Gasoline of choice

[secondchance]

I have been seeing advertisements with valve from a car which had been using brand "x" gas, typically built up with gummy deposits, verses advertised gas w/ nitrogen additive (Shell) or Techron (Chevron and Texaco), which is deposit free.

For those who takes motor apart as a hobby or professionally, is it common to see so much gummy deposits in internal components? Does choice of gas (obviously staying away from non-major brand) make difference or are these ads just b.s. marketing?

My personal choice had been Amoco and Mobil. Of course, Mobil got absorbed by Exxon and Amoco, by BP. Recently I have been running Exxon but had been considering switching to Shell.

[Polo-1]

As long as your valve seals and rings are in good shape, it dont matter. Late model efi motors run lean and clean.

[Aurora40]

When I pulled my injector housings for porting, the secondary intake valve stem was totally crusted up. I doubt it had to do with gasoline choice so much as oil through the intake, leaky injectors, and a lack of using the secondary system often enough.

I think premium octane and frequent exercise is the best way to keep the engine running clean.

[Paul Workman]

There was a thread a while back about this what's the best gasolines e.g. "top tier" gasolines. (C-link to Keith's post reference to Marc Hiabeck's info page).

http://www.zr1netregistry.com/forum/showthread.php?p=53838&highlight=tier+gasolines#post53838

I recently pulled my plenum and injectors for porting and had a chance to look at the nozzles. They were spotless, as were the valves of the primary valves. The secondary valves had a thin layer of a tar-like (oil) goo on them.

NOT on the top tier list, but the fact that the injector nozzles were spotlessly clean was a :thumbsup: vote to the BP/Amoco. The fact that the primary valve was also spotless might suggest there was some good cleaning going on there. There is "some" oil that gets back into the plenum of the LT5s, and I figure the fact that the secondary throttle plates are open relatively rarely in normal driving/cruising was probably the reason the valve didn't get cleaned as well as the primary.

That has all changed now, now that I've opted to pull the secondaries and run on all 16. We'll see. Who knows...Mebby no throttle plates or even rods and a clean valve might be worth another 3-5 hp! Or, mebby not:rolleyes::mrgreen: But! It can't hoit!:thumbsup:

P.

FWIW,

P.

[Aurora40]

I generally get BP/Amoco as well, mainly because they are close, and they always print a receipt. The local Shell station is closer, but almost never has paper in the reciept printer, which pisses me off to no end.

FYI, but "Top Tier" is really more important when running regular or 87 octane. Most premium fuels have good additives, it's in the base stuff that some places cheap out. Top Tier is a rating of the whole fuel lineup, not just premium. BP/Amoco's premium would certainly meet the Top Tier criteria, presumably their base grade stuff does not, which is why they are not certified.

[secondchance]

The fact that the primary valve was also spotless might suggest there was some good cleaning going on there. There is "some" oil that gets back into the plenum of the LT5s, and I figure the fact that the secondary throttle plates are open relatively rarely in normal driving/cruising was probably the reason the valve didn't get cleaned as well as the primary.

That has all changed now, now that I've opted to pull the secondaries and run on all 16. We'll see. Who knows...Mebby no throttle plates or even rods and a clean valve might be worth another 3-5 hp! Or, mebby not:rolleyes::mrgreen: But! It can't hoit!:thumbsup:

P.

FWIW,

P.

Makes sense. I guess this is why there are a lot of discussion over oil catch can. It is tough to dig into secondaries without drawing a lot of attention.

Thanks to all for your thoughts.:cheers:

[Aurora40]

Makes sense. I guess this is why there are a lot of discussion over oil catch can. It is tough to dig into secondaries without drawing a lot of attention.

Thanks to all for your thoughts.:cheers:

Marc H had mentioned once to me that the threshold for de-activating the secondaries was pretty low, something like 4-5% throttle. So if you hammer it in say 4th gear to get them open, you can let off and cruise with the secondaries flowing to clean things out.

It's probably helpful to have a scan tool or something on the car to ensure they are still activated.

[Z Factor]

I only put name brand high octane premium into the ZR-1.

I have tried off name regular for other cars, and at times have gotten a check engine light pop on. When I go back to a name brand, the dummy light goes off.

I seek out Mobil/Exxon whenever possible.

:cheers:

[-=Jeff=-]

Usunally BP, but I have a $15 gift card to burn for Shell

I also use the local grocery store Gasoline, they get theirs form the same refinery BP does and our Grocery store offers 'reward' ($ off up to 15 Gal) for purchases at the store

when i filled the family car on Friday, I got $.45 off per gallon

[Jeffvette]

Tear an engine apart that has been running on race gas, and then the same motor with regular pump gas, and the difference will astound you.

