Gasoline Question - Is premium a must?
 

I know that its better for performance and I intend to really take good care of my SS SC.

But I live in Canada and I really have no need for the added performance during the winter season.

Is it ok for me to just use regular than switch back in the summer?

what level of octane is best?

You can run lower octane just fine. I did it on longer trips. You will fell a significant loss in power tho. Wont hurt the car.

Try keeping it 89 and above. I used 89 when going for less than premium.

You can use as low as 87 octane. But, performance will suffer.

the car can run on the lowerst octane (87). I have done this and it didn't do anything bad HOWEVER, as the good book says, ye you wonders into the lower of qualities of fuel shall have performance of such a lower standard

I only run premium, cuz here at least, there is only a $2 TOTAL difference between a full tank of 91 and a full tank of 87 octane. *EDITED OUT*

Difference here is about 20 cents per litre. So about $10 everytime you fill up. Or rather $20 per month. Its not that big but if you really aren't pushing it in the winter. I see no point.

If I lived in Arizona, I'd be running at 94.


Also new question.

Where does it stop maknig a difference? For example if I run on 91 vs 94? How high should I go to get the best bang?

I run on 94 and its only about 7 or 8 cents more... Where do you gas?

Actually, you'd be running 91 if you lived in Az.

i spend about 100 bucks a month on gas

Aside from flat out racing fuel, the best fuel toget for street/comp sports cars is CAM2. Your engine will love every ounce of it but it costs like, 4.67/gallon(USD), and it won't burn as fast as straight out pro racing fuel.

Usually Petro,

from the lowest cost (89) to the top (I think its 93 or 94 oct) there is usually like 20 cents unless im imagining it. Wouldn't know since my current car (dont pick up the SS SC for another 2 weeks) runs on regular.

Without the use of premium gas, engine knock can occur

uhhh mmm hmmm

so is the performance on 93 better even than 91??

"Gasoline Question - Is premium a must?"

I think reading your owners manual is a must... :cussing:

Yes, I run 91 where I live and went some where they have 93 it was a difference

I used 89 octane in my car today because they were out of premium and my gas milage was TERRIBLE. Normally I would get around 31-34 mpg on the highway but I was getting around 24mpg with the 89 octane..... 93 or higher for life.

Petro premium gas 91 is always 11 cents more than 87 regular gas. Where as every other gas station is 10 cents more for premium. I usually fill up my car at Ultra-mar. Premium is only 7 cents more on thursdays.

I would highly recommend running premium (91 octane or better). This forum is too new to see what damage knock can do to a piston....S/C cars need higher octane, period. Absolutely unquestionable neccessity if running smaller than stock pullies! :twothumbs

Hell, they even recommend 91 or better for the 2.4L SS motor too. My dealership couldn't believe me until I showed them in the manual. (VIN code B) (I should have bet them money)

some of u guys are idiots...if u want ur car to last then u need to put premium in every single time. my god! with a s/c u are causing lots of damage to ur car not to! all octane is, is 8 hydrocarbons that come out of crude oil. methane is 1, septane is 7, etc...octane can handle compression very well unlike any of the others, so a 93 octane is 93% octane and the 7% is usually septane. so 87 octane is only 87%. this make a big difference. if on the compression stroke, the a/f mixture explodes before the spark and before TDC or DETONATES, than u get a problem called KNOCK. knock can break rods. all for 2 dollars a week. and dont think thats its covered under warrenty. cuz even if GM stays alive, the manual says to use 91 or higher. they will just say, "u use the wrong octane."

my mom drives a lexus that requires 91 or higher, but the dealer even said "87 will do." and so did her friends with lexus'. but when she need 4700 dollars of work due to a spun rod bearing they said "debt or credit" even though its an 05 rx330. so i hope ALL those 2 bucks that ur saving add up to the cost of a new motor.

Thats how I look at it. For the couple extra dollars why settle for anything less then 93? :beer:

Thanks for the explanation.

I'll stick with 91 in the winter? (just because I dont need the extra boost)
And 93 rest of the time.

Sound ok? :twothumbs

I'll be the one passing you on dry pavement using 94 :lol: just kidding! Sort of...

Wow! Where to begin?

Your 'explaination' was quite entertaining. My favorite part was where you made up your facts on the composition of gasoline. The detrimental effects that may arrise from knocking were correct, so your post was not a complete waste. As far as spinning a bearing due to knock....well, if you mom buys that crap, congratulations. It probably sounds better than telling her that you were redlining her car right after a cold start, before the oil had a chance to circulate and warm up and spun a main bearing.

Maybe it is just a coincidence but both times I have put 87 octane in my car it has set the P0170 lean code. It seems like the lower octane gas couldn't cause a lean code but the only thing that changed was the gas. Since I refilled with 93 octane no more code. Weird