Fuel Usage
 

Hey guys, I have an 03SS N/A with 100K on it. Up here in MN and I'm sure in other states as well we have 91 non-oxygenated premium gas. I ran one tank through (advice from buddy) and my monte seemed to run better, get better mileage, and have more pep from this gas. Is this stuff safe to run regularly or is it going to mess up the engine due to the no ethanol content?

i think your car is made to run on 87. i could be mistaken but if your car runs better on higher octane fuel then something is wrong with your engine.


whens the last time you looked at your plugs, wires, coil packs, injectors????

just did iridium plugs and performance wires this spring. haven't done injectors or coil packs yet.

I've been reading on import forums that the non-oxy stuff burns slower giving better mpg's Also they've been saying no negatives other than the steeper price of 87 or 89 oct

Just a waste of money, anything making the car run better means that you have a good amount of knock that is pulling timing from your car and the higher octane is just helping the knock.

I've never noticed a difference in running 87 VS 91 octane to be honest. (that is of course in a car that only requires 87).

once in a while is not bad for the additives but if you want the additives clean the fuel system.if you have been using 87 for the life of the engine then use a tank full of the higher grade it may put a stain like blcksheep said on some thing. i have to use high grade on my mustang do to it being a high out put after major engine build thats why i dont drive it much do to the caughst of high grade. i dont use high grade in my monte because it is designed for low grade. if your motor is designed for high grade and you have been using a lower grade of gas. there would be problems but i do believe you can use a veriety of grades but it would hurt you wallet if you use high grade. if you dont need to use high grade and be able to use lower you dont have to worry. just remember just to do regular mantenence.

just an fyi but all grades of gas (87,89,91,93) in MN have a 10% ethanol content unless otherwise noted on the pump. i believe they are required by law to denote non-oxygenated on the pump. (i know there is some kind of law about labeling pumps, just can't think of it right now)

as for the improved mileage, it could just be an effect of the weather getting warmer here, and therefore you don't suck as much gas warming up the car. as well all know, with the warmer weather, comes better mpg.

if it was really non-oxy gas you have been putting in, yes you should get better mileage due to no ethanol content. you get worse mileage with ethanol because it has less energy per gallon than gas and therefore, it takes more of it to burn a stoichiometric mixture.

lastly, non-oxy gas is safe to run in your car. you should see no long term problems.

Thanks drewski, I got the gas from fleet farm and it did say (NON-OXYGENATED FUEL) I did this to see what would happen and the mileage increase was noticeable. I thought that the we're going to add a little more ethanol in the future to the gas to help the farmers. Question for people in MN, where can we find higher octane gas such as 93 non-ox premium or 100 octane that is unleaded. I know they have 110 race fuel in Lakeville at McStop but that has lead and I can only imagine what that would to my 3.8

yes lade, there is an E20 initiative trying to get passed, but there are definitely pros and cons to that issue.

i know there is a small gas station on long lake road in new brighton. it's called Beach's Long Lake Service, kind of by irondale high school. they have 100 unleaded and 110 leaded race fuel.