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Re: Any problems with new oxygenated gas?
> From quattro-owner@swiss.ans.net Fri Dec 9 16:58:01 1994
> Date: Fri, 9 Dec 94 15:46:40 EST
> From: "Michael Moy, Oracle SQL Engineering, 603-881-1943 09-Dec-1994 1543" <moy@quek.enet.dec.com>
> To: quattro@quek.enet.dec.com
> Subject: Any problems with new oxygenated gas?
> Reply-To: quattro@swiss.ans.net
>
> Hello,
>
> It's almost wintertime in New England and I can hear the fuel pump again (it's
> not too loud yet). We're getting a new type of fuel here that costs more and is
> said to make some cars harder to start. Is anyone using this and is it good or
> bad for Audis? I've heard that we in New Hampshire will start at the beginning
> of the year while Massachusetts has already started.
>
Here in the Philadelphia area, we've had oxygenated gasoline for
several years now, starting on Dec 1st. The only thing I've
experienced or even heard of around here is a 10-20% drop in mileage
compared to what one would get with normal gas. For me, this means
that I get about what I would in the middle of summer with the A/C in
use: about 20 mpg in the S-class and 22 in the Audi, in mostly city
driving.
If one is at all concerned about engine longevity, pollution, or
mileage, one should not idle one's engine more than 30 seconds,
especially when cold. Engines are inefficient when below operating
temperature, and idling is the slowest means of heating them up. All
German manufacturers recommend driving with moderate throttle openings
to warm up the engine. Leaving it idling to "keep it warm" is also a
fallacy, as more energy is expended keeping it warm that would be used
to warm it up again (otherwise it would make sense to run the engine
continuously all-year-round, eh?). Finally, idling will not maintain a
catalytic converter's operating temperature, so emissions rise while
the car is sitting there idling doing zero work.
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John Greenstreet, Senior Engineer (jgreenst@motown.ge.com)
Martin Marietta Government Electronic Systems Moorestown NJ 08057
WPI Class of '75, Temple Class of '94
My new car history:
1975 1978 1982 1986 1989 1992 1995
VW -> Audi -> Audi -> Mercedes -> Mercedes -> Audi -> Mercedes
Scirocco Fox GTI 4000S 190E 2.3 190E 2.6 100CS S320
POSSLQ's* new car history:
1978 1981 1985 1988 1990 1993
Triumph -> Toyota -> Toyota -> VW -> Audi -> Audi
Spitfire Tercel Corolla Jetta GL 80 90S
*POSSLQ = Person of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters
Note: All Audis and Mercedes above were sold to friends or family.
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