H2o-uk

iTrader: (1)

Question, I have read a fair few threads on here about how people use Octane booster , or use VPower / Optimax / Super Unleaded etc...

However when I purchased my 03 WRX from a Subaru Main Dealer , they said there was no performance benefit from using such fuel, and that regular unleaded would be fine. Maybe the higher octane would make t feel smoother, but not worth the extra money.

Whats the general consensus on the benefits of higher octane fuel ? and Costs involved ?

Thanks

danny-goddard

v-power is top fuel mate the higher the ron the better it burns. it burns cooler and cleaner. if you up the power through a remap the mapper will be able to run safer higher power and minimise dettonation even when my car was running standed power i always treated it to the good stuff it just seems to run better.

Telf

I always use V-Power. My RB5 is a Prodrive one which says it needs Super Unleaded anyway, it sees to run happier on the more potent stuff, and get a few more miles out of a tank. In the past I sometimes put Tesco Super (also 99 ron) in, but Shell is only about 1p more and I think it is better.
The dealer is probably right, if your car has an ECU expecting normal unleaded, it probably won't get much from super. I go for V-Power as it won't run on unleaded unless I take it for a re-map - like thats gonna happen.

scooby-tc

iTrader: (2)

V power or Tesco99 all day long.I much prefer tescos99 though as v power gives me less mpg and feels slightly sluggish compared to when its run on tesco99 its also 5p/litre more expensive

cossie-nutter

iTrader: (45)

Use Normal Unleaded and when the engine melts take it back and say they were wrong!

lloydee

iTrader: (2)

On the fuel cover of my previous scoob it says 97ron or more only.

V-Power all the way, apparently it's more efficient and goes longer as well.

L.J.F

iTrader: (31)

that is shocking advice from a dealership


always use super unleaded, preferably shell v power or tesco 99. If there is time where you have to use a low ron unleaded make sure you do not drive it like you stole it otherwise you will end up picking pieces of your engine up


Is this your first turbo car by any chance??

Norman Dog

iTrader: (1)

I have been using Sainsbury's Super lately, runs exactly the same as it did with V-Power, maybe even a little better.

Would not chance using 95RON though.

dunx

iTrader: (3)

Tried Sainsbury's SUL, and it seems as good as V-Power in mine...

dunx

scoobiewrx555

Reset your ECU, use 95RON for one tank then Reset your ECU again and use 99RON for the next tank full. If you genuinely cannot feel a difference in power/torque output get yourself an electric scooter.

Every scoob has a knock sensor on board for good reason and will advance/retard timing according to the amount of knock (Detonation) detected as a result of quality/grade of fuel used. You may not neceesarily blow your engine up but it will be right down on power. Eventually however if you keep driving it hard on 95RON it will let go without a doubt!! Ask those poor sods in Ireland driving classic and newage scoobs that can't get hold of anything other than 95RON for whatever reason (and there are many of them) just how badly their cars run, how many engines have let go and just how low on power their cars are. A lot of them use Octane boosters with 95RON but it doesn't really have a huge effect. You're better off using a Methanol mix.

The Subaru Stealer doesn't neccessarily have a clue. I know a couple of Subaru salesmen that run scoobs themselves, and even though they will tell you the customer that it will run fine on 95RON, they actually use 99RON in their own cars. I think this is more a Subaru directive rather than an unknowledgeable dealer.

H2o-uk

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the responses, I'll try a tank of the good stuff next time. How do I go about resetting the ECU ?

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

You don't feed a racehorse sugar lumps; you don't put normal UL in a performance car. Simple as. Even if you don't get into the remapping malarky the car WILL perform better on SUL, the higher octane, the better. Subarus like Vpower and Tescos 99RON.

Mine has never had anything other than Vpower.

scoobiewrx555

If you're not very far away from me i would be happy to reset your newage ECU FOC via my laptop. Anybody with some EOBD/OBDII general diagnostic kit/hand held type device or laptop diagnostic software and cable will be able to reset your ECU. You cannot do it manually unless you leave your car battery disconnected for a long time (many days). You can buy handheld general diagnostic/error code reading kit on eBay very cheaply and if all you want it for is to reset your ECU it will do the job. I'm in Northampton if that's of any help.

