Raven
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| Re: Is Premium fuel really necessary on the GT and Matrix XRS ? (kentb31) | « » 8:37 AM 3/23/2004 |
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Yes it is necessary although expensive. The extra octane is necessary to prevent detonation (pinging) which is potentially damaging. The odd tank of regular may be OK if premium is not available but not on a regular basis.
My brother lives in Bathurst, say hello for me. 
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joatmon
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| Re: Is Premium fuel really necessary on the GT and Matrix XRS ? (kentb31) | « » 8:42 AM 3/23/2004 |
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running less than specified in the owners manual could cause loss of perrformance/economy due to automatic timing shift, knocking, premature engine wear or damagea couple of previous therads on it are:
http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=6520
http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=2632
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robdog
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Somewhere PA
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| Re: Is Premium fuel really necessary on the GT and Matrix XRS ? (kentb31) | « » 8:47 AM 3/23/2004 |
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91 or higher. High compression engines on top of variable valve timing almost always use premium.
03, Abyss monotone GT, 6 disk changer, moon and tunes, Cargo mat/nets, power package, side airbags, AEM Short Ram Intake, Borla exhaust , 35% tint all around, F1 strut tower brace, debadged, 17" Excel rims w/ federal ss595 tires.2001 quiksilver corvette vert, Borla stinger catback(2tip), K&N dropin, lloyd mats. Sunnyday cruiser!!!
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jake75
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| Re: Is Premium fuel really necessary on the GT and Matrix XRS ? (robdog) | « » 10:28 PM 3/23/2004 |
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As octanes are usually 87 - 89 - 93 you can save a wee bit of $$$ by filling 33% with 87 and 67% with 93 to get to 91.
On Medicare 12-1-07; 1st Soc Sec Check 12-17-08
2009 Vibe 1.8L Carbon Gray AT Power Pkg 1/12/09
2003 Vibe 1.8L Neptune AT Mono Power Pkg 1/27/03 [sold 2/2/09]
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robdog
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| Re: Is Premium fuel really necessary on the GT and Matrix XRS ? (jake75) | « » 3:41 PM 3/24/2004 |
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why not just use 93 and not cheap out on your high performace engine. that is the question.
03, Abyss monotone GT, 6 disk changer, moon and tunes, Cargo mat/nets, power package, side airbags, AEM Short Ram Intake, Borla exhaust , 35% tint all around, F1 strut tower brace, debadged, 17" Excel rims w/ federal ss595 tires.2001 quiksilver corvette vert, Borla stinger catback(2tip), K&N dropin, lloyd mats. Sunnyday cruiser!!!
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msuphil
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| Re: Is Premium fuel really necessary on the GT and Matrix XRS ? (robdog) | « » 5:16 PM 3/24/2004 |
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Can the engine even take advantage of anything above 91?
Does it advance the timing to take advantage of it?
Should we be using 94? Or Racing fuel?
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MadBill
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| Re: Is Premium fuel really necessary on the GT and Matrix XRS ? (Sunny) | « » 8:49 PM 3/24/2004 |
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| Quote, originally posted by Sunny » | | ... My brother lives in Bathurst, say hello for me. |
What a coincidence! So does mine!
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Stang2Vibe
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| Re: Is Premium fuel really necessary on the GT and Matrix XRS ? (msuphil) | « » 3:14 AM 3/25/2004 |
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| Quote, originally posted by msuphil » | | Can the engine even take advantage of anything above 91? |
Yes. I have seen dyno charts that have shown an increase in power production when the octane rating of the fuel is increased. | Quote, originally posted by msuphil » | Does it advance the timing to take advantage of it?
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Yes. The network of sensors will manage the engine timing (within a preset range) to make the optimum use of the fuel in relation to the throttle demand input. | Quote, originally posted by msuphil » | | Should we be using 94? Or Racing fuel? |
Using 94 octane rated fuel will cause no damage, but will probably not provide much more benefit than using 93. Considering that 93 is going to do about the same thing as 94 but at a lower cost, I would suggest using the 93. Racing fuel is usually leaded (check the labels at the pump). At a few of my local Sunoco stations you can get 110 octane racing fuel, but it contains lead. Using leaded gasoline in your Vibe will ruin your catalytic convertor and probably void parts of your warranty.
2003 Vibe GT, 75K miles, Neptune, M&T Package, Pwr Package,--daily driver/jetski hauler1998 GMC Yukon SLT 4X4, 151K miles, 4 door, two-tone white/gold, tan leather, loaded--my winter beast & Sopranomobile Wanted: 2006 BMW X5 4.4i and 2005 BMW 750Li
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Stang2Vibe
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| Re: Is Premium fuel really necessary on the GT and Matrix XRS ? (joatmon) | « » 3:22 AM 3/25/2004 |
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| Quote, originally posted by joatmon » | | running less than specified in the owners manual could cause loss of perrformance/economy due to automatic timing shift, knocking, premature engine wear or damage |
joat is right on this. I have found out that running less than specified octane fuel in these engines could potentially cause major damage. Lower octane fuels are less stabile under pressure and could therefore detonate in the cylinder as the piston compresses the fuel-air mixture before the spark is made that is supposed to ignite the fuel (also called "predetonation" or "dieseling"). Predetonation in a high-compression, high-revving engine can cause the breakage of critical engine parts, which would basically destroy your engine. As said before, it should be ok to use regular fuel in these engines temporarily if the proper fuel is not available, but the engine should not be run hard (or daily) on regular fuel.
