[SeanFawcett]

I have a 2008 C70 with 77,000 miles on it… About once every month or two I use a can of either Seafoam or Techron gas additive to keep the fuel system clean… And I fill up with premium gas thinking it will maybe burn cleaner…

But the more I think of it… How many people actually use premium gas? So, what’s the chance that I’m actually just filling my car with bad (old) gas?

any thoughts?

 

[MyNameIdeasWereTaken]

Where do you live and what types of cars do you usually see on the road?
If it's rare to see a sports car or luxury vehicle, it's possible that premium fuel "sits around" in the fuel station tanks. As long as you're going to name brand stations that see high traffic, I wouldn't worry about getting the bottom-of-the-barrel crap.

Besides that, are you saying that you only use premium gas once a month?!?!
From the factory, these cars are de-tuned to prevent engine damage in the event that the user puts in a lower octane fuel. While the car can run on 87, it is highly discouraged and you must avoid high boost and rapid acceleration when using this lower grade fuel. These cars are built for 91 or higher. You can experience knock and engine damage from running anything less.

About 10 years ago, when these engines were a lot fresher, I ran some tests: 3 tanks on regular, 3 tanks on premium, tame commuting and rarely hitting boost. I got noticeably better fuel economy on premium, the engine ran a lot smoother, and at a 60 cent price difference between the two octanes, I got more miles per penny from premium, making it the most economical choice.

Side point: The factory Polestar tune isn't magically making the car faster. It's optimizing the car for 91+ octane, as Volvo intended, and unleashing the cars true potential.

 

[gtlover]

Yeah, what Michael said. I frequently fill up at Costco and always get the 92 octane for all my turbo cars. At other gas stations I will use 91 octane or better during spring and summer, but with the cool, damp fall and winter weather in Seattle (and E10 winter fuel) I can get away with 89 octane.

 

[Tech]

Premium is not required and your car will not be damaged by running 87 octane. Its right in the owner's manual. Feel free to read the next 10 pages this thread will turn into and run whatever you want.

 

[Oro-o]

To address your questions:

Unless you are living somewhere very remote, the premium is going to turn over. People do use it.

On my NA vehicles, I run 87 and then a bottle of Regane HM ($5 at Walmart, $10 for double dose bottle at O'REillys) every two or three thousands. It has the same active ingredient as Techron (PEA). I'd use that or Techron and not bother with the SeaFoam in the tank if I were you. The PEA makes a difference whether you buy "top tier" gas or not. An alternative is to just buy Chevron all the time if the convenience/cost fits you.

Premium around here doesn't "pay for itself" with better mileage, but I DO use it in the turbo cars because of the response and smoothness. The car just runs so much better on it vs. my/our other vehicles, even frugal me ponies up for it. Run whichever you want, but there's no need to switch back and forth.

 

[paradoxicallymodified]

Top tier premium fuel. Has the additives already in it.

Top Tier Detergent Gasoline - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Thommykent]

Wikipedia is not really reliable for correct information. A quote from Wikipedia used as a souce for factual information at any conference will get you laughed right out of the meeting.

 

[paradoxicallymodified]

Wikipedia is not really reliable for correct information. A quote from Wikipedia used as a souce for factual information at any conference will get you laughed right out of the meeting.

Whatever, troll......Any useful info to add?

 

[Oro-o]

I read on BITOG that a chemist at Chevron said recently as far as he knew, only Chevron was using PEA as part of their "top tier" package (there is no specific requirement as to what you put in it to be "Top Tier." You can skin the cat different ways.). It's in a whole 'nother league vs. typical additives. I run top tier gas, but still need a PEA clean-up periodically - both subjective (quieter, smoother) and objective (MPGs) results show it to work, even on top of "top tier."

It works for me, or at least with the gas we have formulated and distributed around here - pretty much everything at every station comes from one refinery near Anacortes, WA and is blended. May not make a difference for everyone. If you haven't played with PEA as an additive, give it a whirl. It's in Techron, Gumout Regane, and Redline FI. Not sure where else. Regane HM is supposed to give the biggest dose/$ according to the experts at this stuff (I am not).

 

[MyNameIdeasWereTaken]

Premium is not required and your car will not be damaged by running 87 octane. Its right in the owner's manual.

When a manufacturer says "minimum 87" and "recommends premium fuel," it is not advisable to run the minimum. Octane ratings can vary and knock is always a greater risk when driving anything above tame on a low octane fuel. Run what the manufacturer suggests.

"Demanding Driving" includes hard acceleration and frequently utilizing boost. Unless your car is specifically setup to run flexfuel or tuned for a lower octane rating, turbo cars should always utilize premium fuel.
As I said, the de-tune from the factory is for the circumstances when you have to run 87.

 

[Tech]

It isn't tuned for when 87 is the only option. 87 will be just fine.

Some cars do require 91. In those cars, 87 can cause damage.

Required is not the same as recommended.

