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Re: Check Engine & O2 Sensor & Fuel Type
Posted by David Prantl (more from David Prantl) on Tue, 20 Mar 2001 23:11:13
In Reply to: , Kok Chen, Sat, 17 Dec 1988 12:00:00 

The USA uses Average Octane Number (AON).  This is a simple average of RON 
(Research Octane Number) and some other number.  Regular Gasoline is usually 
87.  Premium is 92-94 depending on the brand and locality.  89-91 are 
available as an intermediate grade.  The most expensive Brands/Grades often 
advertise an extra dose of cleaning (detergent) additives, like the Techron 
in Chevron's Premium 93 grade.

I believe that Europe uses the RON system, hence Premium would be 98, and 
regular would be 91.

Octane number will have a slight effect on power output and consumption of 
SAAB engines.  This effect is greater in turbocharged models, especially 
ones with Bosch fuel-systems, and the early SAAB-Trionic cars.  All other 
things being equal, the difference in maximum-boost between Regular and 
Premium gasoline can be seen on the boost-gauge.

What's MUCH more important than octane-grade is the quality and purity of 
the gasoline you put into your SAAB.  Water is the biggest killer, and if 
you fill-up with the cheapest available stuff regularly over a few months, 
you could accumulate enough water in the tank to suck it into the pump and 
burn it out.  Fuel pumps are quite expensive, and a failure is highly 
inconvenient, so I would recommend one treatment per year (in the 
winter-time) with an Isopropyl-Alcohol-based fuel-additive.  Do not use 
Methanol-based dry-gas in your SAAB !

Especially in former-communist European countries, one should always spend 
the extra 10% or so on name-brand gasoline (Aral, Agip, OMV, etc.) instead 
of cheaping out at the no-name local pump.  I'm from CZ, so I know !  That 
said, I hope your CZ trip was a pleasant one.

Why do we still have leaded fuel at the pump you may ask ?  Well, we still 
have over a hundred thousand Skodas (and quite a few Tatras, Polski-Fiats, 
Russian Ladas, Serbian Zastavas (Yugos) and Romanian Dacias) running around 
which don't have hardened valve-seats and catalytic converters.

However, every car that is to be newly-registered for everyday use however 
(including 30+ year-old classics) must pass an emissions test.  It's so 
strict that a vehicle cannot pass without a 3-way catalyst and a fuel-system 
with lambda-feedback control.  Gross-polluters that have valid registrations 
from the past are allowed renewals until they die, but if they are 
recently-imported (or have been out-of-commission for a long time), they are 
only eligible for limited 'antique' registration.  Even in California, one 
can register a grossly-polluting car for everyday use, as long as it is old 
enough...

Anyway, a Trionic-controlled turbocharged SAAB should run flawlessly on 
regular as well as premium, provided that the gasoline came from a quality 
supplier.

David Prantl
david_prantlno39sdcx6spamx782hotmail.com
'84 900S, 5M, 210kMi, RIP
'86 9000T, 5M, 185kMi
'88 9000S, 5M, 142kMi
'90 9000S, 4A, 133kMi
'93 9000CSET, 5M, 67kMi
'89 900, 3A, 116kMi
'68 97 Sonett V4, 76kMi, #000467

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