Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 09:33:33 -0700 From: "Glenn Wallace" <nospam.Glenn.Wallacenopsammix.com> Subject: Re: '98 900SE -- Octane?
Ken Washington wrote in message <355D2885.635Cnopsam.net>... >I'm not sure if your's is turbo or not, but if the manual and dealer say Yes it would be a turbo. Saab dropped the v6 and 98 SE's therefore have a 2.0 turbo. >use regular, 87 octane, then use that as long as the car runs well. You I wouldn't trust the dealer's advice in this area. My dealer told me regular NGK plugs were OK in my 87 900T, even though the owner's manual recommended NGK platinum. After I switched back to NGK platinums (OE spec) the car ran great! >had an 83 900T. I ran premium in that car. When I moved on to an 87 900S >16V 5spd, I tried to use premium (Amoco), but the car ran like a dog. I >switched to mid-grade 89 octane, and the car ran like silk. I use >mid-grade in my current 87 9000S. The operative word is turbo. More octane == less detonation. I had an 87 900T (16v) that would happily "run" on 87, but it drove like a dog. If you have an SE presumably you want "full power" then use premium. I used to seek out 94 octane Sunoco. You might try 89, but I would never even consider 87 in a turbo charged car, with the benefit of hindsight. I'm not a premium head either - I have a 95 900SE V6 which I run on 89, but my car which gets premium is an 85 XR4Ti (turbo). I reserve 87 for rental cars. While the APC can control boost and timing to allow 87 to be usable, you won't be getting peak power. Glenn