I was just wondering about what kind of fuel you guys use in your 3rd Gens? My dad is telling me that i should use regular (87 octane) in my camaro. It runs fine on that or silver (89 octane). What do you use in your car or what additives do you use such as octane booster or marvel mystery oil?

 

always Sunoco 94

 

I only use 93 octane dont cheap out. it burns a lot cleaner less sulfer build up to.

 

Yes Sir!
I wish there was a Sunoco around here ...94

So I figure you get alot better mileage using high-test
and in effect it does not cost more money in the long run
-there are alot of different grades
of gasoline across the country-
I have gotten an extra 150 miles a tank full just by
filling up in the next state
-I always use 93 and a shot of gin

 

I think once i get my job at the local golf course, that i will switch to using 89 octane or 93 octane. Right now, im a little light on cash.

 

BP gas high grade (93 octane) owner before me, myself being the second, ran nothin but shell/BP 93 its a little more but definatley worth it

 

The cheapest 85 octane I can find, with a shot of AMSOIL PI.

 

I always run the highest available octane which around here is 93, it just doesn't run the same on anything else.

 

Regular 87 octane. If it's ruining my injectors I just sue Shell, BTW I work for Shell - Assisant Researcher.

 

I run 93 octane, but only because i have to. If you dont have really high compression or forced induction, you should run 87. No matter what anyone tells you, running higher octane dosen't run "cleaner" or give you more performance. If anything your mpg will go down and you will lose performance. Higher the octane number = takes longer to burn. Thats why if you have have forced induction or high compression you must use higher octane gasoline to keep detonation away. If you used 87 octane in my engine, it would ping because the fuel would ignite to soon as the piston was still coming up.

 

look in any hi-po mag and you'll see them say the same thing. most power comes from the lowest octane possible. use quality gas and maybe something with ethanol and you won't have any trouble gumming the injectors etc. I know some people hate ethanol but it burns cleaner and acts as a detergent even helping clean dirty injectors and fuel systems.

 

My CR is 10.5:1, no detonation, or ping. Not because I can't hear it but, because I would see the ECM pull timing when I data log.

 

Use the lowest grade possible without pre-ignition.

 

I always used mid-grade untill gas hit $4/gal. I switched to regular and noticed no difference, either performance or mileage. Why pay more, the gas companies get enough of our money the way it is.

 

Yeah, i noticed that some of my friends that have VW's and my one friend that has a Trans Am both all use 89 octane gas (in the middle of the octane's) on their cars'. My dad has a 64' Cadillac Coupe De' Ville, and he has to use 93 octane plus an octane booster everytime he fills it up.

 

When I worked in the chevy dealer, we saw vettes and camaro's at least once a week with running problems due to the high octane gas they were using eating away the insulation on the coil windings in the injectors. Bear in mind, that has been some time ago, and things may have changed, either in the formulation of higher octane fuels, or, in the design of the injectors. We always recommended 87 octane fuel for stock motors, or slightly warmed over ones.

 

E-85, 106 octane--works fine with 12.5:1 CR and 36 total advance in my (brand X) stroker, 2900 lb. 5 speed car. Setting my '82 Camaro up the same, maybe even a half point higher on compression....

 

I was told that engines with a knock sensor will keep the timing advanced further if high octane fuel is used. I understand this theory, but I am skeptical.

 

94 Octane!!!

Check your owners manual, TPI VIN "F" or "5.7 liter V8" is "designed to operate on Premium"!! You can use the other "junk", but "at slightly reduced acceleration performance". I like performance, that's why I have an IROC, for the performance!!

 

The knock sensor only retards timing if it detects knock. If there is no knock on 87 octane, then the knock sensor is not retarding timing, hence no performance loss.

Run the lowest octane possible that creates no pre-ignition. This can only truly be tested with a scan tool or datalogger.

 

Why do some drivers swear by using high octane fuel i.e. giving them better performance?

 

Oil companies love people like you!

 

like the other guys are saying
the cheaper gas is better thats why they charge less money for it

 

Unless you have the compression to justify it, higher octane gas will actually net you less power.

 

If the oil co's like guys like me, they love guys with strokers!

 

I use to be runnin 91 oct, but I notice that my car was running worser and worser. Then I went with 87 and it is running well without a problem

 

Because some engines knock on heavy load with low octane. The 4.0L I-6 in my jeep wrangler used to do that on 87 despite every sticker and label saying it only needed 87 and that putting in higher octane was useless.

 

The owners manual for my '85 says to use 87 octane.

 

It's either psychological or their engines were actually seeing spark retard.

Run premium at the track. Make a few runs. Average 'em out.
Put in high test at the track. Make a few runs. Average 'em out.

