Well I am on my second tank of super and with the first my mileage stayed around 23 but any low rpm hesitation is 98% gone. I can lug the car in 4th or 5th at 1000 rpm's and floor it with no bucking, this was not possible when running regular. The acceleration is smoother as well, so maybe my knock sensor has been retarding the timing with the regular gas. I''l post up some more observations in the next few tanks.

 

FYI I have a 97 OBW with a 96 2.5 hydraulic lifter engine which has a recommendation to use super. I can say though I did have some of the bucking before this engine swap. I'll add some fuel injector cleaner as well but the extra $2-3 isn't going to kill me for the super if she runs this much better.

I think Subarus shows difference depends on the brand or octane ratings, compare to other brands such as Toyota Corolla, etc.

 

My 08 Outback Impreza is okay with 87, but I definately feel the difference when i put 89. And more, Chevron or Texaco seems to have better gas mileage than other brands as well.

I have always noticed better gas mileage with certain brands of gas as well.

 

Anyone know if the computer will make adjustments and learn from the increased octane rating?

Do not lug the engine, you can destroy your connecting rod bearings this way. The engine isnt built for it.

 

As a car ages, it may like better ranges of fuels. This is not unusual, but if you sit down and do the math you will usually find it doesnt pay.

 

Blu hates the cheap wierd brand gas, as his mileage takes a huge dump with them. Fuel does need to meat a specific standard, but some fuels are much better then others.

 

nipper

The lugging was only an experiment, before the super it was when I didn't downshift until i did shift.

 

So far the mileage doesn't justify the cost, I might try mid grade to see how it runs after a few more tanks.

I, for one, have never found any noticeable differences between brands...or non-brands, in how my Subie runs. I always use mid-range(89 octane), though, never regular(87 octane). And every 5 or 6 months, I add a bottle of Red Line SI-1(good stuff....Techron is also good) to insure that my Sube's fuel system/combustion chamber are squeaky clean.

So far, I've not experienced any starting problems, rough running, power drop-offs, unusual mpg drops...other than what can be accounted for by driving conditions (i.e., more traffic/city driving or less highway driving, weather) or pinging...the only exception, here, being a slight, very brief initial pinging on starting to go from a complete stop on a rather steep hill.

I'm guessing that the 'super' gas may have just cleaned up your fuel system a little bit, yielding better performance. The past 2 tanks i put in my obxt i dumped a good amount of lucas fuel injectory cleaner in there, and i got ~25.5-26.1mpg out of the thing for the past 600 miles! (and that's not being nice to it).

Could just be that the good gas has some more detergents and stuff to flush the system.

who knows

I'm guessing that the 'super' gas may have just cleaned up your fuel system a little bit, yielding better performance. The past 2 tanks i put in my obxt i dumped a good amount of lucas fuel injectory cleaner in there, and i got ~25.5-26.1mpg out of the thing for the past 600 miles! (and that's not being nice to it).

Could just be that the good gas has some more detergents and stuff to flush the system.

who knows

 

We usually just buy a can of Techron when we get into Chevron Country (AKA Washington state).

 

Lately I have noticed that when you stomp it from a dead stop (like when trying to beat out an approaching logging truck when you're pulling out of a street or driveway) that our normally aspirated '06 Outback has a total dead spot. It prolly takes a full second to start to move, then it's like a turbo lag response.

 

Needles to say, since I have discovered this quirk I no longer attempt to cut off logging trucks.

 

Maybe I should move up the dino-juice food chain.

Andy I ususally run Techron or Lucas cleaner but haven't in a couple of months, I just added a bottle of Lucas today. I like the Lucas better, but they both work well.