premium unleaded

[Burty65]

Spot on

Higher premium fuel will only work on two conditions:
1. If the car has knock sensors, which I assume the VZ should have one (the BA/BF non LPG cars do).
2. If the car has been tuned for the fuel

Otherwise your throwing money drain.



Boost is a 98 octane fuel that has been blended with 10% alcohol. This will be fine in newer cars but not the older one.

This bloke is spot on, you are wasting your money on higher RON fuels if the motor is tuned/mapped for regular unleaded, as the motor will not utilise any differing characteristics in the fuels. You are better off using the manufacturers recommended fuel type.

Any perceived savings will be simply either a figment of you imagination, or as a result of altered driving techniques due to the fact that you know you are using a different fuel.

The only other advice that I can give, is:
- use a high vlume fuel outlet where the tanks are clean and fuel is fresh,
- fill up at night when the fuel has not expanded due to heat
- look for suppliers with zero ethanol (the RACV reckon it is part of the reason for all these fuel sender/computer faults)

 

[BobT]

The most recent issue of NRMA's Open Road magazine did an article of fuel types. Apparently we are wasting our money putting anything other than 91RON (unleaded) in our tanks. The alloytec is simply not designed to be able to get the benefit out of premium fuels.

I’ve tried 91, 95 and 98. I’ve done accurate figures on fuel consumption. There’s nothing in it. I must admit that knowing I’ve got 98 in the tank makes me dive aggressively and there is that perception of performance but I reckon it’s all in the head. I certainly don’t intend to make the oil companies any richer for no real performance.

Having said that, I would have thought it fairly easy to retune the alloytec for premium. I’m surprised no one has done it. That would certainly give more power than putting on a “sports” exhaust or a high low (high dirt) air cleaner.

 

[shrapnel]

I have not tried PULP yet as I am enjoying actually being able to run a car on standard unleaded after owning several Euro cars for the past 10 years or so. Euro cars simply revolt on a standard ULP diet.

Alan, I'm in the same situation, I've gone from Volvos to Alfas and now owning a petrol guzzler. My 2c worth re percieved power improvement of my v8... definitely revving the car more knowing you've filled up with PULP... and performance gains most probably all in my head.

 

[vztrt]

The most recent issue of NRMA's Open Road magazine did an article of fuel types. Apparently we are wasting our money putting anything other than 91RON (unleaded) in our tanks. The alloytec is simply not designed to be able to get the benefit out of premium fuels.

Can anyone tell me if the Alloytec has a knock sensor? Thats how you know if the engine can have any benefit from premium.

 

[Marty's_SV6]

Can anyone tell me if the Alloytec has a knock sensor? Thats how you know if the engine can have any benefit from premium.

Yes they do, they have twin knock sensors as does the Gen 4.
And as far as I have found out Holden even claims a performance increase over the standard RON fuel.The V6 is tuned for 91 RON but will happily run on higher octain fuels and from my experience in the SV6 i am getting better fuel economy figures during regular and long trips running on 95 RON.
But in the end you do have to form your own opinion on whether u want to shell out the extra bucks.

 

[vztrt]

Yes they do, they have twin knock sensors as does the Gen 4.
And as far as I have found out Holden even claims a performance increase over the standard RON fuel.The V6 is tuned for 91 RON but will happily run on higher octain fuels and from my experience in the SV6 i am getting better fuel economy figures during regular and long trips running on 95 RON.
But in the end you do have to form your own opinion on whether u want to shell out the extra bucks.

Yeah that's true. From my experience if the car is going to just be driven around in the city than 91 or even 95 ron would be the option (as the 95ron should give the car a smoother feel) but if your going to do highway driving than 98 ron is the way to go.
Also you have to remember that the cars computer needs time to learn that the car is running a higher octane fuel. Sometimes if will be about 100km before you get any results.

 

[Marty's_SV6]

My car has now done just over 7000kms and I have been using either 98 or 95 RON for the last 4000kms.

 

[New2Holden]

holden website

I have enjoyed the for and against comments of PULP and note the camp that says you are throwing money down the drain if your vehicle is not tuned for PULP. I was reading the Holden website and see they state that the Holden's staple diet is 91RON however their overview of all models has a notation which says that "power figure quoted with PULP"

 

[VX_KN079]

Petrol - Caltex Premium Unleaded (only one premium there)

Wrong... There's Caltex Premium: 95 RON

And there's Caltex Vortex: 98 RON

 

[VX_KN079]

OK the age old "Better Performance with Higher RON Fuel" arguement.


LISTEN UP EVERYONE!!! I haven't read all posts in this thread in detail but the only possible way to get better performance from a higher octane fuel is to tune the engine specifically to the higher octane level. This includes compression ratios, spark, valve timing etc.

Yes the engine will run hotter (and therefore cleaner) and there will be a marginal (not more than 1%) improvement in mileage but that's it!!!

The Alloytecs are all tuned for 91 RON fuel. There is no befefit in running anything higher in it at all... Bottom line... But hey, if you can afford it, do it.