V555MAC

iTrader: (4)

I run my classic on V-Power and octane booster, the reason being that it has a Prova ecu which is set up for JDM fuel. Since doing this the car flies now with no erratic running in traffic either

V-POWER all the way

H2o-uk

iTrader: (1)

Thanks Scoobiewrx55 but Im in Leeds, long way to come for an ECU reset. However I do have Vagcom and an OBD2 Diag cable, I could always give it a try my self if you are able to show me a link to how its done.

scoobiewrx555

On an 03 WRX it's dead simple. Directly down from the steering column you'll find the OBDII connector. Just plug in the cable, switch your equipment on and once it discovers the ECU (it may even come up with Vin number info etc... all std OBDII stuff) scroll to the menu bit that comes up 'clear codes'. Don't know exactly what the menu arrangement is on the vagcom but it should be fairly straightforward and self-explanatory. If you get stuck pm me.

cbscooby

iTrader: (1)

my car didn't run well on shell v but was bril wen i started using sainsburys super

zedhed

What does it say on the inside of the fuel filler cap mine says 98 ron and its a 53 wrx uk.

H2o-uk

iTrader: (1)

Its says 98 Ron, but as I said when I picked up the car , the sales guy said just to use regular unleaded as it would be fine. Ive only done about 800 miles since I collected the car last week and its been 90% motorway miles very little hammering it around , so hopefully not much damage caused.

I have another couple of hundred miles left in the tank then I'll start using Vpower as thats the local station.

The Rig

iTrader: (13)

its funny how each scoob is different tho, running mine on tesco99 gives me about 20 LESS miles than when i put the same amount in of vpower at the same price per litre and it runs much much better on vpower than tesco99

working out the difference its about £1 more than if i were putting in £20 worth of normal so over the yr thats say,£100 more than using normal,over say guessing 6 yrs of ownership that £600,a rebuild is a good £3k so a good saving for using vpower !

ginger321

Def get v power into it. Preset your sat nav with all the nearest garages. Dont get BP ultimate my classic was mapped on BP an made 289bhp on a VF34 an 440cc injectors.
on v power i got 301!

winker

iTrader: (1)

your car if it is standard english would run ok on 97 ron if you plan to upgrade or track that is different .

burbling1

iTrader: (1)

I have another couple of hundred miles left in the tank then I'll start using Vpower as thats the local station.[/QUOTE]

Dude how bigs your tank. Im lucky to get 200 miles out of a tank never mind another couple of hundred.

brammer

I asked the same thing when i bought mine - PPP cert says 95 ron is fine but the general responce on here was 97+ ron so i tested the 2 and the results were 95 is a waste of time (fuel economy down) Tesco's 99 for around the town and on long runs V-power worked better, but thats my car.

Tesco 99 MPG = 25 (mainly off boost driving)

Anubis

i use v-power or tesco 99, not sure how it runs on newer cars but on my old scooby you really noticed the difference, when i got my black wrx (jap import) the ppl before run it on unleaded, it ran lumpy and had virually no power, so after the tank was run down i put a tank of v power in and it was like a new car, since then i allways run my cars on v power and never looked back

H2o-uk

iTrader: (1)

Burbling1, Ive actually managed just short of 400 miles on a tank before the light came on, and yes I know I shouldnt run it below a quarter full, but I forgot my wallet and was willing it on Its a standard 03 WRX, apart from a Prodrive backbox and straight through centre pipe.

Mr. WRX

I was watching 5th Gear the other day (repeat on dave) and they did a test on fuels:

Results:

(BHP)

------------------CLIO------Golf------Impreza-------(impreza's torque)
Supermarket 95-----81-------172-------235--------------232
Ultimate------------81-------174-------248--------------248
Optimax------------81-------177-------249--------------258

So not much difference on the clio or golf but quite a bit on the impreza

the_big_1

iTrader: (1)

What suppermarket did they say? Looks like 26 gain between suppermarket and optimax?

H2o-uk

iTrader: (1)

Ok, VPOWER is in the tank, driven about 100 miles on it doesnt feel any different. I'm assuming this is because the ECU will take a couple of tanks to adjust to the higher octane its now receiving ?

scoobiewrx555

Filling your car with V-Power or Tesco 99RON when it's absolutely empty is a good start and an ECU reset so your car quickly learns brand new values from the new fuel is a big plus.