fuel.....

[Y2K_CAMARO]

ok, im just wondering about some fuel. i run premium gas in my car. i know another guy who runs regular 87 in his WS6. he says that all of it is the same. i said that if your car doesnt call for it, for example a stock honda civic, you should run regular, and if you have more of a performance car, you should run mid-grade or premium. i still run the high stuff, but just wondering, does it really make a difference? so, im going with yes, because, of course, its a higher octane, which should burn better than regular, right? but i want to here some other opinons.

[steelerfan]

I say if your owners manual recommends premium then use it,if it doesn't then you're just wasting your money.I use premium myself.

[rbob93]

Premium doesn't "burn better" than regular, it burns SLOWER.

[superchargedblackgto]

Premium doesn't "burn better" than regular, it burns SLOWER.

He is correct, the higher the octane the slower the burn...I have to run premium, because of the f/i helps prevent detonation, which is the same with you because of the hight compression ratio.....U see 87 has a lower "flash point" and could detonate @ the wrong strok causing internal problems over time....valves, rods....ect......"NOW YOU KNOW AND KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE"-GIJOE.....
Brad

[FasstChevys]

all good responses - the 'need' for octane is directly tied to the compression of your engine -

low octane fuel + high compression = detonation

[dparsons1968]

I just had a conversation about this yesterday and the owners manual recommends an octane rating of 91 or higher. It says you can use lower grades but it will hurt your cars ability to accelerate.

[FasstChevys]

I just had a conversation about this yesterday and the owners manual recommends an octane rating of 91 or higher. It says you can use lower grades but it will hurt your cars ability to accelerate.

Sure..........you 'can' use lower octane fuel, but at WOT, you risk the chance of detonation and engine damage.......if you never run high rpms, lower octane fuel will be allright.

[M-Ten]

By running the lower octane, like other people said, it increases the chance of knock, or detonation. Never run lower than 93.

[SeVeReDiStOrTiOn]

From what I remember there's a seperate timing table for 87 octane...you can run 87 but it'll pull timing (less performance) not including any pulled due to KR. That could've just been some BS floating around the tech section though..

[M-Ten]

Yes, there are different octane tables.. But yeah, it does pull timing in order to keep the knock out.

[Y2K_CAMARO]

well, thats alot of good info. i still run 93 though

[Tobynine9]

If you want your LS1 to pull like an LS1 is supposed to, run 91 or higher. IIRC, the most aggresive timing table is set for 91 octane as that is the universally highest octane available. Some areas, like here in Houston, have 93 octane. However, unless you use an aftermarket tune that advances timing to take advantage of the slower burn, 93 vs. 91 will not net you any gains.

[Sarge]

Well I'll throw the turd in the punchbowl......
We only have 100% gasoline here. No 10% ethanol....I realize we are the exception and not the rule. But my point is this......
I ask some knuckleheads at the BP gas terminal about ethanol/transport/mixing etc. many months ago and got some surprising answers....
1. No ethanol is transported to the depot as it is too corrosive. 2ndly.....as ethanol is like 104 octane....how do they blend it to insure a 93 octane or 87 octane outcome when it is blended at the delivery point via special tanks on the truck or at the point of debarkation for the truck....so my question was....Federal Laws require you to have a minimum of 93 octane if it is advertised as 93 Octane...do you guys send out 93 Octane and then the ethanol is blended in making it a higher octane...like 93 minimum becomes 96 Octane or something...same with 87 Octane...the answer was yes...we send out 93 Octane/87 Octane etc. then the ethanol is blended making it a higher octane so we meet the federal minimums....so a 87 Octane can be a 91 or 92 Octane if your burning a 10% ethanol gas......food for thought....I did some checking on the interweb and yup....got the same info basically.....

[2MuchFun]

so sarge are you saying we should use ethonol?

[M-Ten]

so sarge are you saying we should use ethonol?

We already do.. It's in our gas to begin with.

[Sarge]

so sarge are you saying we should use ethonol?

Nope...I am saying when they blend it in gas they raise the octane level....

[Sarge]

We already do.. It's in our gas to begin with.

Not mine

[M-Ten]

Right, but like you said - you are the exception

[00 formula]

Nope...I am saying when they blend it in gas they raise the octane level....

So you're saying I could run 89 mid-grade and get the same performance out of it that I get out of the 92 premium?

[Tobynine9]

If it's blended.