So does a change in gasoline matter after all?

[95Batmobile]

I know everybody says gas doesn't matter, and I used to believe that, but last week I filled up at the 76 gas station putting in 89 octane like I always do and ALL last week my car was running like total crap. So for vday I wanted to do something sweet for my baby so I washed/waxed her and filled her up with premium and she is running great! Seriously, I know my car and I know when there is the slightest of change in the way she is running and she is really great right now!

Unless last week I just got some really crappy gas it seems the octane matters after all... but I do have just about every bolt-on plus fastchip computer work so maybe I should have been running 91 octane all along?

[sac2165]

#1 From my experience gas quality can vary from state to state based on what kind of standards are required. I guess Ohio sucks in that department.

#2 If you've got some custom computer programing you probably should be running 91+ octane.

[MustangEater8251]

most computer stuff say you need to run a higher octane...

but non compuer modified cars, just average bolt on car, run 87 and you will be fine... Look for it on average, if you are going to the cheapest gas station, you are probably getting whatever octane but 10% of it is water [img]smile.gif[/img]

I stick to the mroe name brack places, I mean$0.02 a gallon difference, so I save $0.20 after I completly gas up, and have like a 1 in 5 chance I get bad gas that runs like ***...

I think I have only had one expereince with bad gas at a chevron, mobil, shell station, and maybe 6-7 at a citgo or racetrack, or other no name place.

[95Batmobile]

The weird thing for me is that in my experience, my car AWLAYS feels like its running terrible with chevron! My mileage goes down when I use it too... my car just hates Chevron gas for some reason. I usually use 76 or Mobil, I was using mobil for a while because I didn't know there was a 76 station right down the street from me [img]tongue.gif[/img]

I like 76 gas, maybe last week I just had some really crappy gas, or this gas is just really really good :D My car sure does feel a lot stronger though hehe

[cassie]

gas is gas imo

87 is the lowest octane available in my area
94 is the highest

Most gas stations are 87, 89, 94

I usually get 87 b/c theres usually at least $.50 difference between 87 and 94.

I'm not racing. I'm just driving

[slow]

$0.50... WOW

here is it $0.20 max. 93 only for me. (94 if i can find it)

Ryan.

[slow]

$0.50... WOW

here is it $0.20 max. 93 only for me. (94 if i can find it)

Ryan.

[LD]

the local Sunoco sells 110 for like 3 dollars more a gallon, that must be REALLY good for my car :D

[fre]

i ran 87 for like a long *** time, then i decided i was going to fill up with 91 one day, i noticed a very noticable performance increase right around 4 grand in third gear

[malice10985]

I always get texaco 91 octane. 91 is the highest in my area.

[95Batmobile]

Yeah all the stations around here go 87 -> 89 -> 91
There is a 76 station around here somewhere that sells 105 or 110 octane for like 5 bucks a gallon, one of my friends has a "high octane" program for his VW, whenever he feels like having a little extra power he can turn on the program and fill er up with the good gas and have fun [img]smile.gif[/img]

I think I am going to put in 89 octane next week and see if my car starts running bad again and if it does, 91 octane from now on!

[Lon]

from what i understand, as explained to me by an old jedi motor builder at my work. Octane rating doesnt really mean what you think it does. Yes it burns a little hotter as the rating goes up. but more to the point it burns cleaner with less deposits. so between 87 and 92 you wont notice it, unless your car is tuned for a certain octane. but it is a good habit to run higher octane just to keep deposits and such down in your engine. I could be wrong, but this guy could break down timing on a 69 mustang from memory. so i took his word for it. LOL

[JusFlyinBy]

Their's tons of articles that say using a higher octane fuel is not beneficial in any way. Pretty cool article straight from GM, check it out: http://service.gm.com/gmtechlink/arcv_pdf/4_00_e.pdf

On the other hand, I have tried it anyway, and noticed no difference whatsoever in my bird... But... in my grand am, it was night and day. Using a higher octane fuel in that gave it a very noticeable increase in performance. So yea, I dont know what to think either???

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

AHHHHHHH

GM says that becuase of the timing curve they use

higher octante fuel lets you advance the timing more with out detination, advance the timng you make more power, but do it to much and it tries to push the piston down went its still coming up (knock) or detination, so running higher octane will stop that as higher octane is harder to ingnite and bruns for a longer time,

OHIO has 86,89,91,92,93,94. (few place with 96, and 110)
right now 92 runs best in my car, 93 is to much and 91 is to little,

see, every thing in the motor is hot, say you have 86, as the fuel/air enters the chamber, it finds a nice hot spark plug or exuast vaule, BOOM, before the plug even fires, the piston is still on the way up and the "boom" is trying to push it down. not only that if the intake/exuast vavles are open it roasts them too

now take the 92, it enters and nothing happens, both valves close, piston is almost at the top, SPARK = BOOM and push the piston down, max power,
your spark for max power should be just before the piston is at the top, becuase of the vary small delay for the spark to the air/fuel burning. this way all the energy released push the piston the hole trip down. if it sparks when piston at the top the piston starts moving down b/f the mixture can fully ignite, there for wasting energy, energy = power

now 92 bruns longer right. so it pushs on the piston longer = more power, 92 has more energy = more power

knock can also happen if the spark plugs spark to soon

for a stock camaro/firebird at 5200 RPM the piston is moving appox 7,903 feet/minute !!!!!!!!!!!!

[ February 17, 2004, 02:03 PM: Message edited by: viper04af ]

[JusFlyinBy]

I dont know about your car, but mine doesnt pre-detonate, or knock on 87 gas. Does yours? If not, than why are you using 92? You see the point in that article now? It didnt say higher octane fuels are worthless, it said higher octane fuels are needed if you pre-detonate on lower octanes, which our cars shouldnt be doing. As the engines get older, maybe. In my case, their is no advantage, and I have even tried.