2003 Vibe GT, 75K miles, Neptune, M&T Package, Pwr Package,--daily driver/jetski hauler1998 GMC Yukon SLT 4X4, 151K miles, 4 door, two-tone white/gold, tan leather, loaded--my winter beast & Sopranomobile Wanted: 2006 BMW X5 4.4i and 2005 BMW 750Li
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DavidPIL
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| Re: Is Premium fuel really necessary on the GT and Matrix XRS ? | « » 4:02 AM 3/25/2004 |
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Ya know, around here you can find many varieties of octanes... Some stations only have 2 storage tanks, 1 with 87, the other with 91 then blend the 2 for mid-grade 89. Some have 3 separate tanks. Most use 10% Ethanol to boost octane some don't... Found a truck stop near me which had 87/89/93 without Ethanol. Next to that station (Marathon) is a Philips station with 89 as it's low, 91 as it's mid and 94 as it's "premium", I think a cit-go near me has the 94 octane Premium as well though I wouldn't go there. I filled up with the 94 a week ago and I swear I felt a loss of performance. Noticable loss, felt like the engine was working much harder to accelerate. Switched back to the Marathon 93 oct and it's returning to normal.I would have to say that with the variety of fuel octanes I've seen locally, "premium" isn't necessary but at least 91 octane is. And I would suggest to shop around. Try a station's fuel and see if you notice a difference. Through my shopping around I've found a 93 octane which is usually only $.12 more than regular. If you're lucky, you can find this too. Dave
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Stang2Vibe
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| Re: Is Premium fuel really necessary on the GT and Matrix XRS ? (DavidPIL) | « » 4:23 AM 3/25/2004 |
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Yes, it is recommended that we use a minimum of 91 octane in the GT/XRS. I agree that you can get different results with fuel from different stations. Near me, its almost all 87/89/93, so I get the 93. Sunoco stations have 87/89/93/94 usually, and the 93 is about 10 cents more than 87. But to make the jump from 93 to 94 is usually 4 to 5 cents extra per gallon, so to me the 93 makes the most sense. So you do have to check around to see what's in your area.
2003 Vibe GT, 75K miles, Neptune, M&T Package, Pwr Package,--daily driver/jetski hauler1998 GMC Yukon SLT 4X4, 151K miles, 4 door, two-tone white/gold, tan leather, loaded--my winter beast & Sopranomobile Wanted: 2006 BMW X5 4.4i and 2005 BMW 750Li
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Salsa!
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| Re: Is Premium fuel really necessary on the GT and Matrix XRS ? (kentb31) | « » 8:24 AM 3/25/2004 |
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If you decide on buying the GT or XRS, this is one of the consequences you have to live with:- high octane fuel required
- lower mpg
- higher insurance rates
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MJN2
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| Re: Is Premium fuel really necessary on the GT and Matrix XRS ? (Salsa!) | « » 8:30 AM 3/25/2004 |
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Don't know about the lower MPG, Salsa. I get 28-29mpg pretty consistently driving to and from work (Mixed highway/city).Besides, the last car I had that was "premium only" got about 18mpg on a good day, so I'm not going to complain lol
Two-tone Neptune GT w/17" OEM rims, Nav System, BOMZ short ram, Sabresport STB
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Salsa!
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| Re: Is Premium fuel really necessary on the GT and Matrix XRS ? (MJN2) | « » 8:53 AM 3/25/2004 |
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The mpg of the GT is lower (in specs) than the one of the BaseMy comparison was GT vs Base
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silverawd26
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| Re: Is Premium fuel really necessary on the GT and Matrix XRS ? (Salsa!) | « » 8:58 AM 3/25/2004 |
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| Quote, originally posted by Salsa! » | | The mpg of the GT is lower (in specs) than the one of the Base My comparison was GT vs Base |
During the summer months, Rasermon has reported about 40 mpg with his Vibe GT runnning 93 octane.
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Jahntassa
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Dammit..something has GOT to be wrong with mine... I've been consistently getting 22 MPG (mostly City)It's higher than the 17 my Probe got, so i'm not totally complaining..but still.. And yeah, the manufacturer reccomends certain fules for a reason. It's already been described here..so I won't restate the obvious
2003 Vibe GT Lava"He inched his way up the corridor as if he would rather be yarding his way down it." "For a moment, nothing happened. Then, after a second or so, nothing continued to happen." - Douglas Adams...we all miss you
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robdog
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mine gets 22-24 mpg, even on the highway, and i don't have a very heavy foot. I usually get 290-310 mpg per tank. mostly highway\suberban.
