On those kind of trips (cross-country or long distance)  I do use 91 octane
as I understood that it tends keep
the heads slightly cooler.

Good question,

Steven
91 Westy

On Mon, Jan 20, 2014 at 2:18 PM, Robert Stevens <mtbiker62@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Jan 20, 2014, at 2:07 PM, KevinPGilleran <kevin@GILLERANENERGY.COM>
> wrote:
>
> All,
>
> On my last trip out to the Grand Canyon and then circling clockwise around
> to Zion I found that my 1991 westy had problems with what I can only
> imagine
> is the altitude (4970 ft at Kanab Utah). I could barely get the van up to
> 50
> miles per hour the entire time we were at elevation. But once we dropped
> back down into California and were back on highway 5 (400 feet or so) we
> were back up 70 mph no problem.
> Any ideas of where I should start on this issue would be much appreciated.
>
> Your '91 says it requires 91 octane on the fuel cover door IIRC?
> Is this a change in altitude performance for your van?
> Do you use 91 octane?
>
> My performance suffers at higher altitude as well, but then I have an
> engine
> conversion (Subie) and always use 91 octane. I guess I wonder if this is
> the
> first time this has happened in your travels at altitude, or if it's just
> been a long
> time since you were driving your van at that altitude?
>
> bob