Substitute Reg for Prem? Re: OT: Oil companies

[open.seas at verizon.net (Chris)]

For our "other" vehicles - reducing fuel costs. I've heard that reg gas 
can be used in place of prem gas for "recently" manufactured cars (that 
were designed for prem) because the ECU will make all necessary 
adjustments. T or F ?

(I tend to think of high compression and/or increased ignition timing 
advance as creating the need for the anti-knock qualities of prem fuel. 
If the amount of advance was the only reason the mfr required prem then 
retarding the ignition would seem to be an easy change for the ECU. High 
compression would be a different matter. I think it was Don Walter that 
mentioned that a different cam grind would allow a high compression 
engine to run lower octane fuel. Can an ECU make an adjustment of valve 
timing or an equivalent change?)

(Of note is that Saab has an engine that, if I recall correctly, can 
move the head slightly in relation to the block to lower compression.)

(I did read that cars built w/n the past 5 or 10 years were designed 
with the capability to adjust or adapt to the use of alternative fuels, 
but the article did not mention what other mods might be necessary. That 
is, I don't think the ECU by itself would allow the use of 100% ethanol, 
especially due to the 50% to 100% increase in volume required to use 
ethanol.  Not to mention the waxy build up and the material needed for 
"rubber" type components in the fuel system.)

Chris

Tonee Northam wrote:
> I tend to switch stations, BP Shell, Mobil,  every now and then just to see if my car performs better.
>    
>   Our MV can run on e85 which nobody around here carries, but I just wonder how much corn it would take to fill a 18 gal tank.
> 
> Blake <blake@clockworm.com> wrote:
>   i like BP gas - seem to make my machines run better
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Scirocco-l mailing list
> Scirocco-l@scirocco.org
> http://neubayern.net/mailman/listinfo/scirocco-l
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Scirocco-l mailing list
> Scirocco-l@scirocco.org
> http://neubayern.net/mailman/listinfo/scirocco-l
>