Top Tier Gas and CEL's

medphys

medphys

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So, as I await my Amazon purchased OBD reader to clear my PO430 code. Today it went off by itself. Two observations: my friend the Ford auto mechanic, told me that after about 30 starter cranks the light should clear, and I recently went back to Chevron with Techron 93 octane from Discount Zone 91 octane , while I was destitute for a couple of months there. I understand that the Top Tier Gasolines http://www.toptiergas.com/retailers.html have more engine cleaning additives and I ALWAYS used Chevron on this and my two previous LS's. Is it possible that some CEL codes, like the cat codes or 02 sensors could be affected by not burning high octane fuel with additives? and if so could they go off when you just switch back

Do ya'll use 93 octane + , if not why not? Price?
 
I always use at least 91, if i can get 93 for the same price, i will (only a couple of gas stations) but as I am running the OEM tune, there is no need for anything higher than the 91
 
medphys said:
Do ya'll use 93 octane + , if not why not? Price?
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I use the highest octane I can get. Here in the People's Republik it's 91. I used Costco gas for a few months and noticed harder and harder starts. The car was also running a little rougher than I remembered. A few tanks of Top Tier later and the LS runs as it should.

This has been discussed ad nauseum but lower octane reduces power, requiring more throttle to maintain performance, lowering MPG. Pay the extra couple of dollars up front or pay later with fewer MPG and more trips to the gas station.
 
I use 93 every time.

When I purchased the car the dealer filled up with 87 on the house, gee thanks. The car ran awful, so I know what it is like and I don't want anything close to that. So 93 it is.

Honestly, if you're justifying not getting 93 over 91 due to cost that is kinda silly. On a car that hopefully averages around 20mpg, the few bucks per fill up that 93 will cost you are trivial in comparison the actual cost of fuel per year on this thing.
 
I have to agree with Chris.

hen I was LS shopping just about everyone I knew who found out that they use Premium fuel (92 is the norm here) kept reminding me that I would then have to pay more for fuel! Oh the horror!!!! :eek:

Were talking about a few bucks a tank, in the big picture it's really nothing. Get over it, treat her like she should be and reap the benefits of a better running engine :Beer
 
I have run discount gas for 12 years and only had problems twice. Once when I used 89 octane, and once when I got bad fuel.
 
LS4me said:
I use the highest octane I can get. Here in the People's Republik it's 91. I used Costco gas for a few months and noticed harder and harder starts. The car was also running a little rougher than I remembered. A few tanks of Top Tier later and the LS runs as it should.

This has been discussed ad nauseum but lower octane reduces power, requiring more throttle to maintain performance, lowering MPG. Pay the extra couple of dollars up front or pay later with fewer MPG and more trips to the gas station.
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Octane retards ignition, which prevents early combustion in high compression motors. There is actually no difference in the potential energy of different grades of gas, it is more of a timing issue.. The result of running too low octane gas is what you describe though.
 
I use 91 from BP most, the car loves it. If I have too I will get Kwik Star 92 which is a Top Teir gas, but it's an ethanol blend. Car hates it.
 
My previous owner told me he would run 87 occasionally. When I had the plugs done, the mechanic said one of the plugs was finger loose. No doubt from the pre-ignition caused from 87.
 
Upstairs Chris said:
I use 93 every time.

When I purchased the car the dealer filled up with 87 on the house, gee thanks. The car ran awful, so I know what it is like and I don't want anything close to that. So 93 it is.

Honestly, if you're justifying not getting 93 over 91 due to cost that is kinda silly. On a car that hopefully averages around 20mpg, the few bucks per fill up that 93 will cost you are trivial in comparison the actual cost of fuel per year on this thing.
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Chris, what do you guys put in the cruisers?

2006 Lincoln LS in Cashmere Tri-Coat Metallic.
 
Robot said:
Chris, what do you guys put in the cruisers?
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For the crown vic's, 87 All day we actually get reprimanded if anything over 87 goes it. Those things are designed for 87 and it says so right on the fuel door like the LS's say 91+

I don't know what they higher ups are putting in the new twin turbo Taurus interceptors. Most likely 87 still, unfortunately.
 
Upstairs Chris said:
For the crown vic's, 87 All day we actually get reprimanded if anything over 87 goes it. Those things are designed for 87 and it says so right on the fuel door like the LS's say 91+

I don't know what they higher ups are putting in the new twin turbo Taurus interceptors. Most likely 87 still, unfortunately.
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My experience was that they actually ran badly if you put 91+ octane in, but this was in the early/mid 90s.
 
I wouldn't know, I only use 87. They seem to run fine on that, other than being pretty damn slow and all.
 
Upstairs Chris said:
I wouldn't know, I only use 87. They seem to run fine on that, other than being pretty damn slow and all.
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I figured that. My gf and I drove taxis for a company that bought retired Texas Public Safety units. They did say 87. They were geared funny though and had very good pick up from a standstill. I always figured police units had taller gearing for economy. They must have been State Investigator cars.

2006 Lincoln LS in Cashmere Tri-Coat Metallic.
 
The cars always run better in the winter with the colder air and non evap fuels. Summer blend sucks some of the performance out of them. I really noticed on my blower car.
 
Upstairs Chris said:
Yeah they are not bad off the line for what they are, but top end is pretty gutless.
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Well, we didn't take them on the freeway often. They felt like a supped up car with a high stall speed convertor.

2006 Lincoln LS in Cashmere Tri-Coat Metallic.
 
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