fuel additives DODGE NEON 2000 Service Repair Manual

REFORMULATED GASOLINE
Many areas of the country require the use of
cleaner burning gasoline referred to as ªreformulat-
edº gasoline. Reformulated gasoline contain oxygen-
ates, and are specifically blended to reduce vehicle
emissions and improve air quality.
DaimlerChrysler Corporation strongly supports the
use of reformulated gasoline. Properly blended refor-
mulated gasoline will provide excellent performance
and durability for the engine and fuel system compo-
nents.
GASOLINE/OXYGENATE BLENDS
Some fuel suppliers blend unleaded gasoline with
oxygenates such as 10% ethanol, MTBE, and ETBE.
Oxygenates are required in some areas of the country
during the winter months to reduce carbon monoxide
emissions. Fuels blended with these oxygenates may
be used in your vehicle.
CAUTION: DO NOT use gasoline containing METH-
ANOL. Gasoline containing methanol may damage
critical fuel system components.
MMT
MMT is a manganese-containing metallic additive
that is blended into some gasoline to increase octane.
Gasoline blended with MMT provide no performance
advantage beyond gasoline of the same octane num-
ber without MMT. Gasoline blended with MMT
reduce spark plug life and reduce emission system
performance in some vehicles. DaimlerChrysler rec-
ommends that gasoline without MMT be used in your
vehicle. The MMT content of gasoline may not be
indicated on the gasoline pump; therefore, you should
ask your gasoline retailer whether or not his/her gas-
oline contains MMT.
It is even more important to look for gasoline with-
out MMT in Canada because MMT can be used at
levels higher than allowed in the United States.
MMT is prohibited in Federal and California refor-
mulated gasoline.
SULFUR IN GASOLINE
If you live in the northeast United States, your
vehicle may have been designed to meet California
low emission standards with clean-burning, low-sul-
fur, California gasoline. Gasoline sold outside of Cal-
ifornia is permitted to have higher sulfur levels
which may affect the performance of the vehicle's cat-
alytic converter. This may cause the Check Engine or
Service Engine Soon light to illuminate.
Illumination of either light while operating on high
sulfur gasoline does not necessarily mean your emis-
sion control system is malfunctioning. DaimlerChrysler
recommends that you try a different brand of unleadedgasoline having lower sulfur to determine if the prob-
lem is fuel related prior to returning your vehicle to an
authorized dealer for service.
CAUTION: If the Check Engine or Service Engine
Soon light is flashing, immediate service is
required; see on-board diagnostics system section.
MATERIALS ADDED TO FUEL
All gasoline sold in the United States and Canada
are required to contain effective detergent additives.
Use of additional detergents or other additives is not
needed under normal conditions.
FUEL SYSTEM CAUTIONS
CAUTION: Follow these guidelines to maintain your
vehicle's performance:
²The use of leaded gas is prohibited by Federal
law. Using leaded gasoline can impair engine perfor-
mance, damage the emission control system, and
could result in loss of warranty coverage.
²An out-of-tune engine, or certain fuel or ignition
malfunctions, can cause the catalytic converter to
overheat. If you notice a pungent burning odor or
some light smoke, your engine may be out of tune or
malfunctioning and may require immediate service.
Contact your dealer for service assistance.
²When pulling a heavy load or driving a fully
loaded vehicle when the humidity is low and the tem-
perature is high, use a premium unleaded fuel to
help prevent spark knock. If spark knock persists,
lighten the load, or engine piston damage may result.
²The use of fuel additives which are now being
sold as octane enhancers is not recommended. Most
of these products contain high concentrations of
methanol. Fuel system damage or vehicle perfor-
mance problems resulting from the use of such fuels
or additives is not the responsibility of
DaimlerChrysler Corporation and may not be covered
under the new vehicle warranty.
NOTE: Intentional tampering with emissions control
systems can result in civil penalties being assessed
against you.
GASOLINE/OXYGENATE BLENDS
OPERATION
Some fuel suppliers blend unleaded gasoline with
materials that contain oxygen such as alcohol, MTBE
(Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether) and ETBE (Ethyl Ter-
tiary Butyl Ether). Oxygenates are required in some
areas of the country during winter months to reduce
14 - 2 FUEL SYSTEMPL
DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION (Continued)