About gasoline, diesel and other fuels.
38
votes
8answers
5k views
What are the benefits of premium (high octane) petrol?
Here in the UK it's common for petrol (gas) stations to offer both regular and "premium" unleaded petrol. The premium stuff is (naturally) more expensive, and I've often wondered what the actual ...
27
votes
8answers
3k views
Does the amount of fuel in the tank matter?
As long as there is some fuel in the tank, does the fuel level matter? In other words, is it advisable to make sure the tank is mostly full most of the time, or is this just silly? In other words, are ...
23
votes
3answers
15k views
How long does it take for gas to go bad?
Approximately how long does it take for unleaded gasoline in the tank and fuel lines to become unusable in a car that is not being used? What causes this, and what can be done to prevent or remedy ...
14
votes
8answers
11k views
Will higher octane fuel improve gas mileage?
I've heard from some people that high octane fuel will increase gas mileage. Around here, we have the basic unleaded(87), mid-grade(89), and premium(93 or 91). I've been using the basic 87 unleaded ...
9
votes
6answers
3k views
How to properly dispose of old fuel?
I have some old 2 stroke mixed gas I need to get rid of. This could also apply to old fuel removed from a sitting car or any vehicle for that matter. What is the proper way to dispose of this? Are ...
9
votes
3answers
3k views
How do I safely siphon gas from a tank?
Our 2003 Windstar was recently totaled in an accident (everybody's ok). This happened the day after we filled the tank.
Before we hand over the car to the insurance, we'd like to get the fuel out of ...
8
votes
4answers
2k views
How to improve fuel economy in high-mileage car?
I'm driving an 2003 Acura TL 3.2 with 177K miles on it.
I bought the car with 110K miles on it.
It seems to me that the car is not getting the same fuel economy that it did when I acquired it. I ...
7
votes
1answer
1k views
how to optimize fuel consumption by changing the rear differential ratio?
Is it possible to improve the fuel consumption (decrease it) in my van by changing the rear differential ratio? I would like to optimize it for low-speed driving about 40 km/h (25 mph).
Is it true ...
7
votes
1answer
439 views
how can I measure the amount of fuel injected into a diesel engine in real time in a purely mechanic pre-OBD vehicle?
This is a Mercedes-Benz 308D van, year 1992, model 602.316. Pre-OBD, no electronics of any sort, everything is purely mechanical.
I would like to retrofit a system which would measure the precise ...
6
votes
7answers
6k views
Diesel vs Petrol motorcars. Pro's and cons?
I realize this may be a silly question to those of you on here who are proper petrol-heads and this may even be a repeat question, but I could not find anything on it on here, so here goes:
What are ...
6
votes
4answers
665 views
Subsitute for Leaded Gas
I have an old '73 240-Z that I am fixing up in class. Once I get it running, will I need to add something to the gas? I know that old cars ran on leaded fuel, the lead lubricating the parts as it ...
6
votes
3answers
2k views
Is high octane fuel a requirement for high-compression engines?
I own and use a 2005 Chrysler Crossfire SRT-6 as my daily commuter vehicle. I'm not interested in trying to eek out a few extra miles on a tank, I want to keep the vehicle and its engine running as ...
6
votes
2answers
669 views
Cleaning fuel injectors?
I took my car (2006 Honda Civic) to firestone to get an oil change and they told me I should get the fuel injectors cleaned. I was in an Advanced Discount Auto Parts store the other day and I noticed ...
5
votes
2answers
768 views
How to know how much fuel is left when the light turns on
In general, where can one find information about the quantity of fuel that is left in the vehicle's tank when the warning light turns on?
More specifically, in a Suzuki Swift GLX (auto) 2010 model?
5
votes
2answers
8k views
Are fuel system cleaners (like Gumout) worth using regularly?
Are fuel system cleaners (like Gumout) worth using regularly?
5
votes
4answers
650 views
How to tune the ECU / fuel trim in a custom-built engine
I have a Gen VI 454 in my Suburban that needs some work. I'm thinking about turning it into a 496 stroker. Once I find a list of mechanical components (crank, cam, pistons, heads... everything) that ...
5
votes
4answers
6k views
Racing Fuel (100 Octane Rating) - Better than Premium?
Earlier today while driving out East on Long Island I stopped to fill my tank with gas, and at the station, all the pumps had the usual Regular, Mid, Premium on one pump, but on the 2nd pump which ...
