www.iFourWinns.com

Lou, on another thread, noted I should be using PREMIUM fuel in my 96 205 Sundowner.
The engine is a 5.0L Electronic Fuel Injected SX, Volvo Penta Drive.
Heretofore, for the last 8 years I have owned the boat, I have used 87 octane fuel (REGULAR). After Lou’s comment I looked into the manual and it stated I should use 89 octane (PLUS) and strongly suggested 92 octane (PREMIUM) for its fuel-injector cleansing attributes. (87 octane, it said, is acceptable).
My questions are:
Do you use PREMIUM?
Aren’t most gas docks REGULAR? And what do you add to make up the difference? Brand?
Thanks,
Mark

Fueling at West Sound Marina, Orcas Island, Washington, USA

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Four Winns 1996 Sundowner 205
5.0fi/SX engine (Volvo Penta)

My manual specifies I use 87, but it's also a low compression engine. Also, I run FI cleaner early in the season (after the first tank is gone) and on the last fill-up before adding and running Stabil.
Many of the docks sell only the 92 octane, because so many boats require/recommend it (such as yours). I primarily fill up on the trailer, but found one place on the water that sells 87 octane, and is only a 15 min boat ride away.

I'd do what the manual suggests!

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Walt B
"Debt-Charged"
Black '07 H210SS
6.2L Bravo One turning a 21P HIFive
Wakeboard Tower with Perfect Pass Stargazer version
Missouri River; Kansas City, Mo.

Any Marina around here (Niagara river), sells 89 unless they have multiple grades.
When I go up to Canada it is mostly 87.
89 is recommended for mine also unless unavailable,then 87. I'm not fuel injected.

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2002 Horizon 190 5.0gl

Most of the marinas around here sell the top grade stuff - always the most expensive, too.

I have been putting 92 octane when the boat is on the trailer. What about an octane booster fuel additive for those times when 87 is only available?

Jeff

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2009 H180 3.0 Volvo Penta

I just checked marinas around Portland, Oregon and the San Juan Islands. Of the ones I checked they all sold 87 octane fuel exclusively. Interesting. (Although the prices are 92 octane!) I must assume I can use an octane booster (like STP) when I need to refuel at the dock.

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Four Winns 1996 Sundowner 205
5.0fi/SX engine (Volvo Penta)

You don't need to worry about octane unless you get above 9.5 to 1 compression. It's not bad to run premium, but it's a waste of money. The down side of running premium is that they sell less and there is a greater chance of getting water in it from setting in the storage tanks, because they all leak some.

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1992 Baja 38 Special Twin 502 Mags

03 Stingray 3.0
88 261 Liberator 460 King Cobras
95 Bayliner 1850 3.0
77 Fiber Form 20ft 350/385hp
70 Wescraft 1800 SS 455 Jet

Lead, Follow, or get the Hell out of the Way!

Maybe it's a local thing here in Long Island but most of the the marinas only sell premium. I have found with various engines that if the engine does not have a knock sensor...it's common for the engine's need for octane to increase with use because of carbon build up and other fuel system issues. So if you use premium, you are erring on the side of caution and avoiding detonation which in a marine engine because of noise levels in boating you may never hear. For my old '88 FW OMC gave two base timing specs.....1* BTDC if you use regular and 6* BTDC if you use premium....the 6* obviously gives much better performance....
So the bottom line is I don't particularly agree with using regular....if you talk to marine mechanics and ask about failure modes in most inboard engines...keep in mind these engines were not designed to run a 3-4K rpms all the time...like 2 cycle outboards are...and often the failure point is overheated or tuliped valves which will lead to complete failure if not repaired....the highest octane gas you can get...with proper fuel mixture and spark plugs of the right heat range...and with the right size prop...is what you need to make an IO powerplant last in the marine environment.

One of the biggest reasons that hardcore salt water boaters prefer 2 cycle ouboards is there is no valve train to wear...they can run wide open all the time....as long as the fuel mixture is correct and the oil injection works!

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II