I have had my 1992 turbo legacy for almost a year now I'm curious to if it's ok to run regular or even mid grade on my turbo legacy? any answers would r help the only thing I'm concerned about is the performence of the turbo?

You are not going to blow the motor up (well, unless its modified). But it wont be as much fun. You can expect some hesitation, bucking and poor economy.

 

I suggest you research octane ratings, how it effects the fuel and the reason why your engine needs a higher octane fuel than non-turbo's.

The owners manual cautions against running less than 92 octane as you can cause damage over time by doing so. I don't know exactly what they are refering to when they say you can cause damage, but the cautionary statement is there and without more detailed information I wouldn't do it. I run nothing but Chevron Premium in mine.

 

It says you can do it in an emergency but cautions against prolonged use of sub-premium fuel grades.

 

GD

This topic would surely be better suited to the forum category which has Legacy in it's description?

 

New Gen Subarus: Legacy to Current Models

Post anything dealing with Legacy, Impreza, Forester, Outback, Baja, SVX, WRX, or any other newer Subaru here.

 

its not safe.

you can blow out the side of your exhaust valves, or the top of the piston when it detonates.

 

Either run premium, or get rid of the car and get something not requiring premium.

 

Either run premium, or get rid of the car and get something not requiring premium.

 

This.

 

I'm sure you knew it required premium when you bought it.

Being that a lot of the EJ22T's show up on the used car market and most without owner's manual's..... although it does say on the back side of the fuel door "premium unleaded only"

 

Or do as I do - drive something that takes regular and get's better than 16 MPG on a daily basis, and keep the turbo for special occasions. I love my SS, but I don't drive it daily. For one thing

I don't need the speeding tickets.

 

GD

got my first turbo legacy (94 turbo wagon) about 6 years, or 7 yrs ago. then got a 93 turbo sedan auto with a bad tranny, to sell for profit after i fixed it (yay), then got my 92 SS 5spd. then decided to sell the 94 turbo wagon. now my 92 SS is for sale, getting out of the too fast and premium fuel only cars. my 06 outback arrived today. no need for fast turbod cars as a daily driver. i am getting older...not wanting to pump the premium gas at out of town stations. My town has one gas station, only selling 87 and 89 octane, NO PREMIUm, so the turbo i have to plan my gas fillups for when i am out of town where they have premium. Not a good thing when you cant buy the gas required without a 10 mile drive.

yes i knew they required premium. I got a bad batch of gas once that was priced as premium, but for sure it was not. Car knocked, bucked, i called the gas station hotline to report the bad gas. Well, about 2 years after, that station is shut down. probably that batch of gas burned a exhaust valve never did get the same mileage after that fill-up.

Edited November 6, 200916 yr by bheinen74

I suggest you research octane ratings, how it effects the fuel and the reason why your engine needs a higher octane fuel than non-turbo's.

 

X2

 

Lower octane fuel ignites easier, and using it in a forced induction engine can lead to a symptom known as pre-ignition.

 

This is a very good article I found about two years ago (though it was published back in 2000) that has detailed information about the differences between preignition and detonation, either of which can quickly and easily kill your forced induction engine.

 

edit: Might help if I gave you the link to the article huh? :-P

 

http://www.streetrodstuff.com/Articles/Engine/Detonation/

Edited November 6, 200916 yr by Fairtax4me

Thanks for all the info and responses! I had figured it wasn't safe to run the 87 octane in the car cuz it would ultimately blow a pistion or something like that. I don't mind haveing to fill my turbo legacy with premium in fact it is prefrence for me anyways. the car is my daily driver and so far on every fill up i've gotten no less then 23 mpg. beside regular 87 octane is about only about a 10 or 20 cent diffrence per gallon the premieum in most of the country right now.

Why not buy some bottles of octane booster additive in case you can't make it to a gas station which sells premium? Could be a big help if you get in a bind.