5
votes
4answers
190 views
Is it even possible to buy gasoline anymore that does not contain ethanol in the US?
I can't remember the last time I went to a gas station and it didn't have a notice that the gas contained some quantity of ethanol. As I understand it, ethanol is harder on my engine than regular ...
5
votes
3answers
122 views
I'm looking to buy a new car and I'm wondering what does more damage on a car: time or miles?
So the title is pretty self explanatory. I'm looking at getting a minivan, and there is a 2011 model with 50k miles, and a 2008 model with like 30k miles.
What's better? Is it better to have ...
5
votes
1answer
1k views
Test Gasoline for Water Content
I live in a small town, and the Gas station there has a bad reputation for gas quality. With rumors like peoples gas tanks freezing solid and such.
Is there a quick, safe, cheap way to test for ...
5
votes
2answers
702 views
Car is sluggish, jerking and idles rough.
I have a VW Polo Classic, 1.6L.
Just recently it started to be slightly jerky when in idle and whilst driving. There is also a loss of power, a strong fuel smell, and sounding slightly like a VW ...
5
votes
2answers
85 views
1993 Jeep stalls on acceleration, floods, hard to start
My 1993 Jeep Wrangler has about 200,000 miles, in good shape. It usually starts right up, but it's started intermittently flooding, so that I have to crank and crank with the accelerator all the way ...
4
votes
4answers
496 views
Does the tachometer provide any indication of fuel usage?
So, I'm driving along on the highway with the A/C blasting when I notice the price of gas. It makes me think, "what can I do to increase my fuel efficiency?" Some of the tips I've heard have included ...
4
votes
2answers
1k views
Why should the fuel petcock valve be turned to “Off” position when not using the vehicle?
It’s mentioned in the user manual of my motorbike, that when not using the vehicle, I should turn the petrol tap (the one that has three positions “On”, “Off” and “Reserve”) to “Off” position. I don’t ...
4
votes
7answers
2k views
When given a choice between octane 89 and 93, which should I choose?
I just recently got a 2005 Volvo S40 with a turbo engine; I want to take good care of it, so naturally, when the instruction manual recommends 91 octane fuel but says it takes a minimum of 87, I have ...
4
votes
1answer
903 views
Difference between high octane and low octane?
What is the difference between high octane and low octane fuel? I'm not asking if one is better than the other for my vehicle, specifically, but rather what occurs differently both scientifically and ...
4
votes
1answer
603 views
Is there a standard for how much fuel is left in the tank when the meter reads empty?
I know this question is very similar, but I am specifically talking about the fuel gauge and not an indicator light. Almost every car I've owned could run for quite a while with the fuel gauge reading ...
4
votes
2answers
921 views
Why does my engine perform poorly and get bad gas mileage after using fuel injector cleaner?
At the advice of someone at a local auto parts shop, I poured a bottle of fuel injector cleaner into my gas tank. This happened around the same time that I had a brake job done and rotated my tires.
...
4
votes
2answers
322 views
2010 Toyota Corolla - pumping gas - the gas pump kicks off constantally
In another forum someone said "Screen down the fillneck may be partialy plugged up with matter." Is this something a neophyte can change or fix himself, or should I take it to an auto shop? How can I ...
4
votes
1answer
294 views
1997 Geo Metro dies after driving for a short time. What next in diagnosing culprit
Back Story: I recently took my Geo Metro on a road trip. 2700 miles of road trip. The first 800 mile nothing happened. Then going up a hill it died, dropped from 75 mph to 55 mph then the engine ...
4
votes
1answer
119 views
Fuel leaking out of drain tube
I just purchased a 1985 Suzuki gs300l. When I put gas in the tank it immediately started pouring out the drain tube that is connected to the air box. What is wrong and how can I fix it?
3
votes
2answers
283 views
What is E85 gasoline and how can I avoid it?
My new mower says not to use E85 gasoline. What is E85 gasoline, why should I avoid it, and how do I know if I'm buying it?
3
votes
5answers
280 views
2007 prius premium gas or not?
I have a 2007 prius with around 125000 miles. my mileage dropped about a year ago. I had the fuel jets cleaned, but it didn't really make a difference. the dealer shop said it probably was the ...
3
votes
1answer
215 views
Add 2 stroke oil to a 4 stroke petrol engine during burn-in period
I'm planning to get a new petrol (gasoline) car soon.
