Date:         Sun, 23 Jun 1996 17:40:03 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         DOUGLAS <douglas@bigpig.pig.net>
Subject:      Re: Reply to: Re: Oil cooler placement...pt II

Joel Walker wrote:
> 
> On Sun, 23 Jun 1996 11:11:10 -0500 sean bartnik said:
> > ...                                                    I've always run my VWs
> > on el cheapo 87 octane gas with no problems, no pinging, etc.  Anybody that
> > puts 91 octane in the tank of a VW is just burning money, in my opinion.  Of
> > course, in the event that I am wrong, someone please correct me!
> 
> one thing to remember about OLD vw's is that the u.s. has changed its method
> of labeling gasoline octane: what USED to be 91 octane in the "old days"
> (back in the 60's) is NOW 87 octane. so, yes, VW's are designed to run on
> the lower pump octane (87) that is available NOW.
> 
> but many people "feel" that the higher grades of gasoline give them more
> performance, cleaner engines, less trouble, better smelling exhaust, and/or
> whiter teeth. ;)  it's their money, their choice. :)
> 
> the point is that if you have an older VW and you read the owner's manual
> and it says "91 octane", be careful to look at which KIND of octane ...
> usually it's "91 RON octane" which is the old way of figuring octane. the
> new equivalent is "87 (RON+MON)/2" (or some folks call it AKI octane rating).
> 
> joel (octane-breath) :)

Excuse me Joel, but can you provide a source for this information?

It is contrary to everything I have read in the past.

Thank you.

Douglas