sept 8, 2004 10:24:53 GMT -6
Ok, I know this has been covered... is this a trick question? Quick sidebar: Jim, I'd swear I've seen you quote/recommend 90+ octane before (as opposed to 91+). Is 90 okay? That's what I use, as I can get it for mid-grade price at a couple stations in town.
|
|
dred98
Aurora Driver
Posts: 470
|
Post by dred98 on Sept 8, 2004 11:22:10 GMT -6
The owners manual says that 87 is OK to use. "You may use middle grade or regular unleaded gasolines, but your vehicle may not accelerate as well" - from the 1998 owners manual. So you may not get the same performance but it shouldn't hurt the engine at all.
|
|
|
Post by JimW on Sept 8, 2004 12:54:36 GMT -6
10.3:1 compression ratio
Needs premium, Howard? does you gage say you need premium fuel only?
|
|
dred98
Aurora Driver
Posts: 470
|
Post by dred98 on Sept 8, 2004 13:04:56 GMT -6
Yes it does - I'm just quoting my owners manual that says it's OK to save the money as long as you don't expect the performance. I always use the good stuff myself, it's an expensive car so what's a few extra bucks a week to get the best out of it.
|
|
TwinCam
Aurora Groupie
Oldsmobile, A legend in automotive history
|
Post by TwinCam on Sept 8, 2004 14:56:40 GMT -6
My '95 Has "Premium" on the gas gauge.
The main reason Premo is recommended is because of the compression of the engine. Premo ignites very well in high compression compared with Reg.
|
|
|
Post by Marc on Sept 8, 2004 17:37:16 GMT -6
The 2001 owners Manual says "If you have the 4.0 liter V8 engine (VIN Code C), use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher. However, for best perfor- mance or trailer towing, you may wish to use middle grade or premium unleaded gasoline." I have used Sunoco Ultra (93 octane) in my 2001 4.0 since I got it, and it runs great on that fuel! ______________ GM!!! BRING BACK OLDS!!!
|
|
|
Post by Aurora40 on Sept 8, 2004 18:57:31 GMT -6
FYI, premium fuel typically contains more additives to keep your fuel system clean in addition to the extra octane rating. And premium doesn't ignite better, it is more resistant to combustion. They all have the same energy potential afaik, in fact lower octane may have more due to having less other stuff in it. But it ignites more easily, leading to possible knock. The change from 10.3:1 to 10:1 is not a very large compression difference. In addition to compression, other things like combustion chamber, piston, and ring designs can reduce the need for more octane. Designs that have fewer hot spots and less area fuel can be trapped and such can typically run lower octanes. So the 2001+ benefits from a more advanced design as well as the small compression drop. But I think they all can run 87 if you want. I also always fill up with 93, except occasionally on trips when it's crazily priced and I know the car will just be cruising.
|
|
|
Post by stevensolds on Sept 8, 2004 20:45:23 GMT -6
93 all the way here. there was other times where i used 89 and 87 but i try to stick with 93. gotta watch my cash though....i try to go about 5 or 6 miles out of the way to get the 93 for 15 cents cheaper ($1.97 vs 2.15) in my area its a hell of a difference on the total price. i think using sunoco race fuel 100 octane would be overkill though....
my gas gauge has been on full for 4 days now and i drove about 20 miles. does it get maximum power and mileage with premium? i know my 95 does say Premium Unleaded Only so i try to use it
|
|
|
Post by erw38 on Sept 9, 2004 17:23:39 GMT -6
it will go down.....and when it does it will change pretty quick so watch it
|
|
|
Post by Amanda on Sept 10, 2004 9:22:30 GMT -6
I’ll throw my 2 cents in, I too only use 93 Octane and I am so obsessive…(LoL Jim knows, sliding around rotary’s aside [that was cool though] anyway…) I even buy Octane improver to add to the 93 oct gas… Not every time I fill up but every now and again. The brand I use more often then others is Outlaw Octane Booster, I personally found to get better gas mileage after adding it to my tank. One bottle is good for up to 20 gal. tanks
|
|
|
Post by Aurora40 on Sept 10, 2004 10:52:25 GMT -6
Those octane boosters are not always full of good stuff either... I'd stick with 93 if it were me.
|
|
scottydl
Super Moderator
There's nothin' like an American V-8...