A friend of mine, who worked as a motorbike mechanic when he was young, told me he puts a small quantity (125 ml / 4 oz) of 2 stroke oil in the ...
3
votes
1answer
74 views
Proper fuel for motorcycles?
I've heard that regular petrol (92 octane ULP) from some fuel companies is not good for motorbikes as it is intended for cars only. Is this just an old wives tale?
3
votes
2answers
559 views
Marine Diesel fuel filter vacuum gauge spiked — filters are new
I've got an 80-HP marine diesel engine (in a sailboat, naturally).
I've got a the Parker/Racor 75500MAX dual fuel filter system with an attached vacuum gauge to monitor resistance.
For the first few ...
3
votes
1answer
856 views
Is it possible to use biodiesel in a BMW 335d if I remove the DPF and remap the ECU?
The new (2009-current) BMW 335d sells in the U.S. with a DPF to reduce emissions, but which prevents the use of biodiesel. I've read about people removing the DPF and re-mapping their ECU to get ...
3
votes
3answers
294 views
Is it feasible to Turbo a NA engine while maintaining 87 AKI octane fuel use?
I initially thought there should be a way to bolt on a small aftermarket turbo onto my naturally-aspirated Honda D17A2 (9.9:1 compression ratio) engine in my EM2 Civic EX without having to switch from ...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
Determining how many miles can be covered on full tank [closed]
I'm interested in the following cars, but the questions apply equally well to any car:
Audi TT
Lexus IS 200 (SE or not?)
I'm finding it difficult to determine the following:
How do I figure out ...
3
votes
2answers
114 views
Can I use 10% ethanol gasoline on equipment that recommends against it?
Not as simple as the title suggests.. I wouldn't hesitate to drive a few more miles to find ethanol-free gas for the snow blower and generator, but there is none to be found. After looking around ...
2
votes
3answers
72 views
Why does my gas not fill all the way?
Same as the title. I have filled twice, different stations, both fill to just over 3/4 and stop. I am not sure if this is the gauge or something with whatever magic tells the pump to stop. Is there ...
2
votes
3answers
656 views
How can increase the fuel-efficiency of my vespa bike?
My factory Vespa bike can travel around 150 KM with its 200 CC engine and 8 lt. of gasoline. What are the suggested modifications to increase the fuel efficiency that one refill will cover? Without ...
2
votes
3answers
55 views
Alternate fuel for motor cyce
In some countries, Government mixes ethanol with petrol & diesel and distributes it to their consumers. This will save some of their imports. My question is
Can I blend petrol with Zatropha ...
2
votes
1answer
182 views
Power Inverters as Emergency Generators?
After being hit by Hurricane Irene last week, I happened to loose power for literally one week so rather than rely completely on batteries and being a nomad, I used my Cobra 400 watt power inverter ...
2
votes
1answer
57 views
What is the difference between an intake manifold and a fuel rail?
I have read that intake manifolds distribute the fuel evenly to all the fuel injectors-- but then I read that the fuel rail did that exact same thing. So obviously I'm missing something. Help!
2
votes
1answer
173 views
Do I really need to use that expensive grade of fuel? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What are the benefits of premium (high octane) petrol?
The owner's manual that comes with my car says that I should use the more expensive higher octane fuel for the ...
2
votes
1answer
152 views
Starting the car with dis-functioning fuel pump
I have mazda 6 diesel 2003 136hp and a problem with a fuel pump.
It seems that the suction control valve (SCV) needs to be replaced.
The problem is that the car will not start and I have to go to ...
2
votes
1answer
277 views
What damage could Gasoline “95E10” do to my Yaris?
In Europe, the standard was to have 95e5 fuel (RON 95 gasoline with 5% ethanol). New guidlines however, make that countries are switching to selling 95e10 (10% ethanol). Finland e.g. (where I live) ...
2
votes
1answer
128 views
Refueling 2004 Toyota Corolla S Causes Problematic Starting
We've got a 2004 Toyota Corolla 'S' that, ever since we acquired it years ago, has problems starting when it is refueled. Basically, the engine will crank for a few seconds before finally taking off. ...
2
votes
1answer
122 views
Cleaning a Jerrycan
I have a couple of 10 Litre steel jerrycans which I used for draining kerosene (UN1223 28sec burning oil) from a tank. After disposing of the kerosene I left the open jerrycans upside down over some ...