03, Abyss monotone GT, 6 disk changer, moon and tunes, Cargo mat/nets, power package, side airbags, AEM Short Ram Intake, Borla exhaust , 35% tint all around, F1 strut tower brace, debadged, 17" Excel rims w/ federal ss595 tires.2001 quiksilver corvette vert, Borla stinger catback(2tip), K&N dropin, lloyd mats. Sunnyday cruiser!!!
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DopeVibeGT
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| Re: Is Premium fuel really necessary on the GT and Matrix XRS ? (kentb31) | « » 10:43 AM 3/25/2004 |
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Yes.
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dsegundo
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Davison Mi
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I always wondered what would happen if you mix two different octanes of gasoline....what it be like oil and water? Which one would be "heavier"? Does the mix of octanes really work?
Desi SegundoFlint, Michigan
'04 All Silver Vibe GT (Valerie) w/ the Sport package
Sony CDX-M850MP H/U, Infinity CS6000 components, Rockford Fosgate FFC65, driven by Alpine MRP-F240 and Alpine MRV-T707 rocking 2 10" Alumapro's
http://www.classicappreciation.com
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millster
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| Quote, originally posted by Jahntassa » | | Dammit..something has GOT to be wrong with mine... I've been consistently getting 22 MPG (mostly City) |
Me too. I don't drive mine all that hard either. I'm not sure what would cause the difference. I get about the same on the highway that I get around town as well.
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DavidPIL
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Do you drive with the defroster on? I read somewhere where people didn't realize the compressor kicked in when they had it set to either of the 2 defroster settings. Although I didn't notice a major loss in MPG on the highway with the AC or defrost on, it's very noticable when stopping and starting more. Maybe? Although my MPG did drop with the colder temps (23-25 mpg down from 30-32), When I stuck with the no ethanol added fuel, my mpg came back up to the 27-29 range in cold weather. I don't usually run the defrost though. I didn't notice if you have one but could a CAI cause a problem with cold car? I know the engine likes cold air but it might take the engine longer to warm up causing a lower mpg. I know that when I didn't plug in my engine block heater and it was below 30 or so, the Vibe took some time to warm-up. Just another thought... I think several posts have other possibilities for bad fuel economy, this is just another thing or 2 to consider. Dave
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millster
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No, I leave the defroster off unless I need it. I do have the Injen CAI. That could well be a part of the problem, as could the snow tires on (currently) dry pavement. I hadn't started paying attention to my mileage until recently when available money became more of a concern (high fuel prices and the addition of a house payment).
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silverawd26
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What is so funny when I read these threads about fuel mileage, peolpe are upset because they are getting 22 mpg. I am thinking, hmm, what if they were in my shoes where this winter I been averaging about 12 mpg with my truck and now it has went back up within the last month because it is warming up and now I am averaging about 18 mpg. My truck will be 2 years old April 1st and I have 52,350 miles on it when I dropped it off at the dealer today because my air bag light came on and has been flashing. Well, currently while my truck is in service, I am driving a GMC Truck with a 305 V8. When I went to top off the tank with gas, the guage was 3/4 full, well the 1/4 of tank of fuel I put in was $20.00. I paid $20.00 dollars for 11 gallons of fuel roughly and it was only a quater tank of fuel used. Everytime I gas up, I hit the trip under the odometer. Well, it said 170 miles and roughly 11 gallons of fuel was used. That averages out to about 15.45 mpg with a V8 while running 87 octane.The Vibe has bene getting about 280-290 per tank this winter and the AWD has a 12 gallon tank? Do the math, so that is about 24.16 mpg in the winter. Now, in the summer driving highway, the best tank have hit was 407 miles to a tank. Do the math and you end up with 33.91 mpg. Now, that is not too shabby for the AWD on the expressway. I mean, members who have GT's and are paying about $2.00 per gallon and it averages out to be about $26.00 for a fill up, that is not too bad when they are averaging about 22-25 mpg. Great mileage for a fast car.
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DavidPIL
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silver, But you have to realize that your truck isn't expected to get such great gas mileage. Most base Vibe owners bought it for it's excellent fuel economy. I bought my GT because of the better mileage and more seating copacity than my old truck. I expected to get no better than 17-19 mpg in the Winter with it, less if I ran defrost. I got 26-27 in the Summer, less if I ran AC. If my mpg dropped much lower than whatI expected, I would be a bit concerned but wait a fill-up or 2, maybe boost the octane for a fill-up then hope it improved. If it didn't, I would be concerned or worried. These people with less than 20 mpg for the GT should be concerned, unless they're gunning it all the time or running AC/Defrost 24/7. I don't think it's funny, I think it's worrysome especially if that starts to happen to me. Sure would hate to be pumping $2.00+ a gallon for less MPG than I got with my old truck for which I traded in to get better mpg. And given the fact that things I read on here seem to happen to my Vibe shortly after I read em, I'm really worried now.   Does that happen to anyone else? Things going fine then read something on GenVibe then your Vibe starts to do it too? hmmm Dave
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