what is superunleaded and should i be using it

[iowcamper]

i was filling up the van the other day and someone said i should really use the super unleaded rather than standard unleaded because of the vans age, having referred to the haynes manual it states both can be used but there is no difference, which beggars the question why would i bother paying more for it if it makes no difference??

[CovKid]

Save your pennies. The stock bug lump (of which most waterboxers are derived) ran on 3-star petrol (I can remember buying it too) You can use it but you'll gain no performance increase, just a lighter wallet.

The thing that has always mattered on v-dubs is regular oil changes - spend your money on that instead.

[toomanytoys]

I am sure this is all in the WIKI....... lots of threads on here to in the search function...

BUT... ALL petrol engined T25's run on "95" unleaded.. only the 2.1 "DJ" engine MUST be run on superplus unleaded (98/99) IF the timing is set to factory settings... it will run on 95 with adjustment..

Yours is a 1.9 "DG" (guessing from the age..) so 95 unleaded is fine....

[CovKid]

...or red neck monkey juice

[horns]

Super Unleaded has a higher octane rating, which means its more resistant to pre-ignition ('pinking' or 'knocking'). High compression and/or forced induction engines are prone to this, which can destroy an engine, so they may need super to run safely - or if they have a system that reduces boost when knock is detected, then super will allow for better performance. In other engines it will have no effect at all.

I have to put super in my car, and frankly its a pain, as half the garages round here are always out of it. Better than grenading the engine, though...

[CovKid]

Its also significantly more expensive at some places and these engines aren't exactly economical as it is.

[iowcamper]

ok thanks guys confirms what i thought - dont bother with it!

[CovKid]

Yeah, change the oil again and feel smug

Guy I met at Vanarchy said he once had a bike, the oil of which he changed weekly (as he had plentiful supply at the time) and it never showed any signs of wear whatsoever and is still going today.