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 by Steve Dinan |
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As a tuner of performance vehicles for more than 38 years, and the owner of Dinan Engineering, I’m always aware of what I put in my cars. Generally speaking, “quality in” results in “quality out,” so it’s important to consider how casual decisions you make can affect the performance of your vehicle.
One particular item that’s often underestimated by vehicle owners is gasoline. In fact, I’ve found that most drivers don’t understand how several factors in fuel can affect the overall health and proper functioning of your automotive machine. Octane Octane is an important consideration in powering your vehicle and can affect the performance of an engine. When deciding between the various grades of gasoline – most commonly regular, mid-grade and premium – octane is an obvious characteristic to consider. Briefly, this is a fuel’s ability to resist overheating, which can lead to engine knock – a rattling or “pinging” sound under the hood. Using the appropriate level of octane can prevent this and ensure proper fuel combustion in an engine. Chances are if you own a performance vehicle, it will react most favorably to a higher-octane fuel. Typically, a modern engine-management system is very advanced and can automatically compensate for lower octane fuel. But just because an engine can compensate for lower octane it doesn’t mean it will perform at its optimum level. For example, I recently tested a new BMW M3 with high-octane fuel instead of regular grade and the power went up more than 10 horsepower – a power gain I could feel when driving! Cleaning Agents Back in the ‘80s, fuel would leave deposits in the injectors and on the intake valves and ports that would restrict the flow of air and gasoline. These carbon deposits also would absorb fuel and lean the mixture, causing stumbling and a loss of power in engines. Eventually, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stepped in and established a set of minimum standards for cleaning agents to be added to gasoline. And while fuel technology has advanced over the last twenty years, most gasolines still contain only the minimum amount of cleaning agents required by federal government standards. As before, using these gasolines can result in carbon deposits on critical engine parts. Now, why is this important? The simple answer is that carbon deposits decrease an engine’s ability to breathe. They restrict the amount of air and fuel that gets drawn into the engine and prevent your vehicle from operating as efficiently as the manufacturer intended. And in my experience, carbon deposit build-up can only worsen a car’s performance and fuel economy. In our facility, we purchase hundreds of injectors and painstakingly test and match them to achieve the most even fuel distribution in our high-performance engines. On our Daytona prototype racing engines, a matched set of new injectors can create a power increase of 20 horsepower. In comparison, used injectors caked with deposits can hurt an engine’s efficiency just as dramatically. To avoid carbon deposits, consumers should look for a high-quality fuel that meets the TOP TIER standard. In fact, I always recommend my customers use a premium fuel with added cleaning power to help get the most out of their vehicle. For example, Shell says its premium fuel, Shell V-Power, can actually clean your engine as you drive and help reverse the effects of carbon deposit build-up. The Wise Choice The bottom line is that your car will most likely function no matter what grade of gasoline you purchase – the question is how well and for how long. Buy what’s right for your car. While laying out the money for premium gas may seem like an extravagance, in the long run, using high-quality fuels with added cleaning power can benefit your car and enhance your driving experience. Steve Dinan has been rebuilding and modifying cars for 38 years – including 27 years as the head of Dinan Engineering, the premier BMW tuning company in North America. Over that time, he’s spent thousands of hours working to extract the maximum performance out of BMW engines. Steve Dinan is a spokesperson for Shell Oil Products US. NEXT STORY >> |