Hey All, Just wondering what type of gas Volvo’s use in the United States? Is it premium(91 I think)or can the run on the lowergrades (87 or 89 I think they are).Help is very much appreciated, I know this sounds like asimplequestion but I can not find the answer anywhere.
Thanks
James

 

The turbo engines ASK for premium. However, they will run fine on regular. On the flip side, your mileage will be better with premium and if you use Shell premium, the additive package will allow you some freedom from adding a periodic valve cleaner. It truly works.

r.

 

All Volvo's should use Premium gas. I just put 93 in my s70 a few days ago.

However they will run fine on regular.

 

No Robbie, not ALL Volvos use premium fuel.

r.

 

I know, I never said they do. All Volvo's should use. The key word was should. And yes they all should, but most people don't. I myself am one of those people. I currently am running 93 but that isn't normal for me.

 

Hi guys can I take from your posts that you do not have to use expencive premum gas in an S70? what about the T5 and GLT models will they run on lowest of grades?

 

yeah they will run, but you will get better miliege the higher the grade.

 

You can run any Volvo on any grade gas. However you should use Premium gas if you can, especially in the turbo models.

 

I've experimented with this over and over on many different cars and I don't find that I get better mileage on higher octane gas. As a matter of fact my Suburban got better mileage (like 14 instead of 13) on lower octane gas. I usually run 87 octane, but have switched to higher octane for extended periods of time and see not difference in running or mileage. I know most everybody says to use premium in the Turbo Volvo's, but I don't because I can't see or feel the difference. Plus I don't trust gas stations to be really pumping something different just because they charge more.

 

I have put higher octane in my turboed Volvo and seen a huge difference. The car feels so much smoother when using higher octane gas and I get better gas mileage. I don't buy it now because it is so exspensive.

 

Octane raises the flash point of fuel. It is used to allow combustion to happen when it should, at spark. If your engine has any hotspots in the cylinder due to lets say carbon build up, It could potentially ignite the fuel prematurely. This would cause pinging or knocking. This is most evident when the engine is producing max power. If your engine doesn't knock or ping on lower octane fuels, then use them. Turbos usually require the higher octane fuels agian to prevent knocking and pining due to higher heat and increased manifold pressure.

 

But don't the Volvo's have sensors that keep it from pinging? When I lived in Colorado the Suburban would ping on the 85 octane they sold out there, so I would run 87 or 89 in it. I never hear pinging in the Volvo's though.

 

Yes they are equipped with a knock sensor. The knock sensor will vary the timing/fuel mixtureto help elimate knocking and pinging - to an extent.

 

Hey people...
I have a 98 GLT (low pressure turbo version) and i ONLY put premium in my tank. My wife put 89 in once, and the difference was extremely noticable (especially going uphill). Any time you own a turbo, its always a good idea to use premium.

One more point. Volvo's are Swedish cars. Europe has a much higher octane rating system than the US does. Getting 97 octane is pretty standard there. These cars were originally designed for high octane fuel. So already, by using the 91 in the US, we are minimizing the performance design of the engine.

Just a thought...thanks!

 

Any one notice any pining with lower fuel grades? The way i feel is that since the car makes little power by boosting very conservatively and the dynamic/static compression ratio is relatively low. I don't see how running on for example 89 octanes would cause any pinging. this is just my 2 cents since i don't know volvos much, only stage 3 wrx

 

The knock sensors would back the pinging off.

The worse thing about running low octane in these cars is we are starting to see alot of cars with burnt valves from running so low octane.

 

I typically use 89 octane fuel and still encounter some spark knock. Premium is too expensive.

 

The owners manual doesn't suggest premium fuel for a non-turbo car. I always use premium in my T5s and if you have a performance ECU re-flash you must use premium.

 

I have a 1998 S70 NA 135k, and I have always burned 87 octane myself. I dont know if volvos have the octance sensors (i know, knock sensor) like caddys or some other GM's. I mean does anyone know the compressions ratio of the engines, turbo or NA? Im guessing if it close to 10.5-10.8.1 range, then you probably would see a signifigant difference, otherwise your just throwing away $4.09 a gallon ( where im at anyway). Plus running a higher octane when not needed can cause excessive carbon buildup, I think we get enough carbon buildup as it is,Thank you Mr. EGR. lol You all have a nice day.

