Out of a desire not to start up another religious gasoline war,
I haven't been posting any of these questions. Now it's to the point
where they're really bugging me, so here goes. This is a '95 extended
cab V8 with 5-speed and 3.55 SG rear end. Box stock; no headers, no
catback, no K&N, nothing.
1. Following the owner's manual, I usually fill up with 87 octane
and almost never have problems (as long as the gas is decent quality;
I've gotten some tanks of pure crap before).
2. Starting some time in December, I started noticing pronounced
pinging when I get on the throttle (since it's a 318 Magnum, I tend
to get on it quite often ;). The pinging starts somewhere around
2500 RPM in second and/or third. I can sometimes get it to ping
when applying full throttle on the freeway at 70+MPH as well.
3. This winter was the first winter where I'm using the Dakota as
my daily driver. Previous winter I had no problem running 87 octane,
but I wasn't driving the Dakota very often.
4. I've been experimenting with gas grades, as well as brands. I
avoid _almost_ all pinging when filling with 89. I notice some brand
differences as well, but less pronounced than grade differences.
5. Mileage differences are minimal when switching gas grades, but
I tend to get 0.5 MPG more when I avoid pinging (stands to reason).
During the non-winter months, I've experimented with 87 vs. 89
octane, and experienced no appreciable mileage difference. Have not
tried 93 octane (other than to correct tanks of bad gas; see #1), and
don't foresee much if any mileage improvement. I might try out a
couple of tanks of 93 just to satisfy my curiosity.
Questions
a. I believe that the winter-formula gasolines (which increase
volatility) are the cause of my pinging. True or false?
b. Has anyone else experienced similar gasoline issues during the
winter?
Thanks,
Ron
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