Detergents and Magnesium?
 

Hi Everyone,

Certain brands of fuel claim to have more than the minimum amount of detergents required by the EPA. For example, Shell claims twice as much in the regular and mid level fuel and five times more than the minimum in their "V-Power" premium fuel. Am I a sucker for thinking that might be a good reason to run the premium fuel? Not for "increase in power" or "better mileage" which premium is really not any better for, but just for the cleaning purposes. I've read in some of the posts that premium offeres no advantage over regular in a Civic (2005 EX) and may in fact "be occasionaly damaging". Doesn't the CPU adjust the timing to the premium fuel's different burn characteristics? Please clue me in if I'm wrong.

Also, the owners manual for the Civic tells me to avoid magnesium additives, but I can't for the life of me find any info online of which retailer adds what to their fuel.

Yet another point is the Ethanol content. I'm going to avoid the ethanol and hopefully get better mileage (it works better in our Avalon). Is there any chance of detrimental effects with non-ethanol fuel?

Thank you in advance. :confused:

Just put 87 in the car and leave the damn thing alone. It'll run just fine. Gas stations sell "non-ethanol" fuel. Thats normal gasoline. Not everywhere do they sell that goofy gasahol shit or whatver other names it goes by, oxygenated garbage. Some places use it in the winter and its unavoidable. Yes, the car doesn't run as good, but it won't kill it either. As far as the detergent stuff... who cares. If you want to flush carbon out, redline the car a couple times. That does a pretty good job cleaning it out.

'nuff said :clap:

Yeah, I'm getting that sort of input from more knowledgeable guys. It seems the magnesium comment in the owners manual is not avoidable. "Just don't worry about it" people say. As far the ethnol content, some stations here in Madison, WI add it, others don't. I'll just hit the ones that don't and use their 87. Thanks.

Just for my education, how could higher octane fuel be detrimental to the engine?

i don't think it's a matter of being detrimental to the engine... more of it being detrimental to your turbo fund :) (at which point you'd need premium fuel)

check this out:
http://autorepair.about.com/od/engin...hoctanegas.htm

the bottom line is if you don't need it, don't use it.

Higher octane won't burn completely and cause more carbon deposits. I tried shell 89 one tank and it made my car run like crap. Went back immediately to mobil 89 and it runs great. I ordered a gallon of fp60 from lubecontrol on this site that I'm gonna start using every fillup. But if your car is stock, stick with 87. Everywhere around here has 10% ethanol to lower emissions (not for our cars but the other pollution hogs).

Thanks for the advice everyone.