 

you absolutly RIGHT.
91 octance {or ashigh as u can get in your region} is actually lower than the gas they have in europe.BY FAR.ANOTHER thing my country lags behind in.
is really this simple people:
high performance cars use high octane gas because a high octane makes the fuel more stable under compression so u dont get pre detonation when compressing the gas at high compression ratios.
a turbo with say a 7.5 to 1 compression ,u still need high octance becasue even though it has 7.5 ratio,it still has air charge "pre" compressed by the turbo {the engine didnt compress it} so that is why a turbo sometime SEEMS to have low comp ratio when it really not.
u have to factor in boost pressure as well as comp ratio.
so like 13 psi boost and comp. ratio of 7.5 to 1 is the EQUIVELANT to a high comp. ratio.
low octane gas {87} is FAR LESS stable under compression.you CANT trust it in performance engines.it compresses too much and it heats up and ignites on its own.
This is why MOSTdeisel engines use lower octance gas,they EASY to get to detonate on their own through high compression.

and as far as "the knock sensor will limit the ping",thats a load of crap.
the sensor only goes SO FAR in that.at some point u MAY be actually getting pre-detonation during SOME instances u just dont notice it.
SOME instances of pre-det. on a car are very bad for the engine.
the difference between premium and that LOW grade water down crap you call 87 octane is like .20 cents.WELL WORTH THE SMALL COST WHEN COMPARED TO THE STRAIN U PUT YOUR ENGINE UNDER.
i hear people in this forum say "timing belts are cheap engines are not".the timing belt aint cheap.its a ripoff.but MUST be done.JUST like high octance gas in high comp cars.
20 cents more a gallon is FAR cheaper than the damage that CAN insue
im not saying if u put 87 in ur turbo car u will DEFINATLY damage the engine.
BUT there WILL likely be SOMETIMEs u do get ping,like when that guy,MyS70GLT,went UPHILL.
that constitutes an increased engine load.PING CITY.again u may NOT hear it,but its there.
i wonder what the diagnostics computer would tell meif i scanned your volvos in the ones{turbo and high comp.ratio} with you people running donkey **** gas.
it would LIKELY show PRE-DET. ,AT LEAST some of the time.

now as far as the guy saying "u get more carbon buildup with high octane gas" is a load of CRAP.
GOOD gas contains,GOOD detergent additives.{these are the ONLY additives u should put in ur gas!!!!!!!none of this "injector cleaner" crap!} like shell.sinclair is good.conoco/phillips 66 is FAR better than 7 eleven and walmart/murphy oilgas.WHY?simple.7 eleven gas AND murphys gas are cheaper because its JUST gas.NO good detergent additives.STAY AWAY FROM DETERGENTLESS GAS UNLESS MANUFACTURER SAY SPECIFICALLY NO DETERGENTS.
This is WHAT keeps your vavles clean{i said ,KEEP clean,not WILL clean them if already bad}.
with shell 91 {highest octane here} there are MORE lubricating properties in there HIGH octane gas (so called "top-engine lubricants"),than their lower grades so the valves NOT ONLY getting the benefit of the detergent additive but ALSO the lubricity qualities of the gas that help keep some of the carbon from "clinging" to the valve,valve seats,etc.
Also the valve make a "better" seal {when closed}when its lubricated.
so to the guy who say "more carbon with high octane gas" is just ANOTHER example of people being misinformed.mostly people who own G.M. vehicles.
as far as better gas mileage with high octane that really NOT true,unless your car run bad on regular,in which case ur gettin pre det. and yes in that instance mileage would improve.
if u take a car that dosent need premium fuel {designed for 87 octane low comp ratio}and u put in premium ur mileage will be the same.anyway not enough to notice.
IF u do get better mileage on premium it LIKELY that ur car should be using it and you been using the wrong gas.or MAYBE u got carbon buildup in engine resulting inhigher compressions.
maybe u got hot spots casing pre det.usually pre-det the culprit either way.
in thatcase a HIGH octane MAY compensate due to is ability to compress better.
but EVENTUALLY it will no longer compensate.carbon sticks to carbon FAR easier than it sticks to clean engine.
i have a 99 s70 with the high psi turbo.man that GD thing is a rocket!I BURY V8's ALL DAY.WITH EASE.
some punks are alwaystrying to line up on me in his gay american clunker.they always lose.
it is FAR more responsive AND more powerful under ALMOST ALL conditions with PREMIUM.
DO NOT USE LOW GRADE/LOWOCTANEGAS IN ANY TURBO/HIGH COMPRESSION CAR.PERIOD.
IT REALLY THAT SIMPLE NOOBS.