Elliott's94Z

iTrader: (12)

I've been told running lower then 92 octane could result in bad gas mileage and potentially take away power. I have always ran 92 but with it creeping up to $5 a gal here in the N.W I curious to know if 87 octane would be ok??

9730thanvz28

iTrader: (1)

well you may end up getting spark knock. these cars are designed to run on 93 octane. thats why it calls for it. Look on the gas door or in the service manual. You can run the cheap stuff but you will lose power unless you were to get it programmed to think its running on 93 octane.

Elliott's94Z

iTrader: (12)

Yeah mine didn't come with a owners manual. I filled it up with 87 to see how it ran and so far so good. No pinging or knock yet. I babied it going up a big hill to see if it would do so. If it calls for it then this will be my last time running 87

Pretyflywiteguy

you won't notice anything unless you fill up 87 next time because its mixing with the old gas. Why sacrifice performance and reliability to save what? $4 per fill up? not worth it IMO

StealthFormula

iTrader: (35)

I always run 93 and wouldnt run anything but it. Thats what there recommended to run anyways. If 92 is the highest in your area that should be fine. I ran 87 once in my stock '95 a few years ago and the thing pinged and never again will I try that.

LaVy

iTrader: (5)

I've always ran 93 octane in mine while i've owned it, I mean if you put 10 gallons in her its only another 2 dollars.

9730thanvz28

iTrader: (1)

lol at least you can run 93 without spark knock. my compression is so high I have to run at least 110 to get rid of the spark knock. im probably around 13.5:1 compression maybe higher. but hey my baby scoots alot better now!

nomoneyz

iTrader: (15)

I always run 91 cause thats all there is out here. I tried to do the 87 thing cause people said that I was wasting my money on the 91. My car ran worse and got worse gas milage on 87 so I only use 91 now. I get about 20mpg with a stalled auto so I'm sticking to it.

Formula350

iTrader: (3)

heh Reliability. I guess my motor is fucked then I've filled up with 91 less than a handful of times since I've gotten my 93. Majority of the time it was 87. Recently it's 87oc 60%, 105oc E85 (all E85 is 105) 40%.

They put those recommendations on there for you as a suggestion. Yes, it CAN cause pre-ig, but not always and most of the time only under a heavy load of high Rs. You can run any of them, you just will be sacrificing power, not necessarily mpg, but it can.

infinitebird

iTrader: (11)

run 93 or sell your car if you can't afford gas.

but really this is a nonissue. If you can afford a v8 with the current gas prices, $4-5 more per fillup is not going to change it.

If you HAVE to run 87 for whatever reason, get a tune to reduce the timing so it is designed for that.

Formula350

iTrader: (3)

Directed at me or not (probably not), my car is really cheap to own. So it being a Firebird and a V8 one, doesn't really say much for not being able to fill up with premium heh

Lots of people now are barely driving their F-Bodies (check the Gas thread), so using low octane is better than not driving the car At least in my book. Both are neglect, but I'd rather be played with and loved, then fed beans and cabbage, then left locked up in a dark room only to be let out on weekends

9730thanvz28

iTrader: (1)

this is what they make cavaliers and those types of cars for. Ya could always try to find random odd and end jobs to help cover the cost of driving. Its happening with ALOT of people now days. Seems how these oil companies are really enjoying reaching into our pockets but not being nice enough to give a hand job lmao

Formula413

iTrader: (1)

Stock LT1 compression ratio is 10.4/1. That's pretty high for an everyday car. As has been stated 1,000,000 times already the PCM can compensate somewhat for lower octane by retarding timing to help prevent knocking. Personally I wouldn't run less than 91 (what GM recommends); I didn't get the car to hold it back in the interest of saving a couple bucks here and there. I would also be very reluctant to really get on it with 87 octane in the tank, there is only so much the PCM can do to compensate. If you don't really hammer on your car 87 octane is probabaly fine for the most part though.

phirepower

iTrader: (2)

Manufacturer recommends 91 octane +, running less than that is foolish and will result with poor fuel economy, performance, and longevity issues

Formula350

iTrader: (3)

Check out my post in the Gas thread. Big relief coming soon.


I'm asking because I don't know, not to be a smart ***, what can lower OC do to a car that is 'recommended' to run on a higher OC? Mind you, most people won't thrash on their car all the time, so if you're referring to ping then it wouldn't happening all the time. Mine only pings when I really get up on the Rs (5K+) and even with higher OC it still has slight ping, which is probably partially my fault with my tune.

ThoR294

iTrader: (6)

our cars recommend 91 octane. gas stations around me have 87/89/93. so i have to use 93. your car can't compensate compression for low octane gas. so use 93

Ihasfip

iTrader: (5)

Honestly, I have only had my car for about 2 months and I have only ran 87 in mine and it has ran fine. I guess after reading this ya'll suggest I run 90 something in mine...will that make it perform better? Maybe I can break into the 8's !

1996firebirdformula

iTrader: (3)

Sunoco 94 octane

Spiers

iTrader: (7)

Jesus. Use what is called for. Yeah putting 93 in a Honda Civic is a waste of money, but these cars require premium, so quit cheaping out, or sell it and buy a Civic.

Jonez_z

iTrader: (3)

Since we are already gettin raped for gas you might as well pay a couple bucks more per fillup and get 93 or better.