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I accidently put about a half of a tank of regular unleaded gas in my car the other day. I've always used supreme unleaded in the past but I guess I just had a brain cramp or something. But I slowed down to pull into a parking lot and when I went to accelerate it kind of coughed and then seemed to run fine. Could it have been the fuel or should I be looking into it further? It hasn't done it again but I also have added more supreme unleaded since then. So hopefully it was just the gas. I suppose my real question is, does it make that much of a difference which fuel you use? Thank you for any input.

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It is a Northstar, isn't it? You can use regular. I do not think the fuel had something to do with what you described. Mine is 4.9 and only premium is supposed to be used but I use 89 and even regular sometimes and did not notice any difference in performance.

The saddest thing in life is wasted talent

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even though people on this board say theres no difference, i have experianced this problem as well, filled up with premium and octane boost to "cleanse" the system. and poof! problem solved, that was the last time i did that, and hell its only 10-20 cents extra, who gives a *smurf*.... if it will do better to my motor why not. and secondly it says right on my dash, fuel door, and owners manual, PREMIUM UNLEADED ONLY. so have fun. this is my lil' tid bit. ;)

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I suppose my real question is, does it make that much of a difference which fuel you use? Thank you for any input.

No. I think the likely cause of your problem was something more along the lines of water in the gas or something. Your engine certainly should not cough on 87 octane fuel, even if 93 is absolutely required (which it's not). The point that premium isn't that more expensive is certainly true, and it's why I always use premium, but the regular unleaded is not causing the problem in your car. Put a bottle of dry gas in it and see if that clears it up.

Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond)

"When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?"

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  • 1 month later...
I suppose my real question is, does it make that much of a difference which fuel you use?  Thank you for any input.

No. I think the likely cause of your problem was something more along the lines of water in the gas or something. Your engine certainly should not cough on 87 octane fuel, even if 93 is absolutely required (which it's not). The point that premium isn't that more expensive is certainly true, and it's why I always use premium, but the regular unleaded is not causing the problem in your car. Put a bottle of dry gas in it and see if that clears it up.

Sorry but what exactly is dry gas???????

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Defending Northstar perf a qtr mile at a time!!!!

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I have used 87 and 89 at times with no problems when 93 is too expensive (in excess of $2.50/gal), I dont fill up with it, I just get enough to get me by.

Dry Gas solubilizes free water in the gas tank thereby reducing/removing it. The water is mixed with alcohol and burned with the gas. You can buy dry gas at your favorite parts supply BUT make sure that it ONLY is doing that function, some of these products try to do it all including cleaning the injectors, etc which you don't want...

Solubulize means: To dissolve one material into another.

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How much better is premium then regular? What should I be using? Right now I am using plus!

You really only need to use what your car calls for and I think that is premium in your case, using lesser octane will hamper performance if it calls for premium as the knock sensor will retard timing. What does it say in your manual and on your dash? I think premium

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There are different types of dry gas on the market I read somewhere not to use any that contain methyl alcohol. Mike

If I am not mistaken, dry gas is the same as the 10% methanol that they force on us in the winter months, if I am wrong I stand corrected, whatever its chemical content, it is suppose to 'dry up' and water in the tank..

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How much better is premium then regular? What should I be using? Right now I am using plus!

Premium Yenko that is what my 94 STS calls for any ways not sure about 93 Can't see any reason at all why it would differ from my 94 which calls for premium.

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Defending Northstar perf a qtr mile at a time!!!!

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I have used 87 and 89 at times with no problems when 93 is too expensive (in excess of $2.50/gal), I dont fill up with it, I just get enough to get me by.

Dry Gas solubilizes free water in the gas tank thereby reducing/removing it. The water is mixed with alcohol and burned with the gas. You can buy dry gas at your favorite parts supply BUT make sure that it ONLY is doing that function, some of these products try to do it all including cleaning the injectors, etc which you don't want...

Solubulize means: To dissolve one material into another.

Is that what it's really called if I went in to a parts store and asked for dry gas would they know what it was called? I would like to buy some.

user posted image

Defending Northstar perf a qtr mile at a time!!!!

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There are different types of dry gas on the market I read somewhere not to use any that contain methyl alcohol. Mike

If I am not mistaken, dry gas is the same as the 10% methanol that they force on us in the winter months, if I am wrong I stand corrected, whatever its chemical content, it is suppose to 'dry up' and water in the tank..

Yes, it says Premium I Think, but I usually go back and fourth from Plus and Premium. So you think I should stick with premium! :D

IMPORT CRUSHER

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I have used 87 and 89 at times with no problems when 93 is too expensive (in excess of $2.50/gal), I dont fill up with it, I just get enough to get me by.

Dry Gas solubilizes free water in the gas tank thereby reducing/removing it.  The water is mixed with alcohol and burned with the gas.  You can buy dry gas at your favorite parts supply BUT make sure that it ONLY is doing that function, some of these products try to do it all including cleaning the injectors, etc which you don't want...

Solubulize means: To dissolve one material into another.

Is that what it's really called if I went in to a parts store and asked for dry gas would they know what it was called? I would like to buy some.

Yes it says dry gas on it, they have a regular strength and heavy duty that is suppose to pick up more water, I dont know anything more than that in terms of whether heavy duty is a problem, but I usually use regular strength..

