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Fuel Grade

S

SVT

CEG'er
Joined
May 23, 2009
Messages
269
Location
Pennsylvania
Those of you with the SVT Contour, do you run premium fuel as recommended? I just got my car a couple weeks ago, the first tank I ran regular, second tank I filled up with premium. I don't know if im crazy, I might be, but it definately feels like it is running better. I am cheap, I hate to spend the extra $4 or whatever it is to run premium, and i know it is recommended for a reason.... Im just curious to what everyone else does.. I was thinking about running premium every other tank of gas :shrug:.
 
Premium... always.
I won't say anymore since you stated: "I know it is recommended for a reason".
You already have your answer. ;)
 
alright... i think i can save a couple of cents by mixing half reg, half premium :)... ole' ed rooney taught me that trick... haha

i should have made a poll!

EDIT: nevermind, im not going for midgrade here... i want straight premium! wow, its early.
 
what is the real difference in the end? maybe a $1 or 2? honestly run whats called for and don't think twice about it. The premium fuel was called for to match the compression, timing and cams.

Now when you have to run premium in a car that drinks gas and gets 13 mpg around town compair to a stock SVT that is well over 20 mpg mixed driving then you can start thinking about complaining.

one member here has run regular in his SVT, but that was done since new. I would not recommend it for anyone else.
 
SVTs have a knock sensor that retard the timing when they sense detonation. So he is fine running lower octane gas. However he will get less power and lower fuel economy, so he might as well run the premium, since the additional milage will make up the difference in cost. I mean, 2-3 bucks for a full tank... but you will probably get 30 miles more on a tank on the highway, so it's not like you are out any money.
 
My 99 SVTC has a mean octane sensitivity to air temperature. Here at high altitude, we get 85, 87 and 91 octane. During the winter, or pretty much if the air temps are below 50F, I can run 87 or even 85 with no pinging, but once summer arrives, it has to be 91 octane or it rattles like a sum-bit*h on a hard pull.

It's really hard to see any sort of fuel economy changes due to octane levels because it's buried in the noise of the seasonal oxygenate levels of the fuel. They jack up the fuel oxygenate content in winter, which whacks the fuel economy by some 15%.
 
I'm sure my car has ran 93 octane since new, and it des not ping none what so ever, but since I got it I use lucas fuel cleaner in both my cars, and it seems the help them run better
 
Normally 87 comapard to 92 is a .20 cent difference....and 14.5 gallon tank =
$2.90. Lets say you fill up each week....2.90 x 52 = $150.80

I did put 87 octane in my car one time. I wanted to see if i noticed a gas mileage difference or a power loss.

Nope no difference....and i didn't even loss any mpg's either.:shrug:

Honestly i drive my car maybe 45 days out of the year...and i go through probably 3 tanks top :shrug: So running premium is nothing....even though my car gets 250 miles to a full tank..:blackeye:
 
ahh mixed reviews... i thougt i would probably get that...

im gonna stick to premium, i mean, why not?!!? thats what it calls for..
 
SVT said:
ahh mixed reviews... i thougt i would probably get that...

im gonna stick to premium, i mean, why not?!!? thats what it calls for..
Click to expand...

That's the philosophy I've stuck with. The reason is that if you run 87 and carbon buildup starts causing pinging/detonation so that the computer has to start pulling timing you'll start to lose performance. At that point you'll have to start moving towards premium anyway. At 60k miles I'm probably nowhere near that point, but with how aggressive I drive my car at times I don't think it's worth the risk.
 
ukfan50 said:
I'm on the SS of Indianapolis, suberbs (Greenwood) & there is a Sunoco off I65 at exit 99 that has 94.

If anyones ever going thru Indy on I65, stop & fill up at exit 99!
Click to expand...
That is where I fill up my Cobra for race day. I bumped timing up to 23 degrees at WOT and she loves the good stuff. I'm in the northside in Fishers. You ever go to Suds on the weekends?
 
SVT said:
I believe there is... How does the SVT respond to 94, thats sweet!
Click to expand...


I used to put 94 octane back when I had the XR4ti at a sunoco station every now and then, but now they don't seem to offer it no more, I'd like to put some in the SVT if they still had it to see if it runs any better
 
SVTalex said:
I used to put 94 octane back when I had the XR4ti at a sunoco station every now and then, but now they don't seem to offer it no more, I'd like to put some in the SVT if they still had it to see if it runs any better
Click to expand...

try it out, get back to me :laugh:.. hahaha
 
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