Well, all I can say, my '91 Volkswagen Vanagon GL Campmobile with 2.1 waterboxer engine does not knock (or ping) on 87 (or even 85 out west) octane fuel.  It will not pull a grade in 4th gear, or sometimes even 3rd gear, but the fuel octane does not make a difference there.  It just doesn't have the oomph to maintain rpms under heavy load.  I downshift.  but it doesn't ping, it just slows down.

The guys at GoWesty are knowledgeable, and sell some good stuff, but I call bogus on this recommendation.

mcneely

---- Hector Zapata <hlzapata@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> http://www.gowesty.com/library_article.php?id=1054
>
> Hector
> 1990 Carat 'Ursula'
>
>
>
>
>
> On Fri, Mar 11, 2011 at 3:05 PM, The Bus Depot <vanagon@busdepot.com> wrote:
> >> Is there anyone who is using 87 Octane gas in their
> >>  Vanagon?  If so, has it caused any problems?
> >
> >
> > U.S. and European octane rating methods are different.  Europe uses RON
> > ratings; we use (R+M)/2 (otherwise known as AKI).  Our 87-octane Regular
> > would be labeled as approximately 91 octane in Germany, so it meets VW
> > recommendations.  I have never had any problems using it in any of my
> > Vanagons.
> >
> > - Ron Salmon
> >  The Bus Depot, Inc.
> >  www.busdepot.com
> >  (215)  234-VWVW
> >
> > _____________________________________________
> > Toll-Free for Orders by PART # :  1-866-BUS-DEPOT
> >

--
David McNeely