Posts: 7,373
Staff Member
|
Post by scottydl on Sept 10, 2004 10:59:47 GMT -6
Also re: octane boosters, a reliable source (willwren) at BonnevilleClub has mentioned before that every bottle of octane booster only adds one tenth of one point of octane to your full tank of gas. In other words, if you fill up with 93 and add a $4-5 bottle of booster, your overall result is 93.1. Not worth the money IMO, and I think their advertising is a bit misleading...
|
|
|
Post by R4D30N on Sept 11, 2004 0:09:31 GMT -6
I’ll throw my 2 cents in, I too only use 93 Octane and I am so obsessive…(LoL Jim knows, sliding around rotary’s aside [that was cool though] anyway…) I even buy Octane improver to add to the 93 oct gas… Not every time I fill up but every now and again. The brand I use more often then others is Outlaw Octane Booster, I personally found to get better gas mileage after adding it to my tank. One bottle is good for up to 20 gal. tanks yea that octane booster is all fun and games until your piston rings are all over the engine bay and nuts
|
|
|
Post by tedhontz on Feb 8, 2005 17:14:09 GMT -6
my chiropractor has a 95 aurora like mine. He knows nothing about it. I asked him, " How you like putting that expensive gas in your car?" He looked puzzled. He bought his aurora In 96, only a year old. It now has 170K. He has always used 87 octane regular gas. I couldn't believe it. I always use 93 in my aurora. I asked him to start it. His engine runs smoother than mine!! I still haven't had the guts to switch down, but I think GM is in it with the gas companies.
|
|
|
Post by JimW on Feb 8, 2005 17:58:57 GMT -6
Compression ratio alone of the Classic Aurora needs higher octane fuel, I bet it doesnt drive half as good as it should. I bet his mileage is not what it could be as well.
DONT go down on the fuel...for your cars sake.
|
|
|
Post by Custom88 on Feb 8, 2005 18:25:45 GMT -6
I don't know, my neighbor has a supercharged bonneville (96) and they ran nothing but 87 in it since it was new and it now has 190,000 on it and still runs awesome. As long as you're not accelerating fast all the time you don't really need the premium.
|
|
scottydl
Super Moderator
There's nothin' like an American V-8...
Posts: 7,373
Staff Member
|
Post by scottydl on Feb 9, 2005 9:00:15 GMT -6
As long as you're not accelerating fast all the time you don't really need the premium. And that is essentially what my '99 owner's manual says. Thanks for pointing that out, Custom.
|
|
|
Post by JimW on Feb 9, 2005 9:25:02 GMT -6
Are you boys gonna start using 87 fuel?
|
|
scottydl
Super Moderator
There's nothin' like an American V-8...
Posts: 7,373
Staff Member
|
Post by scottydl on Feb 9, 2005 9:34:15 GMT -6
Don't worry about me... I will stick with 90, because it is SO close to 91 and I can get it for only 2-3 cents more than 87 at a couple stations in town. The best of both worlds!
|
|
|
Post by stevensolds on Feb 9, 2005 14:39:51 GMT -6
yep i been putting 93 in every tank. I guess it needs it, cause i accelerate faster than anyone
|
|
mal
Aurora Watcher
|
Post by mal on Feb 24, 2005 23:21:40 GMT -6
I bought my '97 Autobahn with 36k miles on it in Jan 2000. I've now got 138k on it. I ran premium for the first couple of years, but for the last 3 it has been 87 octane with an occasional splurge on 93. I was very leary of "downgrading" at first, but I'm very happy with having done it.
I don't really hammer hard on my car that often. I have had it over 130 a couple times. If I really want to have fun accelerating, I drive my '69 H/O. During the 3 years I've been running regular I haven't noticed any real difference in driveability or mileage due to gas. I've got a 60 mile round trip to work every day and do watch the mileage. At 20¢ a gallon, that's well over $500 that the oil companies didn't get out of me for nothing. My '69 actually NEEDS (better than) todays so-called premium. My previous driver ('90 Cutlass Supreme I-Series with a HO Quad4/5-speed) pinged if I didn't run at least a mid-grade gas in it even under moderate acceleration.
Paying for more octane than your engine (and your driving habits) actually needs is money down the drain. If you are trying to get every last bit of performance out of an engine and don't want it to back off the timing while you are standing on it, then go ahead and spend the extra money. There is also a difference between good and bad gas outside of octane. Premium isn't always great, and regular isn't alway garbage.
I haven't had my foot flat to the floor for more than a total of a couple of minutes over the time I've owned the car. Even with the 87 octane in it, it still blows away most cars on the road. I'll take the extra money in my pocket.
I did pick up over a MPG a couple weeks ago when I change tires though... Had a set of Dunlops for the last 40k miles and I am glad to be rid of them. Just went to a set of Goodyear Assurance and the difference in ride and how much quieter they are really suprised me. They are also warrantied for 80k miles.
Al
|
|
scottydl
Super Moderator
There's nothin' like an American V-8...
Posts: 7,373
Staff Member
|
Post by scottydl on Feb 25, 2005 10:40:14 GMT -6
My '69 actually NEEDS (better than) todays so-called premium. I feel ya on that one, bro... my '69 Pontiac Executive just BEGS for some richer fuel than is out there today. Gone are the days of the 100+ octane fully-leaded sludge that they pumped back in 1969! Drop me a PM, we can chat about our classics. Just went to a set of Goodyear Assurance and the difference in ride and how much quieter they are really suprised me. They are also warrantied for 80k miles. I'd LOVE to see you get 80k miles out of those tires, because at that point your Aurora odometer would be at 218k !!! ;D
|
|