I just got my first VW - a 2002 Passat 1.8 turbo. It's got 25,000 miles on it, and I really like it so far. My question - can I use regular gas in it? I tried half a tank, and it seems to be running fine - no pinging. I don't want to do damage to the engine, but I've heard that if it doesn't ping or knock going uphill, it's OK to use regular.
Follow the manual... if regular is OK, use it.
snipped-for-privacy@verizon.net (David Streb) wrote in news:lq7Rb.7096$ snipped-for-privacy@nwrdny03.gnilink.net:
The book says to use premium.
It won't knock with lesser grades because the knock sensor and the engine management system will simply adjust the spark timing to prevent it. Of course, when it does that, engine performance won't be "optimal", but if the savings means that much to you, you can probably get away with it.
Manual says you should use the premium and also states to use nothing lower than 87octane. It's your choice if the $4 per fill up means anything. Personally on my 2.8 Passat I use 89-midgrade which it runs well with. My manual suggests premium too
|I just got my first VW - a 2002 Passat 1.8 turbo. It's got 25,000 miles on |it, and I really like it so far. My question - can I use regular gas in it? |I tried half a tank, and it seems to be running fine - no pinging. I don't |want to do damage to the engine, but I've heard that if it doesn't ping or |knock going uphill, it's OK to use regular.
Run regular all you like, you just won't get best performance or fuel economy because the engine is optimized for 90+ octane. Also, if you run regular don't drive it hard or it will rebel. We used to use regular grade on trips in our NB 1.8t, but we tend to drive fast and long. On a trip to Ohio, we were running 80 or so through some hilly terrain in Kentucky (?) when the cold temp light came on, with a chime. Backed off, light went out a few miles later. Resumed speed, light came back. Switched to premium ASAP and never another squawk. Rex in Fort Worth
If I'm not mistaken, octane ratings vary a little depending on where you live. Here, regular is rated 87; plus is 89; and premium is 93. The manual for my '99 GLS-V6 says to use 90 as the minimum. I've run both plus and premium, and my conclusion was that the initial savings from using the middle grade were cancelled out by the drop in MPG. I can only imagine that it's the same for running regular. So maybe it won't damage your engine, or maybe it will; but if it's going to cost you the same amount of money to go the same distance, what exactly are you gaining?
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