Where do you get the idea that this engine is designed to run specifically on low octane fuel?... The U.S is one of the few countries in the world that has fuel with such low levels And the owners manual warns against using any lower than 87 octane.... This is one of the primary reasons that the Fits sold in other countries are faster and get far better mileage than they do here..

 

The owner's manual and the fact it's an economy car.

Where do you get the idea that Fits sold in other countries are faster?

edit: Australian 1.5 produces 88KW and 145NM. Converted to HP and lb ft this is 118/107. The US 1.5 produces 117/106 (within rounding errors).

UK and Aus recommend 91 RON. The US calculates octane using (RON + MON )/ 2 so it's difficult to compare, but 91 RON is equivalent to (maybe even a bit less than) 87 using the (R+M)/2 method

They might be faster due to lower weight the Aus 1.5 VTI Jazz comes in at 1070kg or 2358LBS. The US Base MT weighs in at 2489lbs and the Sport at a piggy 2520lbs...

link, link, link, link, and link.

 

So, what are the standard octanes at the pump in the USA?

 

At sea level, 87, 89 and 93.

 

There should be a sticker inside the fuel cap.

YouTube - Mighty Car Mods EP22 - How To Reflash Your ECU This really works.

 

Here in VT, it is 87, 89, 91, and at Sunoco, 93 or 94. Same if I remember correctly in NJ.

~SB

 

There is a sticker inside my fuel cap which reads "91-95 octane regular or ethanol / gasohol as we call it in Thailand"

http://www.pttplc.com/flash/ptt_win_gas_en.swf

 

Google for "RON vs MON vs (Ron + Mon)/2"

 

One observation I can make is that the L15A was not designed to run on lower octane fuel. It was designed and marketed exclusively for Japan for several years. Japan doesn't even have 87 octane fuel, so far as I know.

The L15A has a 10.4:1 ratio, which is a bit higher than a lot of engines in US market cars. Not extreme, but not exactly "normal" either. Certainly it would not be unreasonable to expect it to perform slightly worse if fed low octane fuel.

Really, I'm not sure power is affected much. I only notice the torque at low RPM and moderate/high load. Whether or not significant amounts of unburnt fuel are expelled from 87 octane fuel, I don't know.

I would very much like to see a dyno test with different fuels. But as for my suggestion, as far as I'm concerned, it's something others can try for themselves (or not) to see if they like/notice any difference. At any rate, perhaps someone who tries 93 from my suggestion might decide to do a dyno test.

 

Japan's 'regular' was 91 RON, at least as of 30 years ago. That would be about 87 AKI (RON+MON/2) in the US.

(RTD 3(1) Unleaded Gasoline in Japan)

 

That document is dated 1979.

EDIT: I am blind. You mentioned that was 30 years ago. Sorry.

 

Yes.

That was the "at least 30 years ago" part.

EDIT: You edited before I replied with my snarky deadpan reply. Anyone on here in Japan that can confirm the current "regular" sold there? I could ask my brother-in-law, but I'm not sure if he has a car over there.

 

YouTube - Mighty Car Mods EP22 - How To Reflash Your ECU This really works.

A lot faster and better MPG, but you will have to upgrade your suspension to take the extra power for a great drive.

 

Lek, I believe you. I'm sure a lot of us do. The problem is, nobody does that for us in North America unless you buy the Kraftwerks supercharger.

 

Hmm, that's strange. I would have thought with all the Fits in the US someone would be doing this.

 

I feel very fortunate that my state is no longer requiring veterans rated 100% disabled to pay property taxes.... What that means to me is that I can now afford the Hodata reflash and at a later date an AEM F/IC and methanol water injection system To support my KWSC..... I realise that the majority of people on this forum are younger than I am and assume that because of the small engine displacement of the Fit it is strictly a fuel sipping economy car and nothing more because they have less experience building and tuning engines that weren't near as sophisticated in design that were able to produce power gains by teenagers tearing them down and rebuilding them under shade trees and sharing labor and ideas in order to go out and measure off a distance and test the performance gains with a stop watch..... That is what it is really all about.. Screw a dyno run, It is a tool that measures power gains that is useful when tuning and verifying bragging rights to show your buddies....I prefer to measure power output by looking at my speedometer at a certain point on a steep hill accelerating from another certain point in a gear that allows me to gauge the power in the RPM I am looking for an increase in.... It is a tried and true practice that yields real world results in verifying gains or losses in power and it is cheaper than a dyno run.

 

I've owned a srt4 that trapped 120 on pump gas and made over 400hp on pump, a 330 hp evo9 that trapped 113, a turbo pt cruiser that beat up on stock srt4s and to be honest the fit isn't slow at all I never have a problem with it in town its not blazing fast but its fun factor is right up there with the evo in the twisties, its a great little car that moves great I've never been passed when accelerating or feel like I can't merge into traffic with it. I n all honesty I enjoy driving the fit over any of the other cars listed its a blast to drive, gets just as many stares as the evo did is cheap to buy insure and drive u just can't go wrong with it

 

"Fast and cheap"-just how Uncle Gary likes his women!

 

The Fit is slow, albeit relative.

In 1984 a Porsche 944 got to 60 in about 9 seconds or so, not too far off what either a GD or GE do with either MT or AT. Perspective changes things a bit, eh?

For me, I own a 381 horse Tundra or a V6 Accord I can drive if I don't drive the Fit. I do miss the power in passing situations; passing two cars at a time when the second car doesn't really want you to is much harder. Just reading that back to myself made me laugh. Impossible. So you have to surprise them with a rapid, timed overtake with no notice, speed already built. Fun, pure and simple. Burst out from behind the rear car and whip their ass before they realize a FIT just blasted by at like 32.6mpg.

Around town the gearing of my AT makes it more enjoyable for than the manual, it feels peppy and quick, tons of fun in the cut and thrust. I have the opportunity to drive either of my other cars every day; since I have bought my Fit I've driven the Tundra once.

We acclimatize ourselves to straight-line acceleration but so far I never tire of an engaging, eager, nimble chassis. I plan on a PRM, K&N or to build my own shorty intake, I plan to add the HKS High Power axle-back and an Eibach spring kit but that's it.

Until there's a supercharger, of course....

37 year old father of 4.

 

Now that my Fit is well past the break-in period, I've been driving the snot out of it. The Fit is awesome. It's not slow at all. It is very responsive and really fun to drive. I have a manual and visiting the red line is lots of fun. Does the Fit have a rev limiter?