Date:         Fri, 28 Dec 2001 12:06:16 -0600
Reply-To:     Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: higher octane needs
Comments: To: hradek@YAHOO.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

I like running the cheap stuff. I get a tank every now and again that is
of questionable quality but in towns of 650 you can get bad gas pretty
easily.

Stan
On Fri, 28 Dec 2001 07:58:05 -0800 gary hradek <hradek@YAHOO.COM> writes:
> Stan,
>     PV=nrT,  God I hate physics.   The equation says
> that if pressure goes up and the volume stays the same
> then Temperature has to go upas well.   If you ajust
> your vanagon to run at higher compression it follows
> that the temperature has to go up as well.   For
> vanagons I think this is important.   The increase in
> temperature is at its worst spot,   The combustion
> chamber.   So again, I question the merits of higher
> octane.   If you feel a visibly increase in performace
> it is because your pressure(your absolutely right
> Stan) and temperature both are rising.   This may be
> caused by advanced timing or possibly carbon build up
> in your engine.   Timing is easy to check.   happy
> friday, gary
> --- Stan Wilder <wilden1@juno.com> wrote:
> > If your van is knocking on any fuel .......... lay
> > down under your van
> > and kiss your heads goodbye. Detonation alone will
> > ruin your heads and
> > pistons if the valve seats don't drop out first.
> > All vanagons with stock configuration will run on
> > standard unleaded fuels
> > if the AFM, timing, points etc are set correctly.
> >
> > Stan Wilder
> > 83 Air Cooled Westfalia
> >
> > On Thu, 27 Dec 2001 20:25:11 -0800 gary hradek
> > <hradek@YAHOO.COM> writes:
> > > Chris,
> > >      If your van is knocking on regular and you
> > add a
> > > higher octane and it stops knocking what does this
> > > tell you about your combustion chamber?   If your
> > van
> > > is not knocking on regular, burn regular and save
> > your
> > > money for better things like something to clean
> > your
> > > fuel injectors because higher octane is something
> > that
> > > takes most of us to the cleaners.   happy new
> > > years,gary
> > > Date:    Thu, 27 Dec 2001 16:35:28 -0600
> > > From:    Chris Stann <ChrisS@INFORMS.COM>
> > > Subject: Re: Subject: Fuel octane
> > >
> > > Some info contained here:
> > >
> > >
> >
> http://www.pcf.ab.ca/quick_answers/gasoline_general/octane_rating.asp
> > >
> > > And here:
> > >
> > >
> >
> http://www.shellus.com/products/product_info/gasoline_properties.html
> > >
> > > "Probably the most familiar gasoline
> > characteristic is
> > > antiknock
> > > quality or
> > > its octane rating. The octane rating is simply a
> > > measure of the
> > > gasoline s
> > > resistance to knock. Knock is the sound made when
> > the
> > > fuel/air mixture
> > > in
> > > the engine s combustion chambers ignites by itself
> > > (auto-ignition),
> > > either
> > > before the spark occurs or in front of the flame
> > > already started by the
> > > spark plug. Advancing ignition timing increases
> > the
> > > tendency to knock.
> > > "
> > >
> > > It says absolutely nothing about the higher-octane
> > gas
> > > burning at a
> > > higher
> > > temperature.  It does say, however, that engines
> > with
> > > higher
> > > compression,
> > > such as Euro-WBX, or advanced timing, such as
> > mine,
> > > will benefit from a
> > > higher octane gasoline.  Also, engines with
> > combustion
> > > chamber
> > > deposits,
> > > such as any old WBX, will have slightly higher
> > > compression ratio, hence
> > > the
> > > benefit of increased engine longevity from
> > > higher-octane gasoline.
> > >
> > > All of this should be considered along with the
> > > driving environment.
> > > It
> > > seems that an engine under higher and prolonged
> > loads,
> > > such as a
> > > hill-climbing Westy, is probably going to benefit
> > from
> > > e more
> > > expensive
> > > gasoline.
> > >
> > >
> > > Chris.
> > >
> > > __________________________________________________
> > >
>
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