87 octane
I have a cammed 96 Caprice and I run 87 octane in it but I have the programming setup for such. If your programming is not setup for it the knock sensors will indeed pick up some detonation and correct for it but if severe enough it can trigger lo octane retard mode and pull timing basically all the time and not just a little timing much more than actually needed because detonation is dangerous for a motor.
i guess if your car hasnt knocked yet then your ok. One owner of a Z-28 i was looking at said it knocked all the time when he put 87 in so i guess his timing or whatever was messed up. My family just puts 93 in all of our cars just to run a little better.
Like I said in your other thread, you could start knocking very easily.
Check and see how much timing your computer is pulling, I bet it's alot.
You could install an LT4KM if you really wanted to run that low of octane, and have less performance loss... but that increases knock risk (engine going kabloowee risk) because the computer isn't recognizing the real knock anymore. Won't even help much anyway, imo.
You could have your computer tuned for it though.
Personally I notice such a difference in performance and overall 'happiness' of my vehicle, that i refuse to run lower than 91 in it.
And pinging isn't good, no matter how harmless the manual claims it to be. The manual also states that the car was meant to be ran on at least 91.
Ask any mechanic, pinging leads to worse things.
Check and see how much timing your computer is pulling, I bet it's alot.
You could install an LT4KM if you really wanted to run that low of octane, and have less performance loss... but that increases knock risk (engine going kabloowee risk) because the computer isn't recognizing the real knock anymore. Won't even help much anyway, imo.
You could have your computer tuned for it though.
Personally I notice such a difference in performance and overall 'happiness' of my vehicle, that i refuse to run lower than 91 in it.
And pinging isn't good, no matter how harmless the manual claims it to be. The manual also states that the car was meant to be ran on at least 91.
Ask any mechanic, pinging leads to worse things.
Last edited by 25thAnnivTransAm; Apr 22, 2005 at 12:32 PM.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 549
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From: St. Peters, MO
i run 87 all the time when money gets tight and she runs fine. no pinging or detonation. if you feel/ sense this then your having timing pulled out. if not you are ok. like everyone else said pinging and detonation will lead to big problems down the road including damaging the heads, pistons, bores, etc.
