Fuel Setting

[Taco2Rubi]

Question for the group....I thought I remember during the delivery of my JLU Rubicon, the dealer showed me a setting (either on my touch-screen or the tachometer) where you could actually select what type of fuel you are putting in the tank. Anyone know how to get to this selection again or am I missing something?

Sponsored

 

[Shibadog]

Never heard of that. Dealer filled my 2.0 with 87, been running it ever since with no issues.

 

[jludave]

Anyone know how to get to this selection again or am I missing something?

No such setting exists.

 

[Philly_]

I think your dealer was showing you how the Sirius travel link works. You can look at local fuel prices and select what grade you are searching for.

I have been using it on occasion while road tripping to find the best prices for premium fuel.

 

[Sublime]

It runs just fine on the cheap stuff.

 

[Reinen]

It runs just fine on the cheap stuff.

Not if you're in CO, ID, MT, NM, SD, UT or WY. In all those states mid-grade fuel is required to meet the 87 octane level.

 

[Philly_]

Not if you're in CO, ID, MT, NM, SD, UT or WY. In all those states mid-grade fuel is required to meet the 87 octane level.

Would have to agree you can feel the difference even from 93 down to 92. It was all I could find driving through southern Illinois on my way to Petoskey, MI a couple weeks back and I definitely lost some of the pep from the turbo when I mashed the accelerator, but it wasn't life changing.

I like running 93 in my 2.0L, so I am going to keep doing it, but totally understand why others bother.

 

[garykk]

Not if you're in CO, ID, MT, NM, SD, UT or WY. In all those states mid-grade fuel is required to meet the 87 octane level.

If you’re talking about regular grade, in NM it can be 86 due to elevation. This goes back to the days of carburetors when vehicles in higher altitudes could run on 86. Things have changed but the gas companies have not. There is no need for 86 now.

 

[Reinen]

If you’re talking about regular grade, in NM it can be 86 due to elevation. This goes back to the days of carburetors when vehicles in higher altitudes could run on 86. Things have changed but the gas companies have not. There is no need for 86 now.

In UT and several other states it's 85. That's fine if you have a rich fuel-air mixture from the altitude with a carburetor but not with fuel injection and a turbo will offset the thin air (which is why turbos are so good at altitude). Who still has a car with a carburetor?

 

[Chupacabra]

In UT and several other states it's 85. That's fine if you have a rich fuel-air mixture from the altitude with a carburetor but not with fuel injection and a turbo will offset the thin air (which is why turbos are so good at altitude). Who still has a car with a carburetor?

Don't think it has as much to do with fuel delivery as the lower air density. Without forced induction, there is less air in the cylinder than at sea level, and less pressure built up at the top of the stroke. Therefore lower octane can be used without "pinging" due to this.

Since forced induction pretty much accounts for the lower air density, I still run 91 (highest we can get in CO). Maybe I'd be fine on regular 85, but don't want to chance it.

 

[Reinen]

Don't think it has as much to do with fuel delivery as the lower air density. Without forced induction, there is less air in the cylinder than at sea level, and less pressure built up at the top of the stroke. Therefore lower octane can be used without "pinging" due to this.

Since forced induction pretty much accounts for the lower air density, I still run 91 (highest we can get in CO). Maybe I'd be fine on regular 85, but don't want to chance it.

Fuel injection can detect the lower air density and inject less fuel to maintain the fuel-air ratio. Carburetors are mechanical and air is by volume, so high altitude air results in a rich fuel-air mix. It's the rich fuel-air mix that allows lower octane to be used. So carburetors can use lower octane fuel at altitude then they need at sea level, while injectors need the same minimum octane level regardless of altitude.

 

[Chupacabra]

Fuel injection can detect the lower air density and inject less fuel to maintain the fuel-air ratio. Carburetors are mechanical and air is by volume, so high altitude air results in a rich fuel-air mix. It's the rich fuel-air mix that allows lower octane to be used. So carburetors can use lower octane fuel at altitude then they need at sea level, while injectors need the same minimum octane level regardless of altitude.

Yeah, but in the days of carbs we always adjusted the fuel/air mixture to be leaner in Colorado, at least on our 1960s/early 1970s cars.

I remember visitors coming from sea level and my dad would go out and tweak their fuel/air mixture on the carb to make it run better.

 

[Reinen]

Yeah, but in the days of carbs we always adjusted the fuel/air mixture to be leaner in Colorado, at least on our 1960s/early 1970s cars.

I remember visitors coming from sea level and my dad would go out and tweak their fuel/air mixture on the carb to make it run better.

That would work but most people didn't do that. It would also reduce the engine's ability to run on lower octane fuel. Then again, in 60's/70's engines the tolerances were as wide as the grand canyon so it didn't matter all that much. Not true today, so I always give my 2.0t at least 87 octane as per the manual.

 

[Gunfighter]

It runs just fine on the cheap stuff.

Not this cheap though

 

[garykk]

Don't think it has as much to do with fuel delivery as the lower air density. Without forced induction, there is less air in the cylinder than at sea level, and less pressure built up at the top of the stroke. Therefore lower octane can be used without "pinging" due to this.

Since forced induction pretty much accounts for the lower air density, I still run 91 (highest we can get in CO). Maybe I'd be fine on regular 85, but don't want to chance it.

Unfortunately, the state of NM hasn’t seen fit to force the gas companies back to the required minimum of 87?

Sponsored