 

[Gregd]

I have only driven my 05 s40 awd 262k miles so might not be enough to have a clue. But it has no pull on 87 octane, and is weak on 89, I run 93. I have tried it over and over. Completely stock car. No idea why anyone would dump fuel additives in tank. Big thanks to tech, he adds a lot to forum. Greg

 

[paradoxicallymodified]

I read on BITOG that a chemist at Chevron said recently as far as he knew, only Chevron was using PEA as part of their "top tier" package (there is no specific requirement as to what you put in it to be "Top Tier." You can skin the cat different ways.). It's in a whole 'nother league vs. typical additives. I run top tier gas, but still need a PEA clean-up periodically - both subjective (quieter, smoother) and objective (MPGs) results show it to work, even on top of "top tier."

It works for me, or at least with the gas we have formulated and distributed around here - pretty much everything at every station comes from one refinery near Anacortes, WA and is blended. May not make a difference for everyone. If you haven't played with PEA as an additive, give it a whirl. It's in Techron, Gumout Regane, and Redline FI. Not sure where else. Regane HM is supposed to give the biggest dose/$ according to the experts at this stuff (I am not).

I have only driven my 05 s40 awd 262k miles so might not be enough to have a clue. But it has no pull on 87 octane, and is weak on 89, I run 93. I have tried it over and over. Completely stock car. No idea why anyone would dump fuel additives in tank. Big thanks to tech, he adds a lot to forum. Greg

russian roulette running 87 in a boosted car on a warm day.....keep your foot out of it....no doubt if you tend to putt around and don't spend a lot of time in boost, hwy cruising etc., the occasional blip on a ramp probably won't kill it. Get a hot spot in the cylinder,(worn out plugs, carbon deposits, knock sensor failure etc.) your not leaving yourself any head room. It only takes a fraction of a second to punch a hole in a piston. There's always an exception to the rule, but that's like referencing the person that smoked three packs a day and lived to 100 as the right way to do things rather than referencing the numerous people that succumb to much less.

 

[Gregd]

I have only driven my 05 s40 awd 262k miles so might not be enough to have a clue. But it has no pull on 87 octane, and is weak on 89, I run 93. I have tried it over and over. Completely stock car. No idea why anyone would dump fuel additives in tank. Big thanks to tech, he adds a lot to forum.

 

[Gregd]

Only 262k of seat time, 87 octane is not going to hurt this car. I have tried it. Greg

 

[paradoxicallymodified]

Only 262k of seat time, 87 octane is not going to hurt this car. I have tried it. Greg

You've tried it in his car??? Nice. I'd love to see the logs on a hot day on 87 in boost. Reminds me of a joke, not a funny one though....Knock, knock.....who's there?

 

[Tech]

I have put plenty of miles on my turbo car with 87 on hot days. Zero issues.

I've also seen zero cars come in with holes in pistons. Zero. That includes not only every car I've worked on, but every car that has come to the dealer I work for. Because if a co-worker got a car with a hole in the piston, we would all know about it. So maybe every single turbo Volvo that has visited my dealer for my entire career has had 91 octane it's entire life. Or maybe 87 octane won't damage anything on a car that requires 87 octane.

If the car was a hair away from catastrophic engine damage when using 87 octane, the owner's manual would never say it is okay to use 87 octane.

 

[paradoxicallymodified]

I have put plenty of miles on my turbo car with 87 on hot days. Zero issues.

I've also seen zero cars come in with holes in pistons. Zero. That includes not only every car I've worked on, but every car that has come to the dealer I work for. Because if a co-worker got a car with a hole in the piston, we would all know about it. So maybe every single turbo Volvo that has visited my dealer for my entire career has had 91 octane it's entire life. Or maybe 87 octane won't damage anything on a car that requires 87 octane.

If the car was a hair away from catastrophic engine damage when using 87 octane, the owner's manual would never say it is okay to use 87 octane.

Owners manual also says its lifetime trans fluid????

 

[paradoxicallymodified]

I have put plenty of miles on my turbo car with 87 on hot days. Zero issues.

I've also seen zero cars come in with holes in pistons. Zero. That includes not only every car I've worked on, but every car that has come to the dealer I work for. Because if a co-worker got a car with a hole in the piston, we would all know about it. So maybe every single turbo Volvo that has visited my dealer for my entire career has had 91 octane it's entire life. Or maybe 87 octane won't damage anything on a car that requires 87 octane.

If the car was a hair away from catastrophic engine damage when using 87 octane, the owner's manual would never say it is okay to use 87 octane.

Owners manual is also written for low mileage new cars. A car is going to behave differently at 70k, 100k, etc. than it did when it rolled of the line?????

 

[paradoxicallymodified]

I have put plenty of miles on my turbo car with 87 on hot days. Zero issues.

I've also seen zero cars come in with holes in pistons. Zero. That includes not only every car I've worked on, but every car that has come to the dealer I work for. Because if a co-worker got a car with a hole in the piston, we would all know about it. So maybe every single turbo Volvo that has visited my dealer for my entire career has had 91 octane it's entire life. Or maybe 87 octane won't damage anything on a car that requires 87 octane.

If the car was a hair away from catastrophic engine damage when using 87 octane, the owner's manual would never say it is okay to use 87 octane.

Logs??? I want to see the knock count. Just because it isn't catastrophic 'yet' doesn't mean that running it with knock is good for the motor.....