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Various VW Questions: pinking, octane levels, oil and a noisy 5th gear
I'm running a 1.4 Polo (2000), it is my first car and I am not exactly
an expert - any help and advice would be fantastic. I think I know what pinking is, and I think the card pinks - like a tiny tapping (almost purring) sound? Is this really bad? Should I avoid it, and if so how? My car manual says the fuel type is Super 95/Normal 91. I have been using Super unleaded - should I be using Premium (which has higher octane?)? The oil level doesn't seem to be going down at all. Colleagues of mine have said that 'these days, cars hardly use any oil and wont need re-filling more than once or twice a year'. But I am concerned. And finally, I recently travelled a few hundred miles (on the motorway) getting the car up to 100 mp/h. It never felt strained, shakey, nor any loud noises, but it has started a low whine sometimes when I accelerate in 5th gear (it's about as noisy as the plinking, but gets louder the faster I go). Sorry for all the questions! I did look for some FAQs (and got diverted onto the LTV site and such), but it all looks a bit technical for me. Thank you. PS: The mail address aove is a spam trap, switch 'google' with 'vwpolo' for email replies. |
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#2
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-+= graq =+- wrote:
> I'm running a 1.4 Polo (2000), it is my first car and I am not exactly > an expert - any help and advice would be fantastic. > > I think I know what pinking is, and I think the card pinks - like a > tiny tapping (almost purring) sound? Is this really bad? Should I > avoid it, and if so how? > > My car manual says the fuel type is Super 95/Normal 91. I have been > using Super unleaded - should I be using Premium (which has higher > octane?)? Under normal conditions you should be able to use the range indicated 91 - 95 What is the octane of the fuel you have been using? I suggest that you try a couple of tanks of the higher grade and see what happens. If the pinging goes away then you could continue to use it, but if you are using fuel in the recommended octane range, and it is pinging and it goes away with higher, you may have an engine problem. A compression check may indicate carbon build up for example or the engine may be running hot or other possibilities. > > The oil level doesn't seem to be going down at all. Colleagues of mine > have said that 'these days, cars hardly use any oil and wont need > re-filling more than once or twice a year'. But I am concerned. Actually many modern cars use more oil than the older cars. Not using oil is not bad, it is good. That does not mean you should add oil once a year. You should change oil based on the time or miles (which ever comes first) recommended by the manufacturer in your owner's manual. > And finally, I recently travelled a few hundred miles (on the > motorway) getting the car up to 100 mp/h. It never felt strained, > shakey, nor any loud noises, but it has started a low whine sometimes > when I accelerate in 5th gear (it's about as noisy as the plinking, > but gets louder the faster I go). > That's great, but I don't think your car was designed to travel that fast for long periods. It is likely to damage the engine, and it is likely to be unsafe, not to mention illegal in most places. > Sorry for all the questions! > > I did look for some FAQs (and got diverted onto the LTV site and > such), but it all looks a bit technical for me. > > Thank you. > > PS: The mail address aove is a spam trap, switch 'google' with > 'vwpolo' for email replies. -- Joseph E. Meehan 26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math |
#3
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"-+= graq =+-" > wrote in message
om... >I'm running a 1.4 Polo (2000), it is my first car and I am not exactly an >expert - any help and advice would be fantastic. > >I think I know what pinking is, and I think the card pinks - like a tiny >tapping (almost purring) sound? Is this really bad? Should I avoid it, and >if so how? It's a "car" (not card) and it's "pinging" (not pinking). >My car manual says the fuel type is Super 95/Normal 91. I have been using >Super unleaded - should I be using Premium (which has higher octane?)? > >The oil level doesn't seem to be going down at all. Colleagues of mine have >said that 'these days, cars hardly use any oil and wont need re-filling >more than once or twice a year'. But I am concerned. You refill based on the dipstick reading, not a time component. If the dipstick indicates oil is needed, you refill. Oil won't really have anything to do with pinging though. Pinging is caused by too low octane in your fuel or maladjusted timing or both. Also, a car that runs too hot might also ping. I recommend getting your timing checked first, then use the proper octane fuel. |
#4
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"Matt B." > wrote in message news:<YpF7d.11768$pN6.7047@fed1read06>...
> It's a "car" (not card) and it's "pinging" (not pinking). Ah, yes. Maybe I was thinking of 'plinking'? > You refill based on the dipstick reading, not a time component. If the > dipstick indicates oil is needed, you refill. I am checking the dipstick and the oil marker has barely moved in the last 3 months. > Pinging is caused by too low octane in your fuel or maladjusted timing or > both. Also, a car that runs too hot might also ping. How do Octane and RON relate? > I recommend getting your timing checked first, then use the proper octane > fuel. So the slight noise that sometimes occurs when accelerating in 5th is not someting to worry about? Driving today (in the rain) I only heard it once. |
#6
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-+= graq =+- wrote:
> "Matt B." > wrote in message .... > > How do Octane and RON relate? > http://www.factorypro.com/tech/octane_measurement.html -- Joseph E. Meehan 26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math |
#7
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In rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled, -+= graq =+- wrote:
> >How do Octane and RON relate? http://www.triumphrat.net/modules.ph...=2953&forum=14 has somebody saying "89 is fine by the M+R/2 US method. The Triumph Owner's Manual also recommends 89, US method. I do not know if Canada uses the same standard. 95 RON will translate to roughly a little below 89." I don't know if he is right. http://www.refiningonline.com/Engelh...ep/TCR4_29.htm table 1 seems authoritative. I am not sure how applicable this is in comparing R vs M+R/2 numbers, but it seems to be helpful. Does somebody have a more relevant comparison table? Methane Ethane Propane Butane Pentane Hexane Heptane Octane Nonane Decane are hydrocarbons that have 1...10 carbons. The n- prefix relates to whether the carbons are in a straight chain or are branched. |
#8
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>So the slight noise that sometimes occurs when accelerating in 5th is not
>someting to worry about? Driving today (in the rain) I only heard it once. Is the noise a knocking/pinging noise? If so, what's your RPM? If you're below 2000 rpm or so when trying to accelerate, it's bogging the engine and you should shift into 4th to accelerate. If you're moving at a reasonable RPM and it still makes the noise, then yes something isn't right. But knocking/pinging is usually a question of your timing being off or the octane in your fuel being too low or both. |
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