[secondchance]

Tear an engine apart that has been running on race gas, and then the same motor with regular pump gas, and the difference will astound you.

Could you elaborate? Race gas has no detergent and and creates more deposit? Or the reverse?

[Polo-1]

Race Gas has lots of Toluene in it. Major Cleaner.

[evl_twn]

This worries me more than what brand:

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/may2009/bw20090514_058678.htm

Has anyone had issues with the currently available ethanol blended fuels? Or is this nothing to be concerned about?

[secondchance]

Race Gas has lots of Toluene in it. Major Cleaner.

I remember a former member of another forum (may be he was a member here too), Rat Racer. He use to prescribe occasional addition of toulene in gas tank.

[secondchance]

This worries me more than what brand:

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/may2009/bw20090514_058678.htm

Has anyone had issues with the currently available ethanol blended fuels? Or is this nothing to be concerned about?

Yes. You are right!
I just replaced all injectors and 10% ethanol is my primary suspect (and age of the car too to be fair...).

[RICHARD TILL]

i run sonoco 110 octane leaded gas in a 10 second dragboat with brodix heads. valve seals on the intake but not the exhaust. for the last five years that i`ve done annual checks i`ve never found any deposits on any of the valves. the exhaust valves have a lite tan color and the intakes are a little darker. on the next spring change i`m taking the intake valve seals off. i`m also keeping in mind that this motor does`nt know but two levels of rpm`s, high idle for warm-up and wot. the ZR-1 does`nt drink anything but bp 93 octane and i hope i never lay eyes on those valves.

[tomtom72]

two more cents from the peanut gallery. I use BP or shell, chevron when I can find it. I haven't looked in about 4.5 yrs, when I changed the injectors, man my 2* system was all kinds of gummed up.:(

After this weekends cruise I decided that unless I'm up around 80, sixth gear doesn't exist. I swear the car just seems to be smoother after an extended use at 2k rpms or higher.....the trip to BG & back was bliss for my car....for me where I live 4th & 5th seems to yield a great result in the existing traffic on my local highways and the car just seems to be smoother....it even sounds better:dontknow:

[rkreigh]

well this is one place that I think techron and chevron gas might be Ok, but I use BP/Amoco and Sunoco

my "gas quality meter" is my turbo buick. I run full boost with the knock retard gauge on to watch for detonation. the 93 stuff works just fine even with the higher compression on the LSV

this is another time I'm glad I had marc yank the secondary flappers

my car runs on both injectors all the time except dead idle. one disadvantage is emissions. torq stayed the same with just a slight bump in midrange. but the secondaries stay cleaner!

[secondchance]

well this is one place that I think techron and chevron gas might be Ok, but I use BP/Amoco and Sunoco

my "gas quality meter" is my turbo buick. I run full boost with the knock retard gauge on to watch for detonation. the 93 stuff works just fine even with the higher compression on the LSV

this is another time I'm glad I had marc yank the secondary flappers

my car runs on both injectors all the time except dead idle. one disadvantage is emissions. torq stayed the same with just a slight bump in midrange. but the secondaries stay cleaner!

Until about 4 years ago, Sunoco station in McLean had 94 octane as well as 93 but they stopped selling 94.
Nonetheless, with new reconditioned injectors, detonation is a thing of the past!
I think I will stay w/ 93 Exxon and/or BP/Amoco, splice in a oil catch can, and mash the throttle once in a while to get juices flowing into secondaries.:cheers:

[Aurora40]

Couldn't the race gas difference also be attributed to the fact that if someone is using race gas, they are also probably driving their car hard quite often? You probably don't have someone cruising 500 miles to Bowling Green on race gas, for example.

[secondchance]

Couldn't the race gas difference also be attributed to the fact that if someone is using race gas, they are also probably driving their car hard quite often? You probably don't have someone cruising 500 miles to Bowling Green on race gas, for example.

You got a point there.

[Jeffvette]

Couldn't the race gas difference also be attributed to the fact that if someone is using race gas, they are also probably driving their car hard quite often? You probably don't have someone cruising 500 miles to Bowling Green on race gas, for example.


It helps, but the issue is all the additives that are put in.

[RICHARD TILL]

The sonoco 110 race gas that i run in the dragboat is leaded and 6 bucks per gallon. I can get 100 octane low lead at the local air strip for $3.38 per gallon. Both are blue in color. Can anyone tell me if the lead in the avaition gas would have any adverse affects on the ZR-1 and what they might be? :icon_scra

[Aurora40]

Lead would be bad for the oxygen sensors, and I believe it can coat/clog up the catalytic convertor.