Oil on the (downward slide) upward climb...

[derek92994]

I don't like how it drives on lower octane, its gutless. Same thing when I had a 3.9 litre Ford.

 

[derek92994]

But I'm open to advice from you and Lee. More info would be great.

 

[Northwinds]

Using high-octane gas in a car designed for regular accomplishes little except more rapid combustion of your money. Some refuse to believe this, claiming, for example, that premium gives the family Toyota better mileage or more power. These people are in dreamland. Others say premium is purer or contains detergents that will cleanse your engine of uncouth deposits. Likewise misguided thinking--government regulations require detergents in all grades of gasoline. Some automotive types claim that using premium in a car designed for regular will make the engine dirtier--something about deposits on the back side of the intake valves. I've also heard that slower-burning high-octane gas produces less power when used in ordinary cars. Believe what you like; the point is, don't assume "premium" means "better."

Even the Fordmods website recommends NOT using a higher octane then recommended by the factory

You can run what you want D2 but I just figured you needed a little education of what higher octane gases are really meant for. 93 and up is for high performance motors or cars that have not been converted from lead based fuels (you still need to add an octane booster/lubricant additive or your motor will seize up since unconverted motors use the lead as a lubricant)

Nando?

 

[Northwinds]

But I'm open to advice from you and Lee. More info would be great.

Run a 1/4 mile and see if there is a difference in times, that will tell you whether your car is just gutless period. I bet there will be no difference in the performance aspect at all. My Firebird ran the same times regardless whether I used 93 pump gas or Cam2

4 banngers tend to be higher compression but I would say 91 would be more then fine since that's the lowest you have available. The difference you save will add up in a year, like maybe a new used pair of JBL's worth of savings

 

[derek92994]

When I first got the car I ran it on 91 octane, but the person who owned it before me drove it light so over time I freed it up quite a bit. The amount of crap that would come out of the oil was incredible, that engine was dirty as. Now after a few flushes its clean and I started using 98 octane some time back and did notice a gain in power and mileage, but this could also be due to freeing up the engine from its 'granny' state. I could try 91 octane again for a couple of tanks and see how that goes, but if there is any loss in power or miles I'll go back to the 98. I was referring to gutless as in the cars performance between the two different fuels, not comparing to other cars in general. Its not a race car but I'm a bit of a lead foot anyways

 

[Northwinds]

LOL, I was born a lead foot

 

[derek92994]

LOL, I was born a lead foot

I have left many 6 cylinder cars for dead at the lights in my little shit box 4 banger =P They don't like it either because its just a stock standard car

 

[Elite-ist]

First of all, the octane rating in Australia would be different than in N. America. 91 0ctane rating there is equal to 87 here. RON vs. AKI.

But with older engines, not having a knock sensor for fuel management systems, and depending on what type of driving, carbon builds in the combustion chamber effectively raising the compression ratio of the engine. That's why an old remedy of slowly draining a 1/2 cup of water into the carburetor while feathering the throttle of old engines would clean the combustion chambers because it was effectively steam-cleaning the cylinders.

Do my cars have carbon build-up? - nope.

Nando.

 

[derek92994]

Scared crap out of me when I hit the rev limiter once, it didn't bounce, just stuck at the same RPM, weird feeling that was! I'm glad the rev limiter was in place to be honest. Its all good fun until the engine goes 'pop', then its just money. I'm thankful to have never blown an engine and am only on my 2nd car at age 36.

 

[laatsch55]

My daddy showed me that trick Nando when I was just a little scudder....

 

[Northwinds]

First of all, the octane rating in Australia would be different than in N. America. 91 0ctane rating there is equal to 87 here. RON vs. AKI.

But with older engines, not having a knock sensor for fuel management systems, and depending on what type of driving, carbon builds in the combustion chamber effectively raising the compression ratio of the engine. That's why an old remedy of slowly draining a 1/2 cup of water into the carburetor while feathering the throttle of old engines would clean the combustion chambers because it was effectively steam-cleaning the cylinders.

Do my cars have carbon build-up? - nope.

Nando.

Just have to avoid hydrolock, also using water to "steam clean" can clog up the valves when big chunks of carbon fall of. I have seen it all I think. Running around like a granny will cause a lot of carbon buildup. That's why we "open her up" on the interstates LOL

You can lessen carbon buildup but you can't avoid it either

 

[derek92994]

You can lessen carbon buildup but you can't avoid it either

True, we all know motors are made to 'run' and opening them up once in a while (or almost daily in my case) does them good. After I hit that rev limiter that day, it stunk like hell when I got home, yep, smelt like carbon to me, and it ran so much better after that day.