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I accidently put about a half of a tank of regular unleaded gas in my car the other day. I've always used supreme unleaded in the past but I guess I just had a brain cramp or something. But I slowed down to pull into a parking lot and when I went to accelerate it kind of coughed and then seemed to run fine. Could it have been the fuel or should I be looking into it further? It hasn't done it again but I also have added more supreme unleaded since then. So hopefully it was just the gas. I suppose my real question is, does it make that much of a difference which fuel you use? Thank you for any input.

If it only "coughed" once then I wouldn't do a thing. I can understand getting a little excited if it keeps happening but you stated that it had not. I've had the occassional rogue cough as I'm sure most have at one time or another. Perhaps there was a full moon that night :D . As far as the octane goes. It's Northstar performance under the hood not a briggs and straton. 91 or higher is the recommendation last I read. Nice model year by the way :lol:

"Burns" rubber

" I've never considered myself to be all that conservative, but it seems the more liberal some people get the more conservative I become. "

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Cadillac_Caddy_STS

You probably don't need it if your gas is 10% methanol. That 10% will dry up all the condensation you'r ever likely to get in your tank. If you insist on using something I think Guru just recently mentioned it. He said use something that says "iso" on the lable. I think it was isobutylalcohol or something on that order.

Yenko,

You can burn anything. If you want the optimum performance burn premium. If you want to save money, burn regular. The Northstar spark knock detector is very effective and will allow you to burn regular with very little effect. I have been running it for over 2 years now and can't tell the difference. Search the archives. This subject has been beat to death so you should find lots of info.

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Cadillac_Caddy_STS

You probably don't need it if your gas is 10% methanol. That 10% will dry up all the condensation you'r ever likely to get in your tank. If you insist on using something I think Guru just recently mentioned it. He said use something that says "iso" on the lable. I think it was isobutylalcohol or something on that order.

Yenko,

You can burn anything. If you want the optimum performance burn premium. If you want to save money, burn regular. The Northstar spark knock detector is very effective and will allow you to burn regular with very little effect. I have been running it for over 2 years now and can't tell the difference. Search the archives. This subject has been beat to death so you should find lots of info.

Ranger that is good to know, when I use 89 I am not happy about it. At some point there was a discussion about the improper octane causing carbon buildup, do you recall that? Maybe it was using premium when regular was called for, but i forget.

I thought the the methanol was the same as dry gas..

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Mike,

I've never heard the term "dry gas" but methanol may well be the same thing. I know it is used in "gas driers" like "Boost" & "Heat".

There has been so much banter about octane that I am begining to overload my memory chip. I don't think it will have any affect on carbon build up but I can't say that I recall that discussion.

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Cadillac_Caddy_STS

You probably don't need it if your gas is 10% methanol. That 10% will dry up all the condensation you'r ever likely to get in your tank. If you insist on using something I think Guru just recently mentioned it. He said use something that says "iso" on the lable. I think it was isobutylalcohol or something on that order.

Yenko,

You can burn anything. If you want the optimum performance burn premium. If you want to save money, burn regular. The Northstar spark knock detector is very effective and will allow you to burn regular with very little effect. I have been running it for over 2 years now and can't tell the difference. Search the archives. This subject has been beat to death so you should find lots of info.

O I see I probly won't use any then! ;)

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Defending Northstar perf a qtr mile at a time!!!!

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I've never tried anything except premium, so I cannot compare the grades. Run it pretty dry before you fill up. One thing that has been mentioned is that pemium give you better mileage, and I have heard, because of this, it's cheaper to burn premium because you get more miles per dollar. If you were one who fools with the mileage computer and its averages, you could compare the differences and post them.

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I tried running regular gas a while back in my Northstar. I noticed 2-3 MPG drop and a very slight power loss. I went back to premium and MPG came back up.

As far as the engine stumble that never came back, just forget about it. Do not worry about it unless it becomes more frequent. If you do add some dry gas make sure you do it with a full tank. Gas additives can eat through the wiring harness and cause fuel pump failure, so be careful adding anything.

Around where I live the stores are monitoring the sale of "heet". If you buy large quantities you may expect a visit from you local law enforcement. I guess "heet" is an ingredient for "meth labs".

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an01sts Posted on Jan 8 2005, 10:39 PM

  I've never tried anything except premium, so I cannot compare the grades. Run it pretty dry before you fill up. One thing that has been mentioned is that pemium give you better mileage, and I have heard, because of this, it's cheaper to burn premium because you get more miles per dollar. If you were one who fools with the mileage computer and its averages, you could compare the differences and post them. 

Interesting. I've never put anything but regular in mine. I did fill er' up @ 1/2 full with premium once but I didn't notice any difference. But for the heck of it, I'll try and get my STS near empty and measure the fuel mileage on one of these 200 mile trips, road construction permitting.

Jim

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I put the mid grade gas in my STS I think I will use all the gas thats in it know and put in the supreme just to see if theres any difference.

user posted image

Defending Northstar perf a qtr mile at a time!!!!

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When I burn premium in my '98 Seville I can see an instant 2-3 MPG increase

on the 'inst mpg' readout on the dash and the 'miles per tank' computes to approx

50 miles more than when I run standard octane gas.

Based on these findings, Premium doesn't seem to cost any more than regular gasoline in the long run.

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