Date:         Thu, 22 Feb 2001 05:48:07 -0800
Reply-To:     Pokey <pokey@VANAGON.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Pokey <pokey@VANAGON.ORG>
Subject:      What Fuel Octane? (Was: Engine RPMs???(not too long))
Comments: To: Wrmrwgn@AOL.COM
Content-Type: text/plain

Am I hurting my Air Cooled Running 97 Octane gas in it? I always fill up with Gold / Super / (Insert marketing term here) gas.

I have 190,000 Km / 115,000 miles on the clock (most aren't mine) but the engine is strong. Compression is at manufacturers specifications; 130, 130, 125, 130. According to Bentley, the requirements for a new engine are 131 PSI and there is a 40 PSI range.

Thanks,
Chris

On Thu, 22 February 2001, Robert Keezer wrote:

SNIP

The Vanagon low compression engines were designed to run on low octane at a national speed limit of 55 during the 80's.

The air-cooled engines also are low compression to keep operating temperatures low.

The Vanagon air-cooled engines are run by the same AFC FI system that came out in VW's in 1974. It is less effecient than the Digifant system,CIS-E and the Motronic.

SNIP

Since I have owned two well running WBX, I have come to like them in spite of themselves. Perhaps it's really because most all of them go over 100,000  miles, something I was never able to accomplish in 15 years of air cooled VW's.

Thanks,
Chris Gronski
'80 Westy "Pokey" - SLOPOKEY
'87 Chevrolet Sprint - Ice Racer
'91 Pontiac Firefly - Convertable
www.vanagon.org & .ca
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