Lostboy

I have owned a 94 WRX import for the last 4 months. The guy I bought it of didn’t tell me anything about only running it on Super Unleaded or adding Octane booster. My questions are this:

1. How do I know if this car has been re-mapped to run on standard unleaded?
2. If it hasn’t then have I done any damage but running it on unleaded so far?
3. Can anyone tell me what garages do super Unleaded as I can’t seem to find any?
4. Does it matter what make of octane booster I add?

I’m off tonight to give it a BIG drink of Super Unleaded. (If I can find some)

ChrisB

Best places to try for SUL are generally Esso or BPs.

Lostboy

Cheers Chris. Got one of them not too far away.

Attu

Most of the large garages sell SUL, just dont try looking for it at super markets.
Even if its been remaped youd still be wise to run it on SUL, ive got a UK car and would never run it on anything apart from SUL or Optimax.
Just ask your self why you bought the car in the first place? was it because it was cheep it run ? or was it because its a performance car ? Subaru Turbo's require good petrol to get the best out of them never mind thinking about pinking.

Andy

Lostboy

Cheers Andy, I don't mind the running costs as I was aware of that before I bought the car. I just honestly didn't know that it required SUL until I read it on here. The engine doesn't pink at all in fact it runs like a dream. I will fill up with SUL tonight and everytime from now on and hope that no damage has been done.

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

If you have been ragging the car to the red line you may not have noticed "pinking", we call it det and its terminal
You MUSt run on super unleaded and if the guy who sold you the car has been running it on unleaded ill not give you much hope on what the engine will be like a few k down the line
As for octane booster.... NF seems to be the one most people go for, you could try www.scoobymania.co.uk or www.scoobysport.co.uk and see what they stock in the way of octane boosters

Tony

Lostboy

Fortunatly I have not been giving it loads due to a warped front disc(New group N discs, Calipers and Pads arrived this morning) and I have recently had an intermediate service.

I will use SUL from now on and take it easy for a while to get the old **** out of the system.

Apart from that I guess it's just a case of keeping my fingers crossed.

Cheers for the advise. If it does blow you'll see me ranting on here some time in the future.

JohnS

iTrader: (1)

The earlier cars are more tolerant of NUL than the later ones, as the engine wasn't tuned quite so close to the edge as the later ones. In terms of power output, they aren't rated that much higher than UK cars which are mapped for NUL.

I would still run on SUL at all times for safety and longevity (especially in hot weather like we have just now), but the occasional half tank full of NUL when no SUL can be found isn't so bad as it is with the later cars (generally 96 onwards).

John

Attu

You may want to reset the ECU when youve done a few miles on SUL as the knock sensor should have retarded your timeing right back.


Andy

Lostboy

Cheers John, Noted. The car has been midly tuned. It has a full Scoobysport exhaust, Organic bronze filter clutch, baily's dump valve will these mods increase the likleyhood of damage?

Lostboy

Cheers ATTU....Sorry for the ignorance but how do I do that?

Esoteric Beast

aving a similar problem car have been running on super unleaded and ran really well filled it up with optimax and it runns like a bag of nails.......should I get the ECU reset?

barge

chuck some shell optimax in it & reset the ecu.

then drive nice & steady but firmly for a fewmiles before hooning it.

Esoteric Beast

ttt

Attu

Have a look at this web site for ECU reset instructions or you can just remove the battery for a few hours.

http://www.mrtrally.com.au/performance/howresetecu.htm

Andy

Esoteric Beast

Thanks Andy

Markus

I too have a MY94 WRX, albeit a wagon.

I've had it for 2 and a half years, and for the first year and a half I ran it on normal 95 RON fuel. SHOCK HORROR!! my reasons? well, it is only a 220bhp model, and not a 240/260/280 monster, plus I had spoken to other wrx wagon owners and they said that 95 RON would be ok.

I went on a nice trip to Germany, and thought I'd do a test. 95 on the way out 97/98 on the way back in. Did not notice any real differences in performance (and I DID reset the ECU to account for higher octane fuel).

However, I did get a decatted downpipe put on last december and since then I've run only on optimax, or SUL if I can't get any optimax. why? well, just to be safe to be honest.

I have also run the car on optimax plus NOS OB and found not much difference, and I was giving the car a rather large session over in france and germany.

So, it's up to you what you run on. Personally I'm a bit taken by optimax so would always run on that or SUL.

HOWEVER!!! If the car was an STi then it would have been run on SUL/Optimax ALL the time, and prob OB now and then. Or, I'd have it remapped for SUL/Optimax.

Being the chap I am, I have considered a Link ECU, and if I do get one, I will get it mapped for SUL/Optimax, because the standard ECU will still really be expecting 100 RON cos that is what they have in Japan.

Hope this helps in some way.

Esoteric Beast

thanks markus I'll will be running it on optimax all the time so will have to reset the ecu