Run a scanner/datalogger during these runs. See what happens.

If you weren't experiencing retard during the premium runs, your high test runs will be no faster.

 

Hello HankL69!!

Does it specify the engine code, or is it non specific???? My owners manual for my two '87's are specific, and gives the engine VIN code, telling me to use Premium Unleaded in 5.0 liter engine VIN Code "F" and 5.7 liter V8 engines!!

It tells me to use Regular Unleaded in 5.0 liter engines except engine code "F" and 5.7 liter V8 engines!!

Yours "should" be the same!!!

P.S. "Should" be the same, less the 5.7 liter reference, due to the fact the 5.7 liter wasn't available until 1987!!!

 

I really dont care what octane anyone uses, i was just trying to help you out. But some people are just hard headed. Enjoy whatever the hell you like.

 

Sounds like "High Test" to me!!!

 

87 octane, with as little ethanol as possible.

At present (2010), the higher octane rating generally comes more from the higher concentration of ethanol than the actual "Octane" concentration being higher.

If you have a completely stock engine and you're getting knock unless you run higher octane fuel, then that's an indicator that something else is wrong.

You can generally make any engine knock if you have a manual transmission and you lug the engine.

 

I run 93 or 94 because I have to. I agree that if the motor is stock, the 87 should be fine. I know in my onld 96 Firebird 3.8, it would run hotter and slower on 93. I only made that mistake once.

 

OK, just to make sure that I get what most are saying, I have a 92 Camaro TBI 5-spd stock engine. I should use the 87 oct? I use Shell gas BTW.

 

The '85 owners manual does not specify any engine codes in its fuel requirement section. At least mine does not.

 

Always do 89 octane. Even shell's 87 octane is good. Shell's fuel period is great, according to the commercials and local tests my dad's dealership has done...

 

By the way, my 86 IROC with a stock lg4 seems to ping slightly on exceleration with regular gas, so I use mid grade, and the ping stops. Probably a faulty sensor, but I just use mid grade, and run it. I suspect I have a HO cam in it. Maybe it is a bit warmed over. It does go like hell.

 

More likely an inoperative EGR valve or plugged EGR passages.

 

How do I unplug the EGR?

 

Octane rating is purely anti-detonation characteristics, based on a comparison to pure octane. Contrary to popular opinion, higher octane ratings do not equal better performance, more power, or better economy, but are simply a requirement of higher-compression engines. You're just wasting money running a higher octane fuel than you need.

 

Hello 305sbc!!!

I can't make my 305 TPI manual transmissioned electronically spark controlled engine knock, as the spark is retarded before I can detect it!!

I've even had comments about why it doesn't get the spark knock!!!

 

Hello HankL69!!

You would think that they would put something in the owners manual about the premium fuel requirement, as the '85 TPI motor had a 9.5:1 CR, which you would think, necessitated the premium fuel!!



It's in both copies of my 1987 owners manual as I have stated before!!!

 

Im another for running 87 unless you need more.

In my 88 1500 (4.3 manual) I run 87 when Im doing daily driving. If Im going to be doing any hauling or towing, I run premium just because it will spark knock under a heavy pull.

I run highest pump octane possible in my s10 and chevelle and 400ex, thats because of the compression.

My camaro has stock compression so I run 87 with no problems. I have run 93 before and didnt notice any difference. So why pay more?

 

My genuine question about knock sensors, is that they retard timing so you don't get ping. Well it stands to reason that if higher octane is used the engine will run w/timing more advanced.??

 

Assuming the sensor and system is working correctly as designed and you were getting spark knock and the resulting spark retard already, then switching to higher octane fuel "can" allow you to run with less retard.

The system does not add extra spark advance based on you putting in a higher octane fuel. A good running system will not be experiencing any spark retard unless it's running the self diagnostic knock test, or you overload the engine by lugging it.

To the guy that can't get spark knock, just get the engine to 220*F or higher, then try to climb a steep hill from a low speed in your top gear. Put the gas to the floor and you will get knock, and possibly damage your engine, so I don't recommend it. The system can only pull so much spark in a certain amount of time, and a limited amount of total SA.

If you can't hear the knock and want to keep an eye on it, there are aftermarket monitors like this one: http://www.jandssafeguard.com/

 

"with less retard" is the key phrase that leaves me scratching my head. I have read that there was a bump up in hp with the introduction of the knock sensor. I am not trying to contradict or argue your point, I just want to understand.. Are you saying that with higher octane the engine will run with less retard, or more advance than with less octane?

 

POSSIBLY less retard, IF you were getting retard before, which you shouldn't be getting.