only that one on 153ave has 94octane. I don't think any other place in the city has 94, maybe 93 but thats as high as it gets.

 

more octane wont make a normally aspirated car develop more HP
If you have a turbo or SC then the higher octane is put to use with its additional pre-ignition/detonation additives

gas starts the same then things are added to it to raise the octane number- they do specific things

 

is that the right way to re set the ecu? i think last time i think i did it i held the brake down for a min.. also if i re set my ecu how many mph should i hit b4 i slow down so the ecu can change?

 

lol

 

This is normal. The codes are wiped out for a reason which is to thwart thieves who steal your radio/Nav.

 

The ECU is based upon the same techology that Ford developed over 20 years ago. It was called "speed density". The TL does not make use of a MAF ECU systems so the parameters are preset and capable of being "learned" on the fly. The advantages to speed density are, of course, no MAF for one thing and better performance within a given range.

As for resetting the ECU, there are several ways to do this. One has been somewhat outlined by the OP. Another is to remove a battery cable for a bit, then reconnect and drive the car. In the 80's, this is exactly what was done for the '87-'88 Mustangs at drag strips. Another method is to just drive the car and not worry about doing anything.. the ECU will learn the new parameters and make its own adjustments over a little time and some miles.

 

Resetting the ECU when nothing has been done to the engine or its bolt on components, will buy you nothing at all. Let's say you have installed a J-pipe and perhaps a cat back exhaust system. Then resetting your ECU will let the ECU learn the new settings and therefore make parameter adjustments more quickly. And yes, those would include alterations to timing maps, fuel injector shots (both quantity and length of time), throttle opening sensing, and a host of other items.

The ECU in this car seems to learn and adjust pretty quickly. Let's say you drive really conservative for a few days, then on the last day, you get into it hard. You may notice a slight bit of sluggishness or resistance to accelerate like you are used to. But that will quickly pass as the ECU compensates for these sudden changes in operation. Try it some time.

 

Thanks Southernboy. But, I think the confusion is how the presets, seat memory, etc. were still intact after having the battery out and whether or not the ecu was actually reset. I would think it was but this is the first vehicle I've ever pulled the battery out of that kept radio presets, etc.

 

Were those V-Power purchases from the same Shell station? If so, try another one. You might just be surprised.

I've had a similar dilema and stopped buying gas from a Shell station where I didn't have as much power when I got gas from them. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if some stations are pumping 89 out of the 93 nozzle from time to time.

 

My apologies, sir. No doubt the presets are stored in flash memory whereas the codes and the variable (volatile) ECU settings are not. Disconnecting your battery for a bit will reset the ECU which basically means it reverts to default settings. This puts it in a state where it will learn fresh parameters from your engine and all of its sensors and controls.

 

Thanks for the info. But, since I had the battery out for 3+ hours, wouldn't you think that the presets would be lost also? I guess that's the part "I" was confused about.

 

I live in colorado in the Colorado Springs Metro area and have never seen an octane higher than 91 available.

 

No, not for flash memory. Think of flash drives or flash cards for cameras. These have no power source when removed from their devices but they hold their data regardless. I bet the presets are stored in the same manner in our cars.

 

Nope this is not true, when i took my battery cable out, everything preset.

 

so the op is right on re seting it?

 

I don't know what a lot of u are talkin bout. I feel NO difference between brands of gas. True some have additives and detergents like Cheveron but I don't feel anything. As said gasoline comes from the same place for all these brands. Everything is marketing and brand loyalty. The only time I feel a difference is the difference in power between 89 octane and 93 octane, there is a palpable difference there and a mpg difference but that's it....94 octane has no difference to me.

 

Yeah, I tried it myself. Throttle response changed drastically after it was reset.

 

just because you dont feel anything on different gas brands doesnt mean the engine isnt noticing~
Do a full induction cleaning of gas tank and manifold cleaner and you may notice a larger differance overall

 

My parents own a gas station and at least in Missouri, E10 is not mandated for Premium. They always put 91 octane in their mini-van just to avoid the E10 since they got slightly less MPG otherwise. And to confirm what someone else said...the same tanker filled the tanks at their station that filled 3 other stations in the area of a different brand. It is the additives that are mixed in that make each brand different.

Just to chime in with my thoughts....Top Tier gasoline just means they have enough additives in all grades of gas. Just because another brand isn't Top Tier doesn't mean their premium doesn't have enough additives. It may just mean their 87 octane doesn't have enough. However I'm with the rest of you for the most part...QT, BP, Texaco is about all that goes in my car. When out of town I can find Sunoco and get 93 octane and my MPG seems to go up a tad...or that could be the fact that it is purely highway??

 

can acura zine members get a discount lol

 

I read the small font after the * on the Chevron ad (while at a very slow pump) and it said something similar to that on the ad, but behind the *, it said something like it cleans stuff left over from low quality gas.

I'll memorize it next time I need gas.

 

Top Tier is a marketing website and companies pay to be listed. It really doesn't have very much meaning. Gasoline is a generic product that is traded among the gas companies. The only thing that is different is the additive packages which are added when the tanker is filled. There is not even that much difference in the additive packages. Most of it is marketing and advertising. Buy you gasoline from any clean high volume site and you'll be fine. I have worked for one of the major oil companies for many years.

 

Since we have an expert:

Doesnt Tier 1 mean a specific quality level, above the norm?
And Ethanol at 10% mandated by the us govt- why is Mo not on the standard?

I know what it says on the pumps in Ca, nothing about one octane having ethanol and the next not!

Chevrons website has good info on techroline and states its only a maitenance dose,
to use a concentrated product in the tank to clean, use the good gas to maintain clean

 

I can't find anything on a quick google search of where this is federally mandated? Not doubting it isn't possible....just can't find it. I can find where MO mandated it, but leaves it open to ignore if Ethanol costs too much.

http://www.mpca.org/newsletters/2007/103107b.htm
http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/...n-the-country/

The MO law clearly does make Premium exempt from the E10 rules:

http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/c400-499/4140000255.htm

 

more octane = more miles