Super unleaded or normal fuel for my 1987 2.5 Lux?
- Thread starter HowardB
- Start date
PSH
PCGB Member
High Howard
95 Ron or normal fuel as you put it is fine for your lux, in fact, it's fine for turbo models too. Putting aside the perceived benefits of the higher octane rating (personally I think it's better for the car) it's not really a concern with our cars unless a turbo and only then if it's highly modified, then it's critical for the engine. IIRC for each extra 1 octane, a turbo engine can have it's boost increased by 2 PSI and be just as safe. My own car, for instance, requires 98 octane as a minimum.
Pete
95 Ron or normal fuel as you put it is fine for your lux, in fact, it's fine for turbo models too. Putting aside the perceived benefits of the higher octane rating (personally I think it's better for the car) it's not really a concern with our cars unless a turbo and only then if it's highly modified, then it's critical for the engine. IIRC for each extra 1 octane, a turbo engine can have it's boost increased by 2 PSI and be just as safe. My own car, for instance, requires 98 octane as a minimum.
Pete
Chrishazle
Active member
Just watch the ethanol content, as UK may follow Europe and put more than 5% ethanol in 95RON, and that would not be good for your fuel lines. E5 (5%) is OK to use, but E10 (10%) is not. Also be careful if in Europe, as I even found a 98RON pump with E10 on it so moved on to another petrol station!
This is now about ethanol content, I believe. We've been told that unleaded is changing from E5 (5%) to E10 (10%)...the advice is that doubling the ethanol content will be detrimental to some components in older fuel systems.
However I'm not sure whether UK fuel suppliers have made this change yet. On a recent trip to Germany I noticed that you can buy E5 and E10 there.
By the way, my S2 seems to go better with 98RON E10. Could be my imagination, but anyway on a limited mileage policy (3000mls) the extra cost doesn't matter that much.....
However I'm not sure whether UK fuel suppliers have made this change yet. On a recent trip to Germany I noticed that you can buy E5 and E10 there.
By the way, my S2 seems to go better with 98RON E10. Could be my imagination, but anyway on a limited mileage policy (3000mls) the extra cost doesn't matter that much.....
when did this change take effect as I certainly have used 95 in the past, not since the engine's rebuild though?
Chrishazle
Active member
I don't know if UK has yet started E10 95RON, but France etc certainly has, and for quite a few years already. I ran my 944lux(1983), 944S (1986) and 968 coupe (1944) on 95RON (max E5) quite happily, but as the 968 became the weekend toy instead of main car, I switched to 98-99RON (normally Tesco Moventum) and IMHO the car is happier on that fuel, and AFAIK no supplier has any plans to add more than 5% ethanol to their premium petrol.
There's been quite a few threads/posts on here and elsewhere over the years about ethanol concerns, a search should find them. The concern about E10 is the detrimental effect on the rubber lining of some of the fuel lines, which could easily lead to plugged injectors.
There's been quite a few threads/posts on here and elsewhere over the years about ethanol concerns, a search should find them. The concern about E10 is the detrimental effect on the rubber lining of some of the fuel lines, which could easily lead to plugged injectors.
944 man
Active member
No FrontRunner needs lead, so it is only octane that they crave. This being the case, those foolishly running cars which needed Four Star octane levels will have been damaging their cars, whether they see/know or say so, or not.
My advice is to follow the guidance found on the sticker on the inside of the filler cap cover.
My advice is to follow the guidance found on the sticker on the inside of the filler cap cover.
Chrishazle
Active member
Simon, this is not about lead - as you say, frontrunners will run quite happily on unleaded fuel. However, ethanol is another matter, as flagged by Porsche in Rob's link. All frontrunners - 968 and earlier - are not suitable for E10 (10% ethanol) petrol unless you have changed out any fuel lines that could be affected by ethanol degradation of the rubber lining - which most owners have not! It's well known that if driving in Europe you have to check the sticker on the pump and not use 95RON E10 (which most if not all 95RON over there now is), and in my personal experience you even have to check the sticker on the 98RON pump, as I pulled up to a 98RON pump in Northern Spain and saw an E10 sticker on it!! In the same area I was also told that Repsol use no ethenol in any of their fuels - but as that was a petrol station man I cannot vouch for the validity of that info.
Under EU regs UK was supposed to be moving to E10 95RON unleaded, but I do not know if that has started. I have seen threads here and on other car forums I frequent where members have contacted major suppliers like Shell and BP and had responses saying that they have no plans to exceed 5% ethanol in their premium (98-99RON) fuels, and with the limited mileage I do in my 968 - and the impression that the car runs better on it - I chose quite a while ago to use nothing but 98-99RON, usually Tesco Moventum for convenience and also because it came out best in something like an Autocar test a couple of years ago.
Under EU regs UK was supposed to be moving to E10 95RON unleaded, but I do not know if that has started. I have seen threads here and on other car forums I frequent where members have contacted major suppliers like Shell and BP and had responses saying that they have no plans to exceed 5% ethanol in their premium (98-99RON) fuels, and with the limited mileage I do in my 968 - and the impression that the car runs better on it - I chose quite a while ago to use nothing but 98-99RON, usually Tesco Moventum for convenience and also because it came out best in something like an Autocar test a couple of years ago.
944 man
Active member
It would be fairer to say that people have made it about ethanol Chris. I have replied to the OP who asked whether to use 95RON or 97/98/99RON fuel.
I think that Greenergy 99RON fuel suits turbocharged cars better (because the high ethanol content prevents detonation and this allows more advance/boost and this outweighs its lower calorific value) but that Optimax/V-Max is much better for normally aspirated cars.
Unfortunately Shell super unleaded is far more expensive and it has a definite and very short shelf life.
I think that Greenergy 99RON fuel suits turbocharged cars better (because the high ethanol content prevents detonation and this allows more advance/boost and this outweighs its lower calorific value) but that Optimax/V-Max is much better for normally aspirated cars.
Unfortunately Shell super unleaded is far more expensive and it has a definite and very short shelf life.
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