 

[derek92994]

I have to take my hat off to my old ford engine though. 3.9 litre in line 6 cyl. you could not kill that engine no matter how hard you tried. I ran quality oil in it (30-60 Fuch's) and it was still going well when I sold it. The alloy head would warp like a bitch if you over heated them so it ran on an 82c thermo instead of a 91c. Got ripped off when buying it, drove around without a head gasket for 3 months before it finally let go, but didn't cook it. A head shave later and new gasket, good as gold after that, more compression too.

 

[Elite-ist]

My work partner, who had his own transmission and radiator shop, used to install water injection kits for vehicles back in the 70's. The kit would increase fuel mileage. It had a trade name such as Fuel Miser, Maker, something of that sort. Check here for some info about the DIY kit:

http://www.dave-cushman.net/misc/mannject.html

I don't recommend this methood to be used, only as an example of the process.

Nando.

 

[Elite-ist]

True, we all know motors are made to 'run' and opening them up once in a while (or almost daily in my case) does them good. After I hit that rev limiter that day, it stunk like hell when I got home, yep, smelt like carbon to me, and it ran so much better after that day.

Just like Gypsy feels much better today. Pretty good analogy, heh!

Nando.

 

[derek92994]

Just like Gypsy feels much better today. Pretty good analogy, heh!

Nando.

Yeah she needed some injector cleaner (cat lax), was probably stress too, lots of new smells in this place for her to get used to.

 

[Web Police]

It has its advantages being over here. I think it all evens out in the end.

It was a joke.

I think our power is cheaper though, costs me about $500 for 3 months of power, that's with A/C on as much as I want, 2 computers, Amps/Pre Amps/Other Components, 2x Air filters, CCTV, and 2 lights left on at all times when I'm not sleeping.

At the moment I have the A/C on, 2 tape decks, 1 cd player, the WOPL, Pre amp, Computer with 2 monitors, 3 Air Filters, 2 Lights and I'm drawing about 1400 watts from the grid at 250 volts.

I guess depsnds upon the home size. I use about $100 a month in electricity in the warm months with the a/c on. Fall winter and spring I use about $45 a month in electricity. I also have natural gas for heating, cooking and hot water. spring, summer and fall I use about $35 to $30 a month in gas, in winter from $75 to $100 depending upon how cold it is.

Of course I live in a 1400sq home with only two walls exposed to outside temps.

I'll have to check Electrical costs but it is somewhere around 10 to 15 cents per kilowatt. I get a 25% discount in summer by letting the power company cycle my a/c compresser on the hottest of days to regulate electrical demand on the grid. That usually only happens a few times a year for a few hours they cycle it on and off for 15 minute periods in the evening. I get the discount from May through September on all of my electricity.

 

[Web Police]

Nando a buddy of mine used water injection in his 69 Buick GS with the twin turbos. This was in the days before fuel injection and or electronic ignition mind you. He used Natural gas to make the combustion cleaner with the turbo.

 

[derek92994]

It was a joke.

I guess depsnds upon the home size. I use about $100 a month in electricity in the warm months with the a/c on. Fall winter and spring I use about $45 a month in electricity. I also have natural gas for heating, cooking and hot water. spring, summer and fall I use about $35 to $30 a month in gas, in winter from $75 to $100 depending upon how cold it is.

Of course I live in a 1400sq home with only two walls exposed to outside temps.

I'll have to check Electrical costs but it is somewhere around 10 to 15 cents per kilowatt. I get a 25% discount in summer by letting the power company cycle my a/c compresser on the hottest of days to regulate electrical demand on the grid. That usually only happens a few times a year for a few hours they cycle it on and off for 15 minute periods in the evening. I get the discount from May through September on all of my electricity.

We are on 27 cents per kilowatt but they have raised the fixed 'supply to home' charges (bastards). A friend of mine in texas tells me he pays $300 a month!! but he has 'ducted' air conditioning, a huge system. My biggest disadvantage is the fact that I get charged PEAK RATE for my electric hot water system no matter what time of day it is because there is not enough room in the meter box to put a second 'off peak' meter (large apartment complex). I have an electric stove which I don't use (use camper butane gas stoves), but the glass bowl oven is electric (for chips and other eats), so to save power I have been doing lots of stir frys on the gas stove. Up stairs is un livable due to the heat in the summer so I don't use the two rooms up there apart from audio gear/computer part storage and a guest room. Of course I give the option for guests to sleep down stairs on a mattress where the a/c is.

 

[Web Police]

Yep if you live in Texas you need a/c for 9 months a year so no doubt it would be expensive. I really only need a/c for half the days each summer between June and September.

Texas weather would be very similar to yours. It is -15 C here now with a low tonight of -25C. Texas would be 18 C with 8C overnight in the warmer areas today