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Running higher octane gas as 'insurance'?

YamR1rider

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Tampa, FL
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport DSG
So as you might have seen I've been playing with my 87 Octane APR Plus tune for the GTI, and neither I nor my Dragy can notice any performance nor fuel economy difference whatsoever, whether I run 87 or 93.

But would it be a good idea to maybe bump up to midgrade 89 say as an 'insurance' against the possibility of knock in the event you get a less than stellar tank of gas, say? I don't know how close this tune is to riding the knock sensors.

Also, does anyone know if I can log for whether the knock sensors have tripped using OBDEleven?
 

Jacobmk7

Go Kart Newbie
Location
NC
Car(s)
2015 GTI S 4dr DSG
I would just run regular, if it makes you feel warm and fuzzy to run 93, then do it.
 

mopar22

Autocross Newbie
Location
Michigan
Car(s)
16 GTI
Yes running a higher obtain will help stop knock. I'm current just messing with a 91 cobb ots but run 93 and haven't had any knock under wot
 

jimlloyd40

Autocross Champion
Location
Phoenix
Car(s)
2018 SE DSG
If you're not seeing any knock on 87 octane then it's a waste of money to run a higher octane.
 

hopelessfish

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Australia
Car(s)
Skoda Octavia RS
To answer your OBD11 question, yes you can. You need to go to Engine Control Module -Charts - press the plus button and add whatever channels you want to monitor. The knock sensors are Timing Angle Retard cylinders 1-4 or something like that.
 

YamR1rider

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Tampa, FL
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport DSG
To answer your OBD11 question, yes you can. You need to go to Engine Control Module -Charts - press the plus button and add whatever channels you want to monitor. The knock sensors are Timing Angle Retard cylinders 1-4 or something like that.
Thanks - I've been looking through trying to figure it out. Will give it another try.
 

vw671

Autocross Newbie
Location
San Diego
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YamR1rider

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Tampa, FL
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport DSG
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Very very old news - that video was released when APR first started offering the Plus tune which was very weak and overpriced. They then changed it to the proper low torque 91 Octane tune (in V1) - but then in V2 they tweaked the tune specifically for 87 (effectively the low torque stage 1 -87 option).

That DAP video really ought to be taken down or updated.

Edit to add - Arin has on here said that by running fuel above 87 you might see a little better performance in some circumstances. But from my own dragying, I'm seeing no difference whatsoever, 87 vs 93. My question was just to get some opinions whether anyone thought it worth upping the fuel octane for safery/knock safeguard purposes.
 
Last edited:

vulticGTI

Go Kart Newbie
Location
PNW
Very very old news - that video was released when APR first started offering the Plus tune which was very weak and overpriced. They then changed it to the proper low torque 91 Octane tune (in V1) - but then in V2 they tweaked the tune specifically for 87 (effectively the low torque stage 1 -87 option).

That DAP video really ought to be taken down or updated.

Edit to add - Arin has on here said that by running fuel above 87 you might see a little better performance in some circumstances. But from my own dragying, I'm seeing no difference whatsoever, 87 vs 93. My question was just to get some opinions whether anyone thought it worth upping the fuel octane for safery/knock safeguard purposes.

Like above. Monitor knock/timing retard using whatever method you can during many WOT pulls and decide from there. If it was tuned for 87 you should be ok running regular but if youre seeing any knock upgrade.
 

vw671

Autocross Newbie
Location
San Diego
Very very old news - that video was released when APR first started offering the Plus tune which was very weak and overpriced. They then changed it to the proper low torque 91 Octane tune (in V1) - but then in V2 they tweaked the tune specifically for 87 (effectively the low torque stage 1 -87 option).

That DAP video really ought to be taken down or updated.

Edit to add - Arin has on here said that by running fuel above 87 you might see a little better performance in some circumstances. But from my own dragying, I'm seeing no difference whatsoever, 87 vs 93. My question was just to get some opinions whether anyone thought it worth upping the fuel octane for safery/knock safeguard purposes.

Sorry I was not aware as I do not follow this tune (*or any stage-1 tunes for that matter) it was just what I found when I looked. Sounds like APR just made the tune weaker to handle 87. This is very similar to my Atlas 2.0T where I'm running a JB-1 with +3psi on 87-octane. It runs OK on 87 but I'm sure it knocks a little.
 
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