Fuel Smell from the exhaust

[natimage]

Well, I went to where I thought I could get 93, but they did not have it. I filled up with 91 and will be driving easy on this tank.

Thanks to all who replied! Hopefully no damage was done and this simple change will correct the problems.

[natimage]

You can look between the alt and PS pump and it should be stamped with either EJ25 or EJ20. I suspect you will find EJ20

I found it!!! Yes it is EJ20... I'm just happy to know where to look!! Thank you!!

[natimage]

As I was researching octane booster/higher octane gas threads, I found this:

"a full tank of piss water 91 octane at $2.35/gallon"..... what I wouldn't give to pay that price again!!!!!!!!!

[power091999]

91 Octane is fine. 93 is of course better but as we mentioned before, just don't use anything less than 91 and your solid.

[teflon_jones]

I would start fueling up with 93 as soon as possible and drive the car really easy on this tank. I wouldn't use any additives. Just take it easy on this next tank. Definitely post pictures of the engine bay and anything else you have questions about.

Octane boosters only add about a tenth of a point of octane anyway so they're pretty much useless.

Unfortunately, not much. I believe I looked at a free Carfax report prior to purchase and didn't see any accidents or anything alarming. I want to say there were 2 previous owners. One of them didn't put hardly any miles on it, and the other did. I don't recall any other specifics, though.

Carfax is only worthwhile if it DOES show something. If it shows nothing, it doesn't mean the car is "clean." I had a Porsche I did $30k in damage to when I was younger and more stupid and the car still had a clean carfax.

Furthermore, the "sluggish" feeling of the car is likely the ECU learning the low octane 87 fuel. Likely it is pulling boost and adding timing to protect against detonation. I would fill the car with 93 IMMEDIATELY, then pull the battery leads and step on the brakes for 10 seconds. Then reconnect the battery leads. Your ECU should relearn the new fuel curve quickly.

Even without disconnecting the leads the car will learn the new fuel pretty quickly, though the more aggressive you drive (which you don't really want to do), the faster it learns. Once you burn through this tank of gas you'll be fine. In fact if you filled up 3/4 wit 91 and had 87 in there you're effective octane is probably still about 90 which is a little low but WAY better than 87!

I'll fill up with the best gas I can find, and follow your suggestions with the battery leads afterward!!

What do you mean by "best gas"?

Ok... I thought asking where I could find 93 Octane was a stupid question... but I'm thinking it might not be. Any advice on where to go in Aurora, Colorado to find 93?

The standard octane in CO is 91. I've lived here over 4 years and I don't think I've ever seen more than 91 anywhere other than the track or some isolated stations where you can get ~100 octane.

The car requires "premium" fuel and 91 octane qualifies as premium. There's absolutely no need to look for 93.