Vt Calais

[Blown350]

Hello all.

Have been reading forum with Interest over the past couple of weeks.
Have just purchased a 97 VT Calais, fully optioned - V6 Supercharge, leather trim, Electric sunroof etc - for $17,500 and had a couple of questions.

1. Have had varying advice as to whether I should use be Premium unleaded fuel or Regular, any advice on that.
2. Also upon RAC Inspection it was found that rear 'eye level' brake light was inoperable, was told by sales person that it was against regulations to have three brake lights operable i.e. normal, spoiler and rear windscreen so thats why it was not working.
Made sense to me but can't say ive ever heard of that before??

Anyways am looking forward to participating in discussions, although I have little background in mechanics, and thank Just Commodores for providing the facilities to enhance the Commodore community.

Cheers!!

 

[The1985divo]

Hi welcome to JC

With the eye level light not working it, should be working it is out there for a reason and on a car ALL lights should be working regardless if has more than two.

I have 4 tail lights Normal, eye level and spoiler, i was told they must all be working if they are attached to the car.

 

[Tatiana]

I have the rear brake light working as well as the lights in my spoiler.

As for the fuel, I find she does run better on the premium, more response. I know it's 10 cents more than regular, but then your supposed to get what you pay for.

 

[Troy]

Use premium, you'll be better off for it. I'm pretty sure that in the Holden Owners Manual that comes with the car and lives in the glove box say's that the stated power level and torque figures for the blown 6 have been acheived on premium unleaded. You'll have less chance of pinging with premium on a supercharged engine.

 

[speedfreak]

premium is better for your engine, injectors and your oil as its cleaner and burns better

 

[Blown350]

Thanks for the feedback.

I have received some guidance from the RAC on the rear light issue, their response in part...

" With reference to the Motor Vehicle Standards Act and Australian Design Rule 60/00,vehicles produced on or after 1st July 1989 were required to have a 'Centre High-Mounted Stop Lamp' on the rear of the vehicle.....we would advise that the 'Centre High-Mounted Stop Lamp' be repaired in order to function correctly and the spoiler light be disconnected from operation"

The windscreen light is at the bottom of the windscreen and is positioned directly behind the spoiler light, so im thinking of leaving it unoperable for now and running with the spoiler light.

As for the fuel, the manual says the supercharged V6 should run on premium (95 octane) unleaded fuel for best performance and fuel consumption, but will run 'satisfactorily' on regular (91 octane) unleaded.
Looks like premium 's the go.

Picked it up yesterday from the yard and am loving it totally, but thats no surprise really seeing that ive been driving a 82 VH Commodore which was well past its use by date for the past 15 years.....this is definately a step in the right direction

 

[speedfreak]

Shell optimax is 98% occ go with that

 

[235rwkw]

the high level brake light must be disconnected if you have a spoiler with brake lights in it, is the rules. NO car from the factory has the high brake light (in the back window operating when a factory spoiler is fitted. The only ones you see that do were ones fitted at home and they have not dissconnected the window one. which is illegal. depends on the state i spose thats the case in NSW anyway.

why do you need it when the spoiler one is the same hieght anyway and block the view of it from behind

Fuel BP ultimate is by far the better 98 octane rated fuel. it has the lowest sulphur content, lower benzine and is cleaner burning.

Optimax has to many additiives in it and more sulphur, benzine etc these while clean your injectors but clog your o2 sensors and cats, give off more smell etc.

Many engine and chassis dyno runs have shown better more consistant power results with BP ultimate. and no i don't work for BP.

Sure shell optimax is used by the V8 supercars but they have a batch mixed up for them for the season, so they all get the same spec fuel all the time. seems to be variations in the stuff at petrol stations sometime ok other times its crap

 

[Tatiana]

QUOTE The only ones you see that do were ones fitted at home and they have not dissconnected the window one. which is illegal. depends on the state i spose thats the case in NSW anyway.

My rear spoiler was fitted by a well known business here in SA that the Holden Dealer sent me to. They specialise in modifications to cars and I am sure they would know what is illegal. Given they never disconnected the rear high brake light, I imagine it is not illegal here is SA.

 

[SUPERV6]

Hi All,

I bought my VT 'S' Super 6 new back in 98 and the rear window eye level brake light has NEVER operated. I have never seen any factory S or SS commodore, with the boot spoiler fitted, have their rear window brake lights work, the spoiler light is always the one that does the job. Whats the point when the spoiler light is about the same height anyway. I have noticed many Exec's that have had boot spoilers fitted later and the have the rear widow light still hooked up. Wether or not its legal or illegal my personal opinion is that with the spolier brake light and the rear window light BOTH working it looks plain stupid anyway!! And if anything I find it distracting when behind a car that is wired up that way?? Probably coz I know its not quite right?

As far as ULP vs PULP......go for the PULP. I buy my pulp from my rural bulk fuel distributor, 1000 litres at a time so that I always have it on hand. Plus I use it for small engines etc too for slight power gains. As a comparison on long trips I am able to get 800 km's out of a tank of PULP but only 640 km's out of a tank of ULP. I was able to do that test once when cruising across the nullabor plain. If anything I was pushing it harder with overtaking and cruised at 120km/h all day with the PULP where as with the ULP i cruised at 110 and overtook very little traffic. So to me the PULP is the way to go for sure.

Cheers
Rob