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Regular or super unleaded?

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:52 pm
by Holdway
Hi guys. Just bought me a '82 GL was thinking about the fuel? Is today's regular unleaded ok or is it wise to use super unleaded? it's a 1.6 carb. Is there any petrol stations I should avoid ? Any advice would be great thanks

Re: Regular or super unleaded?

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 11:30 pm
by seanr68
Ive got a 91 scala 1.8i. The sticker on the fuel flap says 97ron, so i use super unleaded stuff.
I would suggest you see what yours says and fuel accordingly. If it hasn't got the sticker, a quick search should yield the answer.

Re: Regular or super unleaded?

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 8:16 am
by eefy
I use super unleaded, for the same reaon mentioned above, also means it should be runnig at full power, well hopefully ;)

Re: Regular or super unleaded?

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 9:26 am
by the edmundator
I think the 1.6 cars are usually set up for lower octane (92 RON) so you should be ok with standard unleaded. The head is fine and you don't need lead replacement supplements.

Some modern fuels have a high ethanol content and there is concern that they can corrode the rubber fuel lines, although this shouldn't be a problem unless the car is laid up for long periods. There are fuel supplements available to protect against this, but I don't know how proven they are.

Re: Regular or super unleaded?

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 10:03 am
by ghost123uk
I use the Super unleaded, it is a better petrol, gives a bit more power and MPG so imho it is worth the bit extra. By the way, Super unleaded fuel from the big boys does not (at this time) contain that horrid Ethanol that is so bad for certain plastics etc commonly used in older vehicles.

When Super first came out and I put it in my injected GTX you could really feel the difference. Even the tick-over vibes felt different (nicer).

Aside = Ethanol slowly dissolves many types of rubber, plastic and fibreglass. So, for folks like me, with classic Scirocco, Classic T25 VW Camper (2 of) and a classic bike with a fuel tank lined with plastic, I ALWAYS use Super unleaded from Shell / Esso etc

T25's have a bad reputation for engine bay fuel pipe leaks causing them to go up in flames and this Ethanol issue with the older style pipes is really important !

Re: Regular or super unleaded?

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 10:19 am
by mark1gls
Can you let us know your engine code? Its on the front of engine, just below the spark plugs.

I use normal unleaded in my Mk1 Scirocco 1.6 (FR engine) as they can use petrol as low as 92RON (Old 2 star petrol) and use super unleaded in the 1.8 Gti Golf (DX engine) as they need 98RON (Old 4 star) petrol to run at there best.

Re: Regular or super unleaded?

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:58 am
by seanr68
mark1gls wrote: they can use petrol as low as 92RON (Old 2 star petrol)
:hehe:

Just took me back a 30 years that did. Used to fuel my old field bikes with that stuff. 2 star, 3 star, 4 star and the diesel pump was usually tucked away in some dank corner of the forecourt on its own and about 20p a litre!!

Re: Regular or super unleaded?

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 12:18 pm
by DT1
ghost123uk wrote:By the way, Super unleaded fuel from the big boys does not (at this time) contain that horrid Ethanol...
Shell V-Power contains 5%.

Re: Regular or super unleaded?

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 1:21 pm
by ghost123uk
DT1 wrote:
ghost123uk wrote:By the way, Super unleaded fuel from the big boys does not (at this time) contain that horrid Ethanol...
Shell V-Power contains 5%.
That is worth knowing :shocking:

Off now to check which ones don't contain Ethanol !

Re: Regular or super unleaded?

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 3:47 pm
by scrumpyone
There's some info here plus a list of petrol retailers at the foot of the article

http://www.groups.tr-register.co.uk/wes ... pdate.html

Re: Regular or super unleaded?

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 4:50 pm
by wassell
I love it how most of the companies mentioned at the end have no ethanol added to their premium fuels...except in the south west of england. :dash:

Re: Regular or super unleaded?

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 4:55 pm
by scrumpyone
Maybe they think we all use red diesel from our tractors :hugegrin:

Re: Regular or super unleaded?

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 8:09 pm
by jupiter8
I put any old shite in my 1.6 ew shitrocco and have done for 20 years, the 1.6 was meant to run on 2 star pez and theres a crappy little label on the flap that says 91ron to prove it.

Re: Regular or super unleaded?

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 9:05 pm
by Holdway
I have 91RON inside the fuel flap so regular unleaded it is, thanks for all the information. While I'm on the subject of fuel did they make a diesel scirocco? Can't recall coming across one whilst researching what model to get! :blush:

Re: Regular or super unleaded?

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 9:34 pm
by GTXTRA
Holdway wrote:. While I'm on the subject of fuel did they make a diesel scirocco? Can't recall coming across one whilst researching what model to get! :blush:

No - not until the current shape/mk3.